I LIFT UP MINE EYES...

It was the first memorable sight of my new hometown that morning in 1970, when the newspaper managing editor who'd just hired me picked me up at the airport. As we came down the hill en route to the newspaper office, he pointed out a huge, unique land formation on the other side of the Columbia River. “Saddlerock, they call it,” he said. And yes, I could imagine that shape in the rocky crag before us, beileved to be an old volcano's neck. After five years as a reporter and editor, I would move away to other opportunities. When I returned to the valley several years later later to be married, the “saddle” still stood there. Stark, high, and regal.

Many have hiked it, even several times. I never did—busyness and health being my reasons. But in June, “Saddlerock” was the commanding view from the window of my husband's hospital room. He would die, just short of age 78. But, thanks to that physical symbol of our great and mighty God, I would be reminded of the comfort freely offered in Psalm 121:

I will lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth....The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (vv. 1, 8)

As I transition into a “new normal” after nearly 42 years of marriage, I sense the hug of God while re-reading familiar and comforting scriptures. The grief fatigue is there. The sense of being overwhelmed is, too. But there's love, too--in food gifts, the flood of cards, the caring visits and phone calls. All said my husband's life (as a Christian, a great dad, a teacher, and all-around friend to many) mattered in theirs. And that meant a lot.

And so does the even-more-stalwart hope and comfort of God. Just the right scriptures come to my sad heart, reminding me that this was not an end, but a transition for someone who loved and served the Lord. Also, that I am the Great Shepherd's lamb, under His protective eye. He walks alongside in the valley of death (Psalm 23).

I'm told that the view from the top of Saddlerock is spectacular. From the “saddle,” you can see the sweep of the Columbia River as it veers from south to east its serpentine journey to the Pacific ocean. And the hills! Gray, scrubby, scruffy, all part of the unique high desert terrain of Central Washington. But be careful from that viewpoint. The other side is a dangerous drop.

And maybe that's a good reminder for this season of life. Not to indulge in prolonged grief or self-pity, but to look to others, and share the hope you have in Jesus. A friend (my long-ago childbirth coach!), who was also widowed this past year, mailed me a card with a caring note, then later just a Bible verse:

Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4

This is part of healing a big heart-wound, carrying forth the reality that God comforts us in our troubles “so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians 1:4).

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Here is one powerful rendition of Psalm 121 set to contemporary music:

Bing Videos

SHEPHERD SONGS

Psalm 23--in a modern "Psalter" (notice the "page number" 
is the Psalm number)

(Part of a monthly series on hymns.)

 “The Lord is my Shepherd.” Who hasn't memorized those words that begin Psalm 23? Its words of protection and comfort are taught children and often quoted at the end of life. It's no surprise that the theme of Jesus as our Shepherd should run throughout the history of hymns.

Probably the best known hymn of the Scottish psalter, it was published four decades after the 1611 King James translation of the Bible. By adding rhyme and tune to chapters of Psalms, it was the preferred worship songbook for those (including early Calvinists) who believed only Bible passages should be sung in church. Then came reformers like Germany's Martin Luther, who felt Christians needed new songs to sing. He and others composed hymns embracing Bible truths but didn't try to squeeze Bible translation into poetic forms. Many were inspired by Psalm 23, the Shepherd song. You've probably sung many in your life. Here, in historical order, are a few:

“Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us” (1836)--Englishwoman Dorothea Ann Thrupp prepared little devotional and song books for children, usually just using her initials (D.A.T.) for published writings. But one little poem in her book, telling about Jesus' tender care and “pleasant pastures,” was left unsigned. Most believe it was hers, just an oversight of credit. American composer William Bradbury added a tender tune. How many millions have sung about “Blessed Jesus, thou hast bought us, thine we are.”

