The Lord is my Shepherd
One of my favorite prayers is the 23rd Psalm. It speaks to me in times of need and in times of rejoicing. I would like to explore it with you, phrase by phrase in the coming weeks, to discover for myself, and perhaps help you discover a deeper connection to it. We begin, of course, at the beginning.
The Lord is my shepherd.
Remember, these are the Psalms, written long before Jesus' birth, around 1000 BC, and attributed to have been authored by King David. Therefore, "Lord" here refers to the Divine, the Spiritual Parent, the Creator, the God of your understanding. This is the Divine I speak of in the book, PRESENCE.
So, calling the Divine "my shepherd" is a specific metaphor -- or symbol -- that gives us so much deeper meaning and feeling because it declares that God is like a shepherd. So what could this mean? It is important because it explains the relationship the Divine has with you, me, and everyone.
In Biblical times, women were just as likely to be shepherds as men, giving this symbol both feminine and masculine qualities. A shepherd's purpose is to protect, watch over, care for, and guide, and represents the goodness of a life close to nature. This gives us an idea of the nature of the Divine.
That also implies the metaphor extending to us as the sheep that the Divine tends. In Biblical times, sheep were exceedingly valuable. They gave wool for warmth, milk for cheese, and meat for sustenance. They were precious and treasured.
Are we not, as children of God, esteemed as the Divine cares for us and guides us? How does this symbolistic language reinforce your own ideas of who you are in your relationship with the great Spirit? How might it be like or not like your understanding of how the Divine sees you?
I suggest you take some time to ponder how like a shepherd the Divine is, how valued like a sheep of Biblical times you are. How does the Divine as a Shepherd love you and tends to you?
One of the greatest callings I have had all my life is my love and caring for animals which led me to raising alpacas. Not unlike sheep, I was their shepherd, as I cared for and protected them. Are you also a shepherd? How is that experience for you? How does that help you understand the Lord as your shepherd?
