The lord is
my computer
programmer,
he keeps me
from power
surges and
power cuts;
he gives me
a steady
flow of
electricity.
He has
stored my
soul, he has
written my
code
perfectly,
even though
I’m besieged
with spam
and viruses.
My system
shall not
crash, for
you are with
me, your
firewall and
updates
protect me.
You’ve
prepared me
a gourmet
meal; you’ve
given me a
makeover.
And I shall
dwell in the
pastures of
the land
forever.
If we’d have
lived in
ancient
Palestine
and heard
the 23
Psalm, we
would’ve
found it
easy to
understand.
Half of you
would have
been
shepherds,
those who
aren’t, your
brothers and
cousin’s
husbands
would have
been
shepherds,
so you know
all about
shepherds
and sheep.
However we
are
different in
today’s
world.
If you ask
children
where does
milk come
from they
won’t say
from a cow,
they’ll say
from Tesco
or Dairy
Gold.
We have been
far removed
from the
agricultural
world and
sheep
farming in
the 21st
century.
Psalm 23 is
a beautiful
scripture.
The promise
is that we
shall not
fear, we
shall not
want.
The promise
is that we
shall not
fear and
dwell in the
house of the
Lord our
whole life
long.
The Psalm
begins with
‘the lord is
my shepherd,
I shall not
want’.
The problem
here is that
we have long
moved on
since then
and where we
say 'I shall
not want'.
We instead
say 'I DO
want.
I want a big
swimming
pool, a
private jet,
a butler and
a holiday
trip to
Florida.'
There is a
lot that I
want but
that’s not
what it’s
about.
“Want” used
to mean
something
else.
There used
to be a
charity
called WAR
ON WANT, I’m
not sure if
it still
exists.
It looks at
restoring
something
you need.
Making war
on hunger,
poverty,
homelessness;
people who
lack things.
That is the
sense in
which psalm
23 means
“want” –
“The Lord is
my Shepherd,
I shall not
lack
anything I
need”
“The Lord’s
my shepherd,
I shall not
want. He
makes me lie
down in
green
pastures; he
leads me
beside still
waters; he
restores my
soul”.
If you think
this is
about
rolling in
the
countryside
you’d be
wrong.
This is 3000
years ago in
ancient
Palestine,
where there
is brown
soil and
green
pastures are
hard to
find.
The good
shepherd
finds this
for his
sheep.
He promises
us that even
in difficult
times of our
lives; he
will find
the green
pastures.
“He leads me
beside still
waters”.
Now that
sounds all
lovely and
poetic but
there is a
reason for
the still
water.
Sheep are
thirsty
animals but
they are
scared of
water.
This is
because
sheep have
stubby legs
and if they
fall down
they will
not be able
to get out
again and
will be
washed away.
So they need
to drink
from still
waters.
The good
shepherd
needs to
find this.
“We shall
not want. We
shall not
fear”.
There is a
condition in
the western
world which
affects a
lot of
people.
In the UK 7
million
people are
affected.
In Canada
$6.5 billion
is lost
through the
working
economy.
In the USA
it causes
380,000
deaths per
year.
This is not
smoking or
obesity or
internet
abuse or
even
listening to
Father
Edmunds’
sermons.
It’s
insomnia;
7 million
people
suffer from
insomnia.
Tired people
who don’t
turn up for
work,
costing the
economy a
huge amount
of money.
It causes
deaths every
year through
driving
accidents.
WHY?
Because
people lie
awake at
night
worried.
Anxiety has
a huge
impact on
society,
which is why
God
reassures us
we don’t
need to fear
because I’m
here for
you.
“I fear no
evil; for
you are with
me; your rod
and your
staff- they
comfort me”.
The shepherd
had two
things in
his hands- a
rod and a
staff.
The rod is a
big have
object used
for whacking
wolves and
foxes so
they don’t
eat the
sheep.
The sheep
know that
with that
rod they are
safe.
The staff is
used for
when the
sheep fall
down in
rivers and
the shepherd
can use the
staff to
yank out the
sheep.
The sheep
see the rod
and the
staff and
they know
that they
are safe.
There is no
danger.
The good
shepherd can
get them
out.
“I fear no
evil; for
you are with
me; your rod
and your
staff- they
comfort me”.
“You prepare
a table
before me in
the presence
of my
enemies; you
anoint my
head with
oil; my cup
overflows”.
This is a
promise from
God in
heaven.
Banquets and
feats will
have been
prepared,
where our
cup never
runs out and
the food is
scrumptious.
This is a
beautiful
intimate
Psalm of
God’s
promise to
us.
There was a
party which
was attended
by a very
famous
actor.
The actor
was being
hassled by
the guests
of the party
to recite
some
Shakespeare
or “do a bit
of Dickens”.
The actor
said ok and
recited it
beautifully-
full of
emotion and
conviction.
Everyone
claps wildly
and says
well done to
him.
There is an
elderly
vicar seated
amongst the
guests and
he says
“what about
Psalm 23”.
And the
actor says
to him ok
but only if
you do it
too.
The vicar
agrees.
The actor
starts of
and recites
it expertly,
the guests
are
impressed.
Then it’s
the turn of
the vicar.
He recites.
It’s not
perfect and
it’s not
polished but
somehow the
rest of the
guests
cannot take
their eyes
of him,
there is
something in
his voice
which has
left them
mesmerized.
A fellow
guest
enquired
“why is the
vicar’s
recitation
so
powerful?”
The actor
replied “Ah.
I know the
Psalm 23 but
he knows the
shepherd.
In the name
of the
father, the
son and the
Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Father Mund
Cargill
Thompson
Holy Trinity
Church
Barkingside
http://eastlondonchurch.co.uk/