“He Leadeth Me” (1862)--Joseph Gilmore, son of a New Hampshire governor, became a minister and one day was supplying the pulpit at a Philadelphia Church. His text was Psalm 23, but when he began, he couldn't get past “He leadeth me beside the still waters.” Preaching during some of the darkest days of the Civil War, he likely felt emotionally overwhelmed. After the service, while in the parlor of his host that Sunday, a poem came to him and he scribbled words on a piece of paper. He later showed them to his wife; she sent them to a magazine, which published them. Unknown to him, well-known hymn composer William Bradbury (who did the music for the hymn mentioned above) noticed the poem and wrote a new tune for it—then put it in a hymnal! Three years after Gilmore jotted the lyrics, he opened the hymnal of a church were he was a guest preacher and discovered his poem-now-hymn. Of his poem, he remarked, “It makes no difference how we are led, or whether we are led, so long as we are sure God is leading us.”

“The King of Love My Shepherd Is”(1868)--The Welsh had their own hymn based on Psalm 23, but Anglican clergyman Henry Baker gave it a fresh translated face. It's reported that as he died, for his last words he quoted from that hymn: “Perverse and foolish oft I strayed, But yet in love He sought me.” That verse ends: “And on His shoulder gently laid, and home rejoicing brought me.”

“Shepherd of Love”(1966)--John W. Peterson (1921-2000), called the “Dean of Contemporary Gospel Singers,” wrote some 1,200 Gospel songs and hymns plus many cantatas. This song, and one he wrote in 1958 with another Gospel musician, Alfred Smith, “Surely Goodness and Mercy” rely on the imagery of Psalm 23.

“The New Twenty-third”(1969)--Ralph Carmichael (b. 1927) was introduced to music at the age of four when handed a fiddle by his pastor, also a fiddler. He also studied piano, trumpet and voice and became a minister of music and composer to Billy Graham films. He began his Psalm 23 Gospel song, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything that I need.”

“Gentle Shepherd” (1975)--Prodigious performers and composers Bill and Gloria Gaither, who left teaching for Gospel music careers, translated Psalm 23 to this tender hymn with a lullaby feel to it. The couple will celebrate their 59^th year of marriage this year—a union that has produced memorable Gospel music that reached around the world.

“Shepherd Me, O God” (1986)--Representative of newer, not-as-well-known songs based on Psalm 23 is this one by Marty Haugen. One year in the 1980s while snowbound at the Holden Village retreat center in North Central Washington, he came up with his simple chorus based on Psalm 23. Full—like the original psalm—of comforting metaphors, it's been ecumenically embraced by several Christian faith traditions.

No matter which of these “shepherd” songs is nearest your heart, never lose sight of Jesus applying the metaphor to Himself:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)

Here is a video with scenic background for “Shepherd Me, O God,” composed 35 years ago in Washington's Cascade Mountains:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=shepherd+me+o+god&view=detail&mid=021A3D258D0E9415522D021A3D258D0E9415522D&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dshepherd%2bme%2bo%2bgod%26cvid%3df02daecd5a2b4ee6a16d82bfd0bc7793%26aqs%3dedge..69i57j0l6.5778j0j1%26FORM%3dANSPA1%26PC%3dU531

ENOUGH (Psalm 23)

"My cup overflows....."

The Lord is my Shepherd.  I have everything I need. –Psalm 23:1 (New Living Translation)

As much as I love the King James translation of Psalm 23:1 (“I shall not want”), I am especially drawn to this version. “Everything I need.”  In my heart, it pairs so well with the apostle Paul’s declaration of contentment: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” He wrote this as part of his thank you to the church at Philippi for a monetary gift for his basic living expenses.  Remember, he was a missionary, living on the erratic First Century version of “support.”  At times he had to go back to work stitching tents in a local business.

Years ago I also read W. Phillip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, and was enlightened further about sheep when I visited a friend during her lambing season. She talked about fractured nights helping ewes in difficult deliveries and keeping the bad-tempered ram in another pen. Other things she shared from her experience with sheep reminded me of how David’s patience was tried in his early occupation as a shepherd.  And yet, his most beautiful picture of God comes from just that.

