4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalms第23章:4
The 23rd Psalm
原作者： Brian David
The 23rd Psalm is one of the best-known and most-loved literary works in the world, and it may well be the best poem ever written. It is also a fine example of the power of figurative language: We read deep things into the vision of ourselves as sheep, led to green pastures and good water by a kind shepherd. It’s empowering to feel the confidence to go fearlessly into the valley of the shadow of death, and to feel the love and caring of a table prepared by the Lord and a cup so full it overflows.
What people don’t know, however, is that this language actually has precise internal meanings, and that when we see them there is an even deeper beauty in the poem. That’s because what it actually describes is the path to heaven, and the fierce desire the Lord has to lead us there.
The first step is to let the Lord be our shepherd – to accept His teaching and His leadership. The green pastures and the still waters represent the things He will teach us for the journey. Then He begins working inside is, setting our spiritual lives in order, so that we desire to do what’s good and to love one another. That’s represented by restoring our souls and leading us in the paths of righteousness.
But we will still face challenges. We still live external lives, out in the world, and we are subject to desires that arise in those externals, in our bodily lives. That’s the valley of the shadow of death. But the rod and staff represent truth from the Lord on both external and internal levels, ideas that can defend us against those desires.
And if we keep following, the Lord will prepare a table for us – a place inside us that he can fill with love (the anointing oil) and wisdom (the overflowing cup). Thus transformed, we can enter heaven, with love for others (“goodness”) and love from the Lord (“mercy”) and can love and be loved to eternity.
One of many beautiful things about this is the fact that it is the Lord who really does all the work. In the whole text, the only action taken by the sheep is walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Other than that, they follow the Lord, trust the Lord, accept the blessings of the Lord. And that is really true! In external states (in the valley) we might seem to be doing the work ourselves, but internally, spiritually, we simply need to give ourselves to the Lord and let Him bless us.
The underlying idea here is that the Lord created us so that He could love us, in loving us wants us to be happy, knows that our greatest happiness will come from being conjoined to Him in heaven, and Himself wants nothing more than to be conjoined to us. So everything He does, in every moment of every day for every person on the face of the planet, is centered on the goal of getting that person to heaven. He wants each and every one of us in heaven more than we are capable of imagining. We just need to cooperate.
(参考: Apocalypse Explained 375 [34], 727 [2]; The Inner Meaning of the Prophets and Psalms 273)
Psalms第104章
1
Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty.
2
Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain:
3
Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:
4
Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
5
Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.
6
Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains.
7
At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.
8
They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them.
9
Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over; that they turn not again to cover the earth.
10
He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills.
11
They give drink to every beast of the field: the wild asses quench their thirst.
12
By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.
13
He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works.
14
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
15
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.
16
The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath planted;
17
Where the birds make their nests: as for the stork, the fir trees are her house.
18
The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies.
19
He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down.
20
Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth.
21
The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.
22
The sun ariseth, they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens.
23
Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour until the evening.
24
O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.
25
So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.
26
There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein.
27
These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.
28
That thou givest them they gather: thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good.
29
Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled: thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust.
30
Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.
31
The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works.
32
He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.
33
I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34
My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.
35
Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the LORD, O my soul. Praise ye the LORD.
