Religious Poetry Research Paper

Abstract
King David was the author of Psalms 23: 1-6, and was revered throughout the bible as a great man that had great leadership qualities, and was admired by God. God himself referred to David as a man after his own heart. Throughout the Bible, there was only one man that held the heart of God; and that man was David. God described David as being a, “man after God’s own heart,” and gave the reason why He felt this way about David. “I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13: 22, Life Application Study Bible). The poetic words of Psalms 23 was written by King David, illustrating God as our Shepherd who provides, leads, protects, and comforts.

Religious Poetry Research Paper
Psalms 23
The Lord the Shepherd of His People
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads 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 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 runs over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell[a] in the house of the Lord
Forever (Psalm 23:1-6, The Maxwell Leadership Bible).
Introduction
Jewish liturgical related to the Psalms “Jewish prayer- language reflects the Psalms in mood and style. Israel Abrahams said, “In prophecy God speaks to man, in psalmody man sings to God” [ (The Psalms in Jewish Liturgy, 2012) ]. The Psalms reflect the emotional aspect of the Hebrew people through songs, music, and poetry. The use of symbolism is a characteristic of poetry (Lennox, 2009), for example, as in Psalms 23:1 “The Lord is my Shepherd” (Psalm 23:1, The Maxwell Leadership Bible). Jewish liturgy is traditional prayer and praise performed the same in church as well as at home.
Background Information Author of Psalms 23: Throughout the Old Testament of the Bible, there have been “Great Men” that God has used to do His will. For example: Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. All of these men were “Great.” However, none of these men were perfect. They had faults, sins, trials and tribulations just as we do today. These men had to learn how to trust, have faith, and depend on God to keep His promises. None of these men lived an exemplary life that God could use without first forming them into the type of men He desired for them to be. Although David was a sinner, just like the men mentioned early on; God still held David in high esteem, because David loved the Lord with all his heart. David was a sinner, he committed adultery and murder. Though all that he was, David still loved and trusted in God. I’ve heard it preached that God is concerned mainly with our heart, not necessarily our outward expression. Although, we are still held accountable for our actions; but Christ examined the heart from which the action came forth. David trusted and believed in God no matter what. David exhibited great leadership abilities, and God created and placed him in a position of leadership: Making David the King of Israel. “After removing Saul, he made David their king” (Acts 13: 22, Life Application Study Bible). The place Psalm 23 was written is unknown.
Relationship
The relationship David had with God was like no other person in the bible. Psalm 23 speaks to the relationship David had with God. How David looked to God with the purest of heart, and when he error before God, David still loved the Lord with all his heart. David trusted God to care for him no matter what.
Poetry Body “The Hebrew people loved poetry and music. They turned to it whenever they wanted to express some heartfelt sentiment, whether joy or sadness. Someone had estimated that one-third of the Old Testament is poetry. Nearly every book contains poetic passages; some books are written entirely in poetry” (Lennox, 2009). A. Hebrew Poetry Definition Parallelism: A common literary feature of Hebrew poetry in the Old Testament is called parallelism, in which the words of two or more lines of text are directly related in some way. This feature can be found in any poetic passage, and sometimes even in narrative, although it is more common in the Psalms and Proverbs. [ (Bratcher, 2011) ].
1. Synonymous Parallelism: is the standard variety of Hebrew poetry, but there are many variations (Lennox, 2009).
2. Antithetic Parallelism: sometimes the second line will state the opposite of the first (Lennox, 2009).
3. Incomplete Parallelism: leaves something out of one line that is found in the other (Lennox, 2009).
Poem Text “Psalm 23: A Psalm That Calms the Soul. No single Psalm has expressed more powerfully man’s prayer of confidence ‘out of the depths’ to the God whose purpose alone gives meaning to the span of life, from womb to tomb” (Psalm 23: A Psalm That Calms the Soul).

Psalm 23 Purpose
“While few of us understand the life of the shepherd in the ancient Near East, most have been able to grasp the message of comfort and assurance conveyed in the Psalm. Especially in times of distress, such as the death of a loved one, we instinctively turn to the assuring words, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” The purpose of this message is to help us more clearly understand the imagery used to convey comfort and calm to the soul of those who are a part of God’s flock by faith in Jesus Christ” [ (Psalm 23: A Psalm That Calms the Soul, 2012) ].
Purpose Psalm 23: 1-6

