Psalm Devotional
Safely Home
The Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann prefaced his remarks on Psalm 23 with these words: “It is almost pretentious to comment on this psalm.” I have a similar feeling as I approach this text. What does one say about a text so familiar?
Perhaps it is the familiarity that warrants comment. Familiarity with a text often leads to an interpretation that is a caricature of the true meaning. Generally speaking, Christians have tended to focus on the green pastures and the quiet waters while losing sight of the pursuing enemies and the valley of the shadow of death.
This psalm is a pilgrimage psalm. The psalmist is trying to make it home. The question is, “Will he make it?”
The psalm opens by connecting the covenant Lord with the metaphor of the shepherd. In the Ancient Near East, a king was not only his people’s ruler, but he was also their provider. God is not only our great King, but He is also our great Shepherd. He provides for His sheep by giving them food (“green pastures”) and drink (“quiet waters”). The promise is not that we will have everything we want, but that we will have everything we need. Perhaps the psalmist is recalling God’s provision to Israel during their wanderings in the wilderness (Ex. 16:18; Deut. 2:7). A follower of God will lack no good thing (Ps. 34:10).
