Easter 4 A - Psalm 23

Psalm 23
The promises of Psalm 23; green pastures, still waters, soul restored, right paths followed, comfort and confidence in death’s dark valley, a feast in front of foes, head anointed with oil, cup overflowing, goodness and mercy and a home in the house of the Lord all happen in the statement of surrender, "the Lord is my shepherd." The second statement “I shall not want” happens because of the first. Of course surrendering and not wanting does not come naturally to us. The story of “the fall” is all about humans not being satisfied with paradise and because the fruit was pleasing to the eye and useful for knowledge attempting an upgrade from creature to creator introduced the virus that infects us all today. We infect this psalm with that virus when we turn the shepherd into a service provider of green pastures and still waters or even the forever home in the Lord’s house. But to surrender to the shepherd is to be satisfied with creature status and trust that the one who comforts us through the valley of the shadow of whatever threatens us knows the way. That means green pastures can exist where there is no grass and still waters can be in the middle of a rushing river and the right path is the one we’re on even as the feast is as much for the foe as it is for us. And when we submit to the Shepherd "with us" in every and all circumstances we slow down so goodness and mercy can catch up with us and the forever house of the Lord can be our home today.