Being “down” or depressed is like putting on eyeglasses with a bad prescription.  You don’t see clearly and stumble in confusion. Psalm 23 bids us rest and just look to the shepherd, who takes care of our needs.  Not our wants, necessarily, but our needs.

 I’ve been around people who have a pretty long “entitlement” list that they think God should supply. Yet they do not walk in the “paths of righteousness” that God has shown them.  They stumble off the path into the brambles of bitterness and anger. While they’re thrashing in the thorns, the Shepherd is nearby with His crooked staff, waiting to pull them out.

Contentment eludes them because they stray from the shepherd. Pastor and author F.B. Meyer said it so well:

This is the blessed life—not anxious to see far in front, nor eager to choose the path, but quietly following behind the Shepherd, one step at a time.  The Shepherd was always out in front of the sheep.  He was down in front.  Any attack upon them had to take him into account.  Now God is down in front.  He is in the tomorrows.  It is tomorrow that fills us with dread.  God is there already.  All the tomorrows of our life has to pass before him before they can get to us.”*

*F.B. Meyer (1847-1929), a contemporary of D.L. Moody, was a pastor and author who focused on inner city work on both sides of the Atlantic. Quote accessible at AZquotes.com/author/19129/F.B.Meyer

Pond-er this

A series inspired by a visit to Kauai.
Flowers abound both in Kauai’s volcanic-rich soil and its bodies of water, like this pond lily (also called “water lily”). In its serene setting, this pond lily seemed to illustrate this verse: “He leads me beside quiet waters.”

Yes, I know that Psalm 23 depicts a shepherd leading, feeding, and protecting his sheep.  By powerful analogy, this is how Christ tends to us in our stupid sheep-ways. The “quiet waters” refers to how sheep won’t drink from rushing streams. They want slower, less-threatening flows. But they need to be led away from stagnant waters that would make them sick.

Similarly, the pond lily needs still, shallow waters to protect that fragile link of the underwater stem rooted in the pond mud and connected to the floating flower and leaves. We, too, need roots in “quiet places” to survive in today’s hectic busyness. God seemed to reinforce that concept the other day when I stopped for a school bus dropping off high school students. Nearly all were absorbed in their smart phones as they wandered helter-skelter across the street, oblivious to waiting traffic. And they’re just one slice of our media-dependent lifestyle.

 Such constant connection to the rushing world can impair our connection to God. We need those pull-away times, the “quiet waters” breaks, to reconnect with God. Today began for me with a headache that I suspected surfaced from my concern and frustration over spiritually- and emotionally-needy people in my life. I found my “pond,” my rocker, and in the quiet just sat then read some scripture. As only He could have arranged it, one of the scriptures was Psalm 23.  Yes, “He leads me beside quiet waters.”
 

I also thought of an old hymn, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God.” Based on John 20:22 (where Jesus commissioned His disciples after His resurrection), the 1878 hymn by church history scholar Edwin Hatch begins:

Breathe on Me, Breath of God, Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do.

When I left my place of “quiet waters” this morning, that was the message: Don’t fret, be refreshed in Jesus, just keep doing what He would do.”

Making 'Psense' of Psalms--Psalm 100: Worship!

Part of a series on selected psalms.

Hymns or choruses? Psalm 100 is a good place to stop and consider how worship styles have changed from the original Hebrew melodies and worship postures. As Christianity spread to Europe, the psalms were often chanted to plain melodies. Then came earnest reformers like Martin Luther (1483-1546), who felt the common people ought to have sing-able and memorable hymns based on scripture truth, like his “A Mighty Fortress is our God.”

After Luther’s death, John Calvin rose to leadership in France’s Protestant movement. Anti-Reformation riots drove him to settle in Geneva. Besides writing huge volumes of theology, Calvin took a psalms-only stance that only the Bible texts were appropriate for church worship music. Thus his followers set to work versifying the ancient psalms into metrical (poetic) English. One of his colleagues was William Kethe (?-1593), who had fled his native Scotland during the persecutions of Queen Mary. His rendition of Psalm 100, “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” was published in a 1516 hymnal and became known as “Calvin’s Reformation Hymn.” Also called “Old Hundredth,” it’s perhaps the oldest hymn of praise in the English language still in regular use.

