Psalm Meditation 642
Nineteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time
October 7, 2012

Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff— they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
(NRSV)

As a child I asked my dad why this psalm would say that the Lord is my shepherd and then say that I do not want that relationship. As gently as he did just about everything, he explained that it did not meant that I did not want the Lord as my shepherd, it meant that I had everything I would ever need. Once I understood that part I was ready to ask God for all the ‘stuff’ I ever wanted. It turns out that the psalmist does not have that in mind either.

With the Lord as my shepherd I find myself content with where I am and what I have. I may continue to strive for more and better in various aspects of my life. If, however, I never achieve anything and continue to have the Lord as my shepherd I will have a sense of contentment that folks who strive for and achieve all the other desires of their hearts, except having the Lord as their shepherd, I will probably have a richer life than they.

Given the choice between having all the stuff one would ever want, except a relationship with God, and having it the other way around, it seems one would be far better off with a relationship. Add in a relationship or two with loving people and the sense of contentment far eclipses that of anyone who has all the ‘stuff’ they have ever thought they needed for any reason.

October 1, 2012