In the Heart of the Beloved: The Twenty-Third Psalm
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Psalms
I was reflecting today on the Twenty-third Psalm, and I remembered that someone once said – I can’t remember who it was – that this brief psalm is “the most nearly perfect poem” ever written. Such an expansive commendation likely comes less from an acquaintance with the accepted canons of literary criticism and more from the exuberance of devotion. In any case, it is a beautiful expression of faith.
Years ago, when I was a hospital chaplain, a young fireman, severely burned in the line of duty, was admitted to the intensive care unit. As I talked with him, it was clear that he was in terrible pain. I asked whether I might pray for him, and he consented. After the prayer, he requested that I read the Twenty-third Psalm. I used the words of the King James Version, and, as I read, I sensed that this ancient psalm was something of a lifeline for this man. I decided that day to commit the King James text to memory, and I have recited it many times since then in critical situations. No one has ever objected.
In this post I provide several renderings of this cherished psalm. Two are translations, two are hymn paraphrases, and one is a “recasting” of the psalm by author Nan C. Merrill.
The King James Version
To begin with, here is the psalm in the familiar words of the King James Version:
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
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.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
“The King of Love My Shepherd Is”
When it comes to hymn paraphrases, there are many from which to choose. One of my favorites is the hymn, “The King of Love My Shepherd Is,” written by Henry W. Baker and sung most often to the ancient Irish tune, St. Columba:
The King of love my Shepherd is,
Whose goodness faileth never,
I nothing lack if I am His
And He is mine forever.
Where streams of living water flow
My ransomed soul He leadeth,
And where the verdant pastures grow,
With food celestial feedeth.
Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
But yet in love He sought me,
And on His shoulder gently laid,
And home, rejoicing, brought me.
In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
With Thee, dear Lord, beside me;
Thy rod and staff my comfort still,
Thy cross before to guide me.
Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
Thy unction grace bestoweth;
And O what transport of delight
From Thy pure chalice floweth!
And so through all the length of days
Thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise
Within Thy house forever.
Robert Alter’s Translation
Next, consider Robert Alter’s translation as it appears in his book, The Book of Psalms: A Translation with Commentary. Alter is a Jewish scholar who teaches at the University of California, Berkeley. As you read this version, you may want to take note of some of the choices Alter makes as a translator.
For example, in verse 3, where you may be accustomed to seeing the word “soul,” Alter has “life.” He notes that the Hebrew term nefesh is better rendered “life breath” or, simply, “life.” The image, he says, is of someone who has stopped breathing, brought back to life.
In verse 5, Alter’s version has “moisten my head with oil,” and he notes that the Hebrew term dishen is not the word that is used for anointing. Its associations are more sensual than sacramental. It means something like “to make luxuriant.”
Finally, in verse 6, you will notice that, instead of the KJV’s “I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever,” Alter has “for many long days.” He notes that the viewpoint of the poem is one of the here-and-now.
1 A David Psalm.
The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
2 In grass meadows He makes me lie down,
by quiet waters guides me.
3 My life He brings back.
He leads me on pathways of justice
for His name’s sake.
4 Though I walk in the veil of death’s shadow,
I fear no harm
for You are with me.
Your rod and Your staff –
it is they that console me.
5 You set out a table before me
in the face of my foes.
You moisten my head with oil,
my cup overflows.
6 Let but goodness and kindness pursue me
all the days of my life.
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for many long days.
“My Shepherd Will Supply My Need”
Another hymn paraphrase that I enjoy is “My Shepherd Will Supply My Need.” I remember hearing it first in a high school choir concert. Isaac Watts, the “father of English hymnody,” wrote the text. It brings me great comfort to hear it sung to the tune Resignation, a nineteenth-century tune from southern Appalachia.
My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.
When I walk through the shades of death
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.
The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.
Nan C. Merrill’s Poetic Rendering
Finally, consider the paraphrase by Nan C. Merrill, who is a member of the Friends of Silence, an urban contemplative community in Detroit, Michigan. Ms. Merrill does not take us far from the familiar text of the King James Version, but there are some appealing differences. The whole psalm is rendered in the second person; she addresses God throughout. (A precise translation would observe the third person style of verses 1-3 and move to the second person in verse 4.) In her book, Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness, Ms. Merrill reworks all the psalms to show the contrast between love and fear, which prevents us from following “Love’s way.” Here is her version of Psalm 23:
O my Beloved, you are my shepherd,
I shall not want.
You bring me to green pastures
for rest
and lead me beside still waters
renewing my spirit,
You restore my soul,
You lead me in the path of
goodness
to follow Love’s way.
Even though I walk through the
valley of the shadow and
of death,
I am not afraid;
For You are ever with me;
your rod and your staff
they guide me,
they give me strength
and comfort.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of all my fears;
you bless me with oil,
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy will
follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the heart
of the Beloved
forever.
There are many ways to access this beautiful psalm, whether through the traditional words of the King James Version, the academic treatment of a scholar like Robert Alter, the multiple hymn paraphrases available, or poetic reworking like that of Nan Merrill. My hope is that you will be assured by the psalmist’s faith that, even when we are beset by threatening circumstances, God is with us.
Photo credit: Sheep in the Snow by Ian Britton
November 29, 2011 at 9:47 pm
I was sorry to read of Nan Merrill’s death. May her gentle soul enjoy eternal peace with Our god.
I was wondering why and what Nan meant when she used thwe term “Gaia” in Psalm 36 as found in her “Psalms for Praying”. Could you enlighten me, please/
Thank you and Peace,
Connie SSND