But the story of Kethe’s hymn also requires the story of hymns by Thomas Ken (1637-1711), who didn’t believe “psalms-only.” An orphan who rose to the role of bishop and confidante to royalty, he boldly condemned immorality in royal courts, leading to several years’ imprisonment in the Tower of London. He also ministered to students in Winchester College, writing three hymns for their morning, evening and midnight devotions. (Few, it’s believed, stayed up to sing the “midnight” hymn!). His morning devotional hymn, “Awake my Soul, and with the Sun,” is still in many hymnals, though not all fourteen verses of it. All three hymns ended with this stanza, which we sing today as “The Doxology” (the name from Latin and Greek for glory/praise+speak):

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him, above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Both Ken’s three devotional hymns and Kethe’s “Old Hundreth” use a melody written by Louis Bourgeois (published 1551). And it all goes back to Psalm 100, probably written a thousand or so years before Christ.

THE PSALM”S “DO’S”

When I first memorized Psalm 100, I found it helpful to use hand motions for its imperatives (“do’s”). “Shout” was hands to mouth, “serve,” palms out and up; “come,” beckoning gesture; “know,” hand to head; “enter,” pointing; “give thanks,” hands together; and “praise his name,” hands upward in a praise posture. Later I realized that the psalm is built around these action “imperatives” (“do” phrases) and two “why” verses. First, the “do’s”:

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth (v. 1)—The KJV renders this, “Make a joyful noise,” but “shout” is closer to the original Hebrew rûa‘. It comes from a primitive root meaning “to mar” (especially by breaking), and by association to “split the ears with sound.” It’s a “glad shout,” like loyal subjects give when a king appears. I’ll remember the “ear-splitting” meaning the next time my church’s guitarists and drummer ramp it up! Seriously, we don’t come close to the exuberance shown in worship in Bible times. I grew up in a traditional church in which the organist tried to rev up the tempo of hymns, but the congregation inevitably dragged behind. The peppy hymns that grew out of the revivals of the late 1800s and those after the “Maranatha!” infusion of the 1970s have given us a livelier collection of worship songs.  Be glad of that!

Serve the LORD with gladness (v. 2)—Translated “worship” in the KJV, the “serve” chosen by other translations is closer to the meaning of the original ābad, which refers to working. It’s one thing to express our faith in a worship service, it’s another to work it out in service to others. Jesus clarified that in Matthew 25:35-36 when He said works of service and love done do those in need (the hungry, thirsty, strangers, those needing clothes, sick) were done to Him. 

Come before Him with joyful songs (v. 2a)—For those physically able, there’s no “Mattress Methodist,” “Bedside Baptist,” or “Pillow Presbyterian.” We’re to come together in formal worship. James Montgomery Boice, in his commentary on Psalms (Baker, 1996, Vol. 2, p. 812), remarked: “Silent belief is not enough. I am struck by the well-rounded nature of these terms—shout, serve (“worship”), and come—for they embrace our verbal witness, our humanitarian activities, and worship, three necessary parts of Christianity.”

Know that the LORD is God (v. 3)—From the Hebrew yāda, “know” refers to perception and understanding. We don’t “guess” or “assume” there is a God, we know, and He wants us to know Him. Yet even today, people have their own “gods.” Some worship “nature” or the god of success. Many make “gods” of their own beings, thinking they are the highest creation. In Paul’s days, men debated over which might be the greatest god from all that grew up in their legends. They even had an altar to an unknown god. Preaching in Athens to these so-called intellectuals, Paul said, “Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). Then he proceeded to preach about a God who could be known, in whom “we live and move and have our being” (v. 28).

