First Thoughts on "The Pastoral" in Poetry - Psalm 23
In the 'Nuts and Bolts' lecture on November 23rd, Prof. Kuin said: "When a poet is writing about something simple, there is a tension between a sophisticated mind and a simple object". The "pastoral genre was created to deal with the idea of simplicity of life. Shepherds were seen by the poets as a symbol of leading a simple life - shepherds were an image for the poets - how life should be simple like theirs."
In thinking about shepherds, I have kept being drawn back to the 23rd Psalm. Although I have a great appreciation for some of the newer translations of the Bible, when it comes to the Psalms, the poetry in the old King James is something I enjoy. It is most likely because this was one of the first pieces of memory work I can remember being given in elementary school.
Psalm 23 - King James Translation
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 forever.
When I hear this Psalm read, read it with a group, or sing it, this piece of poetry never fails to give me great comfort. It is often used at funeral and memorial services. These are the times when we are faced with the unknown but real understanding of our own mortality - the 'unknown but real'. How does one look at that?
The poet David, who was credited with writing this Psalm, lifted the 'unknown but real' into thought beyond the logical and reasoned thinking of what was in front of him. His imagination allowed him to paint a pastoral picture of something other than the ordinary, but by using the things of everyday. These things - pastures, water, paths, oil, wine, are turned into beautiful images, and the word picture he writes becomes a complete circle. The circle has no beginning, nor ending. David's Psalm, both begins with his Lord and ends with his Lord, who has given him his answer of the 'unknown but real', and he lives believing that he wants for nothing more than this good shepherd who goes with him and looks after him.
The good shepherd gives him green pastures - rich in colour and filled with soft grasses - an inviting place in which to lie down. The good shepherd also leads him to walk beside still waters - those of peace and rest. The good shepherd restores his soul - a personal deep understanding that his soul restored matters. It is the 'want' that for him lacks nothing when fulfilled.
Where he walks - on paths that are good in their allowance for uprightness - are lead by his shepherd who is his guide. He has no need to be on hidden paths that demand him to walk bent over and weighed down. Even though the psalmist walks continually in the shadow of death (the unknown but real), knowing that the shepherd is there with him, and he is not alone, allows him to be unafraid. All of this picture together gives him a great feeling of being blessed, no matter what he must face in his life, not just his death, but in the every day reality - people who will not like him and who will count him as their enemy. The psalmist's hope is to remain in this place of not wanting for more than this - this 'house' of his Lord is sufficient to meet all of his wants, fears.
This is a short but, I think, good example of how we may be able to connect with, to understand that "tension" that David must have felt when he wrote this Psalm. The Psalmist wrote some words - simple words but used to express how that which is complex ("a sophisticated mind") has determined connection with the 'unknown but real', and has resolved the tension.
In thinking about shepherds, I have kept being drawn back to the 23rd Psalm. Although I have a great appreciation for some of the newer translations of the Bible, when it comes to the Psalms, the poetry in the old King James is something I enjoy. It is most likely because this was one of the first pieces of memory work I can remember being given in elementary school.
Psalm 23 - King James Translation
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 forever.
When I hear this Psalm read, read it with a group, or sing it, this piece of poetry never fails to give me great comfort. It is often used at funeral and memorial services. These are the times when we are faced with the unknown but real understanding of our own mortality - the 'unknown but real'. How does one look at that?
The poet David, who was credited with writing this Psalm, lifted the 'unknown but real' into thought beyond the logical and reasoned thinking of what was in front of him. His imagination allowed him to paint a pastoral picture of something other than the ordinary, but by using the things of everyday. These things - pastures, water, paths, oil, wine, are turned into beautiful images, and the word picture he writes becomes a complete circle. The circle has no beginning, nor ending. David's Psalm, both begins with his Lord and ends with his Lord, who has given him his answer of the 'unknown but real', and he lives believing that he wants for nothing more than this good shepherd who goes with him and looks after him.
The good shepherd gives him green pastures - rich in colour and filled with soft grasses - an inviting place in which to lie down. The good shepherd also leads him to walk beside still waters - those of peace and rest. The good shepherd restores his soul - a personal deep understanding that his soul restored matters. It is the 'want' that for him lacks nothing when fulfilled.
Where he walks - on paths that are good in their allowance for uprightness - are lead by his shepherd who is his guide. He has no need to be on hidden paths that demand him to walk bent over and weighed down. Even though the psalmist walks continually in the shadow of death (the unknown but real), knowing that the shepherd is there with him, and he is not alone, allows him to be unafraid. All of this picture together gives him a great feeling of being blessed, no matter what he must face in his life, not just his death, but in the every day reality - people who will not like him and who will count him as their enemy. The psalmist's hope is to remain in this place of not wanting for more than this - this 'house' of his Lord is sufficient to meet all of his wants, fears.
This is a short but, I think, good example of how we may be able to connect with, to understand that "tension" that David must have felt when he wrote this Psalm. The Psalmist wrote some words - simple words but used to express how that which is complex ("a sophisticated mind") has determined connection with the 'unknown but real', and has resolved the tension.
posted by maggiesong at 10:37 PM
2 Comments:
Dayzak - thank you for your comment. Yes, the bible does contain poetry - Hebrew poetry, which is a study all in itself. It is rich in connecting the hopes, fears and laments of every day life of people with the essence of the grandeur of creation and the creator, and seeing, in its wisdom, a large and yet personal connection among human beings to all of this.
Prof. Kuin - yes, it is interesting that David began his life as a shepherd. When I think of David, I think of him fondly as a 'rogue'. He was so 'real' one has to love him.
In a book, "Leap Over A Wall", written by Eugene Peterson, which I have read, David's story comes to life in a way that only Peterson could do this. Peterson himself was a pastor for many years in the U.S. and I believe he currently resides in Montana. He is also a Professor Emeritus of Regent College in Vancouver. He is a wonderful story teller.
Your post here brought immediate pictures to mind of David: shepherd against a giant, thief of temple bread, hiding in a cave and cutting off a piece of Saul's garment while Saul was taking a dump in the cave, leaping and dancing naked ahead of the ark, lusting after another man's wife and trying to get the other guy killed in battle so he could take the spoils. Shepherds learn to surivive and then sometimes learn other things! But isn't this true of humans who get in there and really try to live it?
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