April 20

Psalms of the Troubled Soul (Continued) - Psalms 13, 17, 23, 26, 28, 31

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

     He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

     He restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness 

     for His name's sake.

Even though I walk

     through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

     for You are with me;

Your rod and  Your staff,

     they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

     in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

     my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me

     all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

     forever

Psalm 23

What is it about the 23rd Psalm that makes it such a powerful and popular song of comfort?  When Billy Graham preached in a Russian Synagogue the 23rd Psalm was his subject.  It is perhaps one of the most often quoted scriptures at funerals.  

It's poetic images of a Good Shepherd who cares and provides for us, the natural images of green pastures, quiet waters and paths are all calming and warming.  The promise of sitting at God's table with overflowing cups and dwelling in His home are so simple and basic and, therefore, powerful.  

In a book titled, "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23," Philip Keller, a Canadian agrologist, explains the meaning of "lying down in green pastures" from the shepherd's view and says the only time sheep will lie down is if the following four conditions are met:

1.  The sheep must be free of fear,

2.  The sheep must be free of torment by flies or parasites,

3.  The sheep must have a full stomach, and

4.  The sheep must be in harmony with their fellow sheep.

This is what we all want as people - to be fearless, free from torment, full and our needs satisfied and our lives at peace with others.  Only God provides these true luxuries of life.  It's this simple promise and focus on what's truly important in life and God's hand in that, I believe, that makes this psalm so powerful. 

How powerful?  Here are some references to the psalm in popular culture (taken from Wikipedia entry on Psalm 23):

Song

• Ace Hood - song Bet On Ace from album All Bets On Ace
• Alice in Chains - song Sickman from album Dirt
• Anti-Flag - song Shadow of the Dead from album The Bright Lights of America
• Buju Banton - song
• Coolio - song Gangsta's Paradise
• Dirks Bentley - song Distant Shore
• DragonForce - merchandise
• Dream Theater - song In the Presence of Enemies from album Systematic Chaos
• The Eagles - song Long Road Out of Eden from album Long Road Out of Eden
• Good Charlotte - song The River from album Good Morning Revival
• The Grateful Dead - song Ripple from album American Beauty and the song We Bid You Goodnight sung at the close of many of their concerts
• Kayne West - song Jesus Walks
• Mago de Oz - song Gaia (Spanish)
• Medicine Show - song Along the Southern Coast
• Megadeth - song Shadow of Deth from album The System Has Failed
• Ministry - song No W
• Marilyn Manson - album Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death)
• Notorious B.I.G. - song You're Nobody (Till Somebody Kills You) from album Life After Death
• The Offspring - Hammerhead on their album Rise and Fall, Rage and Grace
• Orphaned Land - song Aldiar Al Mukadisa from album Sahara (Hebrew)
• Pink Floyd - song Sheep from album Animals
• Shlomo Carlebach -song Gam Ki Elech (Hebrew)
• Strawbs - song Lay Down
• Peter Tosh - Song Jah Guide from album Equal Rights
• U2 with Bob Dylan - song Love Rescue Me from album Rattle and Hum

Film and Television

• Bruce Almighty - 2003 film
• Deep Blue Sea - 1999 film
• The Elephant Man - 1980 film
• Gallipoli - 1981 film
• Jarhead - 2005 film
• Liberty Heights - 1999 film
• Lifeboat - 1944 Hitchcock film
• Lost - TV series
• Love and Death - film
• Oz - TV series
• Prison Break - TV series, Season 1, Episode 13
• Pulp Fiction - film
• The Scarlet Pimpernel - 1982 BBC movie
• Sister Act - 1992 film
• Supernatural - TV series
• Titanic - 1997 film
• Van Helsing - film
• Varsity Blues - film
• The Vicar of Dibley - TV Series (used as theme)
• The War of the Worlds - 1953 film
• We Were Soldiers - film
• The Wicker Man - film
• X2: X-Men United - film

Fiction (many references but here are a few)

• Terry Brooks - novel The Gypsy Morph
• Donovan Campbell - memoir Joker One
• Alex Garland - novel The Beach
• Stephen King - novel Salem's Lot and novel The Stand
• V - novel V for Vendetta
• Kurt Vonnegut - novel Cat's Cradle

Miscellaneous 

• George W. Bush - address following September 11, 2001 attacks
• Patti Smith - poem psalm 23 revisited in 1994 book Early Work
• West Bromwich Albion F.C. - football anthem
• Virgin Megastores - 2007 advertising campaign
• Eager Allan Poe - poem Eldorado (line 21, 4th stanza)

Note:  Until we get to October, I won't be linking back to "last year's posts on this date" because, although I read through the Daily Bible last year, there was a lapse in my posts.