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise (v. 4). This verse echoes the declaration of David: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:1). It’s a reprimand for those who approach Sunday worship grudgingly, feeling forced by a parent or culture to come, not really connecting with the God who is worthy of our praise or with fellow believers. Notice there are two steps to worship, gates and courts. They could be a reminder to us that as soon as we see the church (the “gates” of its location), we begin a worship mindset. When we enter the courts (the sanctuary and beginning of the worship service), the “outside” distractions (including electronic devices for calls or games!) are to cease.

 “Give thanks to Him and praise His name (v. 4c). To make sure we get the message, “thanks” and “praise” are repeated. Yet some come to worship with a bag full of complaints. Warren Wiersbe, in Be Exulted (Victor, 2004, p. 41) remarked on this verse, “A spirit of thanksgiving helps us overcome” sins like complaining, idolatry, pride and ingratitude. There’s something purifying and humbling in thinking about the names of God. In the back of my prayer notebook I have begun an A-Z list of the names and attributes of God, for meditation and praise. Like glasses, they correct my vision of the Holy One who created me to love and serve Him.

THE PSALM’S “WHY’S”

The middle and end of Psalm 100 give us the “why’s” of thankful praise.
“Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; We are his people, the sheep of his pasture” (v. 3). “Knowing” God means we acknowledge Him as creator of the world as well as each of us. It also means recognizing our subordination to Him (“we are his”). Even more, we are in His care, “the sheep of his pasture.” As a former shepherd, King David previously used the analogy of God as shepherd in his Psalm 23. Jesus used it, too, calling Himself “The Good Shepherd” (John 10).  More than a caretaker, He is our Redeemer: “The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Sheep, inherently dumb, must be gently led by the wisdom of the Shepherd. We, too, must trust that He has only our best interests in mind. Few of us will endure, like the apostle Paul, multiple imprisonments and abuse for our faith. But even in these trials, Paul was able to say, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12b). The secret was trusting the Shepherd.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations (v. 5). The psalm concludes with three key attributes of God: His goodness, His love, and His faithfulness. What God inspired the authors of this psalm to write thousands of years ago is still true. The best way to contemplate the psalm’s conclusion may be to repeat it with certain words emphasized: The Lord IS.  He is GOOD. His love is FOREVER. His faithfulness CONTINUES to ALL generations.

Or, go back to the beginning of this posting for the words of the Doxology and sing them:  “Praise God from whom all blessings flow….”

 

Next: Psalm 103

 

Making 'Psense' of Psalms--Psalm 23: Shepherd

 

Lambs from the flock of one of my friends. She was always
glad to show her sheep to visitors.  One time I took my mother-
in-law, then in her 80s, who thrilled to bottle-feed an orphan lamb.

"Is it a need or a want? That phrase sometimes came into family discussions about things our children’s friends had, and they didn’t. Living on a school teacher’s salary meant lowered expectations of “want,” while thanking God for giving us what we needed.  I sometimes think of that when I read the first verse of Psalm 23 in four-hundred-year-old vocabulary: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”  Read through the linguistic lenses of the 21^st century, it seems to imply that we will have no expectations, no desires--something like zombies. Nothing could be further than scriptural truth. More accurately, as some translations render it, “I shall not be in want.” Or, “I shall lack nothing.” The God who formed every fiber of my being, and knows my innermost thoughts, is my provider in every way: body, mind, and spirit.

Our understanding of this beloved psalm was given a boost with the 1970 release of Philip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. A pastor and author, for eight years Keller was a shepherd, gaining insight into the tasks so perfectly applied as Psalm 23’s spiritual metaphor. Although Jesus, like other Jewish boys, learned his father’s life skill—in this case, carpentry--we don’t think of him as “Jesus, the Good Carpenter.” Wood is inanimate and yields to the saw, hammer, and chisel. But sheep are very needy living creatures—yes, mostly “dumb.” They need a caring, wise shepherd. As this psalm reveals, we are so much like them, in need of a Good Shepherd.