Analysis
1) The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Analysis: Trust God as the Good and Faithful Shepherd to Provide for You. “Focusing in on His provision first, we see three things emerge from the text. First, God is a personal Shepherd. David says the Lord is my Shepherd. It’s as if David were saying that He knew that the God of the universe was personal to Him and in control, as a good shepherd, of his whole life” [ (Herrick, 2012) ].
2) He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Analysis: His provision is perfect. “David says that a good shepherd leads his sheep to green pastures and quiet waters. The green pastures probably refer to the tender young shoots that grow up in the morning and are loved by the wildlife of Palestine. The quiet waters probably refer to a well-spring with fresh water. The psalmist wants us to understand that this Shepherd goes all out for his sheep. The Shepherd wants them to have the best and is likewise sensitive to their needs” [ (Herrick, 2012) ].
3) He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Analysis: His provision renews and satisfies: “He restores my soul,” should be understood first of all on the level of the metaphor of the sheep and its shepherd. Therefore, we could say that the green pastures and quiet waters, provided by so caring a shepherd are for the physical nourishment and energy of the sheep. The shepherd literally revives the life of the sheep under his care. God’s provision for David, and for us, accomplishes similar ends. Whether it is physical needs that are met, or spiritual, it revives or rebuilds us. Ultimately, it strengthens our trust in God and enlivens our spiritual sensitivities toward Him. It satisfies our longings to receive from His hand” [ (Herrick, 2012) ]. He guides you in righteous paths: “And David goes on to say that as we go through life God guides us, as a good shepherd, along paths of righteousness. For the sheep, of course, this means right or true paths; paths that are certain to lead to the places of rest and provision talked about in verse 2. He guides you for His name’s sake: The end of verse 3 gives the reason why God was such a faithful Shepherd to David and still is for us today. He does it for His own name’s sake. That is, it is for the sake of the glory and reputation of His own name and honor. What kind of reputation would a shepherd in Palestine earn if everyone knew he was careless and irresponsible with his own sheep? Let me ask you another question, what kind of reputation would God earn for Himself if He were careless with those who belong in His charge? God’s name is on the line in your life. He wants to show the world that He is faithful to provide for all your needs and guide you in righteous paths, in a holy life” [ (Herrick, 2012) ].
4) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Analysis: “Can refer to any distressing time in our lives. The awareness of our own mortality often comes with sickness, trial, and hardship. But the Lord, our Protector, can lead us through these dark and difficult and troubling situations. Your rod and Your staff: Ancient shepherds used the rod and staff to rescue, protect, and guide the sheep. Thus, they become symbols of the Good Shepherd’s loving care over His flock. The sheep are not alone, their Shepherd is standing over them, guiding them into safety-just as the Lord stands over us and protects us” [ (New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 1999) ].
5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Analysis: “a table before me: God’s provision is so luxurious, it is as though He has prepared a banquet. Anoint: Typically an honored guest in the ancient Middle East was anointed with olive oil that contained perfumes. My cup: God’s provision is as abundant as the wine offered to a guest by a generous host. The lavish treatment of the guest is indicative of the loving care of God for his people” (New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 1999).
6) Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; and I will dwell[a] in the house of the Lord Forever. Analysis: “The use of both mercy and goodness to describe God’s loyal love intensifies the meaning of the two words. What is described in v.5 is God’s overabundant mercy-love that is in no way deserved. The Hebrew verb follow describes an animal in pursuit. When the Lord is our Shepherd, instead of being stalked by wild beasts we are pursued by the loving care of the Lord. The house of the Lord forever: God’s promise for the Israelites was not just for the enjoyment of this life in the land of promise (6:1-3); it was also for the full enjoyment of the life to come in His blessed presence” [ (New Illustrated Bible Commentary, 1999) ].
Personal
The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want: These first nine words say it all for me. Psalm 23 is reassuring and comforting during life disruptions. The Lord has taken care of me and my husband after he had a massive stroke. We have not wanted although the cloud gets a little dark sometimes. My Heavenly Father has remained faithful to his promises.
Conclusion
Psalm 23 reflects Hebrew poetry in complete parallelism. “But the Psalms are much more than poetry (see 2Timothy 3:16). Many of the Psalms bear the title Maskil or teaching Psalm. They are thus intended to instruct the mind as well as to encourage the heart. They are designed not only to reflect a mood, but to show us also how to handle that mood, how to escape from depression, or how to balance exaltation with wisdom. This quality is the mark of their divine character. They are not merely human songs, reflecting the common experience of men, but they relate also the wisdom and release that ensues when a hurt or a joy is laid at the feet of God. There is no book like the Psalms to meet the need of the heart when it is discouraged and defeated, or when it is elated and encouraged. This book is absolutely without peer in expressing these emotional feelings” [ (Joyofliving, 2012) ].

References

Bratcher, D. (2011). Parallelism in Hebrew Writing. Retrieved from The Voice:

http://www.cresourcei.org/parallel.html

Herrick, G. (2012). An Exposition of Psalm 23. Retrieved from Bible.org:

http://bible.org/article/exposition-psalm-23

Joyofliving. (2012, November 12). Retrieved from

http://www.joyofliving.org/html/PsHeartFF.pdf

Lennox, S. J. (2nd ed.2009). God With Us An Introduction to the Old Testament. Marion:

Triangle Publishing.

New Illustrated Bible Commentary. (1999). Nashville: Nelson.

Psalm 23: A Psalm That Calms the Soul. (2012, November 11). Retrieved from

http://bible.org/seriespage/psalm-23-psalm-calms-soul

The Psalms in Jewish Liturgy. (2012, November 10). Retrieved from

http://www.oztorah.com/2010/06/the-psalms-in-jewish-liturgy/