Discovering Shalom in an Ancient Poem
Week 1
For several years, my practical, first-hand relationship with an ancient Hebrew poem has brought shalom to my soul. For the next few Mondays, I will share some insights I have received from these familiar and beloved words. I hope you’ll join me…
The LORD is my shepherd … (Photo from Scotland countryside)
You may think I’ve become a bit obsessive about the Hebrew word, shalom (שָׁלוֹם). Perhaps you are correct. Shalom denotes the wholeness of peace for our world, our family, as well as for us as individuals. Shalom represents harmony, interior peace, completeness, prosperity, and welfare. If I am completely honest, I think throughout my life, I have been more preoccupied by a lack of shalom than I have enjoyed the experience of shalom.
Recently, however, I have realized the power of shalom has permeated my life through the familiar words of the ancient Hebrew poem written by the shepherd-boy-become-king, David.
The realization dawned in a most practical way. It happened several years ago around 2 or 3 a.m. when I lay awake tossing, turning, and ruminating about life’s stressors, which at the time were numerous. I knew the alarm would go off in a few short hours and felt desperate to sleep. Quite organically (the way in which divine inspiration often occurs), I decided to recite the King James vernacular of Psalm 23 in my mind. (As a child, I was motivated by my Sunday School teacher’s promise of a gold star to memorize the familiar passage of scripture. Back in those days, only the KJV was used in my little home church, and I practiced until I could perfectly recite):
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
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.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
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.
Low and behold, before I knew it, I was sleeping soundly. Rather than using the “counting sheep” strategy to fall asleep, I discovered the ancient words which promise the Good Shepherd will always take care of His sheep, brings restful solace.
During our recent travels to Scotland and the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, a variety of encounters with sheep, which are plentiful in this part of the world, enlarged my appreciation of the timeless and comforting words of Psalm 23.
While discussing this during our trip with my friend and fellow pilgrim, Jeannie, told me about a book which helped her during a scary health encounter she walked through a few months ago. From our temporary residence in Lindisfarne, Jeannie signed into her Amazon account and ordered a copy of The LORD Is My Shepherd – Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 by Robert J. Morgan, which was delivered the day after we arrived home.
The book, written by a Tennessee pastor and sheep owner, is blessing and challenging me with its thoughtful biblical research, historical insights, as well as touching personal stories. Today, I leave you with a quote from the book’s Prologue:
“Psalm 23—the passage that lovingly likens us to sheep—can improve the serenity of our lot every day … the Twenty-third Psalm has been the world’s best-known and most-beloved poem. It’s been engraved on the hearts of every generation from antiquity to modernity … In a hundred words … Psalm 23 sums up all our needs in life and all the abundance of God’s grace.” (pp. xii-xiii)
Shalom, shalom, from an ancient poem,