Even the first five words of this psalm are like taking the hand of our loving, caring God.  Someone once suggested meditating on each word by itself.
“The”—the only one, the holy one, the unique one.  Not plural. Singular.
“LORD”—the small-capital-letter name in English Bibles for “Yahweh,” the holy covenant name of God given in Moses’ times: “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14).
“Is”—not “was,” as in a former deiety, but “is” for now and forever. In a gift book titled Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms, Max Lucado said that David wrote this psalm to remind us of who God is: the Yahweh who is unchanging, uncaused, and ungoverned (Nelson, p. 13).
“My”—yes, others’ shepherd, but also personally, intimately mine. I am not too insignificant for Him.
“Shepherd”—not an impersonal deity who demands worship and who is as capricious as the winds, but a caring, nurturing, sacrificing God who tends to every detail of my life.

SHEPHERD VIEWPOINTS

Seasoned Bible teachers, in trying to outline Psalm 23, only prove that it cannot be studied enough. Warren Wiersbe, well-known for his “Be-“ study series, included this psalm in “Be Worshipful” and divided it like this:
            *In the pasture—Adequacy (vs. 1-3)
            *In the valley—Serenity (v. 4)
            *In the fold—Certainty (v. 5)
            *In the Father’s house—Eternity (v. 6)

Derek Kidner, a commentary-writer who ferrets out meanings of original languages, gave this outline:

            *The Shepherd (1-4)
            *The Friend (5-6)

William MacDonald, who compiled a layman-friendly Believer’s Bible Commentary, said that this outline by J.R. Littleproud (from the 1930s) was hard to improve on:

            *The secret of a happy life—every need supplied.
            *The secret of a happy death—every fear removed.
            *The secret of a happy eternity---every desire fulfilled.

James Montgomery Boice, who preached on psalms for nearly three years from the pulpit of a huge Philadelphia church, outlined off the statement: “Because the Lord is my Shepherd”:

            *I shall not be in want.
            *I shall not lack rest.
            *I shall not lack life.
            *I shall not lack guidance
            *I shall not lack safety.
            *I shall not lack provision.
            *I shall not lack a heavenly home.

 A SHEEP’S SURVIVAL VIEWPOINT

The sheep needs its shepherd for everything. It needs led to good pasture, free of poisonous plants. Once there, the sheep needs to be free of fear. The flock cannot be agitated by bully sheep. Those afflicted by insects or skin diseases (for which ancient shepherds carried a salve of olive oil, sulfur and spices) must be doctored.  Yes, their heads anointed with oil (v. 5). The water must be clean and calm. A sheep needs enough food to feel full.

The sheep need a protector. Some, in their stupidity, would lie down in a hollow and lose their balance, unable to right themselves. These “cast” sheep were at risk of death within hours as gases built up in the body. A shepherd had to “right” the heavy sheep for it to survive. The shepherd also protected from wild animals. Remember how David boasted to Goliath that God had delivered him from the paws of the lion and bear (1 Samuel 17:37)? He had no gun, just his rod, slingshot, and physical power. When sheep were herded into a rock-fenced sheepfold at night, the shepherd slept across the entrance.

The shepherd was intensely loyal to his own sheep, even knowing the name of each. A hireling shepherd had no such attachment and would run away if danger came (John 10:11-13). In calling Himself “The Good Shepherd,” Jesus committed to the responsibility of total, loving care for His own followers.

THE SHEEP’S REVIVING VIEWPOINT

As humans created in the image of God, we have something sheep don’t—an anticipation of something beyond the grave. How many, on their deathbeds, have found unequivocal comfort in these concluding words?
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6)
That statement has a “present” and a “future.”  “Surely” means “without doubt,” “absolutely.” Some say “goodness” and “mercy” are like two sheepdogs that guard the back of the flock. As the Shepherd leads us through life, every circumstance is under His scrutiny. Health issues? Heartaches? Stressful days at the job or at home with children? Worries? Sorrows? God is with us all the days of our lives. He may come in the quiet joy of nature’s gifts. A kind word or deed. A recalling of past mercies. Beautiful music. That private, overwhelming realization that He will never leave me or forsake me, no matter how bad things seem right now.

He is trustworthy.  He will see us through to His house.  Forever.