Alexandrea Weinman



Alex WeinmanProf. Debby MoningerENGL1020: Expository Writing IIApril 29, 2013A Song of DavidAs humans, we’ve got to believe in something, right? For some of us, it’s believing in evolution, but for other’s it’s God. It’s comforting to know we have someone watching over us. It’s comforting to know that we have God with us every step of the way, guarding us from evil, people and things that want to inflict harm upon us. In the 23rd Psalm, David compares himself/humans to helpless sheep. God acts as a shepherd of his people. God is with us all the time, protecting us, prodding us in the right direction. We may go through struggles, or trials, but He is always with us. King David, who wrote the psalm, worked as a shepherd. In the twenty-third psalm, he describes the Lord as a shepherd and as himself being one of his sheep. The shepherd’s job is to care for his sheep, making sure they’re safe, nourished, calm, and happy at all times. Sheep are susceptible to danger from wolves and other predators because they cannot run very fast, and they aren’t always smart enough to evade danger. To care for them, sheep need a shepherd to take them to the fertile areas to graze, guard them from predators and other dangers, and keep them together so they don’t wander from the flock. This is the job of the shepherd. Just as a shepherd cares for his sheep, so the Lord cares for his people, providing for their needs, guiding them, and protecting them. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want,” is the metaphor of the psalm that David uses to describe his feelings of peace and satisfaction and that God is like our shepherd. He helps us to find food, water, work, love, friends, and all that we need. He also protects us from evil and nudges us in the right direction when we step out of line and deviate from the way of living set down in the Bible. When we are going through trials, He’s always there to help us through them. By “I shall not want,” David means that since he has the Lord as his shepherd, he has no other want; he isn’t lacking anything because the Lord is providing him with all that he needs. With that being said, David may not get everything that he wants, but he is cared for, loved, and provided for very well. Green pastures and still waters are peaceful places for rest and feeding. Sheep require plenty of green pasture to graze. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside still waters.” In a way, this deepens and repeats the idea that “I shall not want”. On that deeper level, it means that God provides nourishment for the body, the mind, and the soul that is nutritious, healthy, and filling. It doesn’t say that one must struggle to make ends meet; it says that God will lead one to the green pastures. The still waters could represent love, peace, and beauty. The message that David is trying to get across to us is that with God as our shepherd, we have everything we need. He who is all-knowing, caring and powerful, is enough; He is sufficient. With Him we need nothing else. After a long day working, or learning, we all need a little rest overnight. More specifically, “restore” means to bring rest and comfort to a person who has been drained, mentally or physically, and the word “soul” refers to the whole person. When we rest, we restore strength and power. While a shepherd provides his sheep with food, restoration, and rest, God provides His sheep with His Word, which is the means of giving spiritual nourishment, rest and restoration. It could also be mean that God offers forgiveness for our sins; repentance. This is what is meant by “He restores my soul.” When someone is healing, they often don’t know what direction to turn to. “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,” states that the shepherd leads his sheep to places of nourishment and rest, but he also leads them in the proper paths, just like the Lord leads one in directions of righteousness, meaning paths that are good. It is often necessary for the shepherd to lead his flock great distances to find pasture and water, but some paths are dangerous and should be avoided. The good shepherd leads his sheep in the right paths. The shepherd is judged by the condition of his flock. God’s reputation is measured by His ability to guide and care for His people. In this psalm, David is confident he will never lack the leading of God in his life. David knew that sometimes the shepherd had to lead his flock through treacherous paths, so he wrote “even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” In this line of the psalm, it tells us that we may need to walk in difficult territory in our lives, but we don’t need to fear because the Lord is with us. David had complete trust in God even through “the shadow of death.” We are never promised that there will be no evil, that it why it is called trials. If one chooses God to lead him, that individual does not have to fear because God will be with them even through the tough times and trials. “Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The “rod” and the “staff” serve as instruments of protection and assistance. According the dictionary definition of the word “rod,” the rod is used as symbol of authority and, in the sense of authority or power; the rod is used to inflict punishment. The definition of the word “staff” is very similar as it is also used as a symbol of authority, but the second part of the definition is that “staff” is used to describe a stick or pole used as a weapon. David shows the reader that the Lord uses the rod to guide him and even discipline him. The Lord uses the staff to protect David against the things or creatures that would try to harm David. The rod and the staff are the same thing with to different uses. Even in the presence of evil, David had complete confidence and he understood the promises of blessings and protections. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” What this is saying is that one will be taken care of even in the presence of an individual’s opponents. But it doesn’t say that one will survive. It is saying that a table will be spread before one, even while one is in the company of the forces that contradict an individual. “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Back in the biblical days, anointing the head with oil was done to honor a person. This not only means that one will be fed or cared for in the presence of their enemies, but they will be honored as well. The metaphor, “my cup overflows,” means that one has more than needed. It means that one is cared for beyond what they need to be. Sometimes we may not say the right things, or sin. This verse doesn’t say that we will be perfect, it means that if we let the Lord be our shepherd, we’ll be treated mercifully. God is merciful. If we ask for forgiveness our past mistakes, sins, will be forgiven. This is what is meant by, “surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” “And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” In order to live by the rules set down by the Lord, one must keep their attention focused on the Lord. The “house of the Lord” is not a physical house, but it means to keep one’s attention focused on the Lord. The words “to dwell” may mean, “to abide”. David is assured that he will “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” As humans, it is comforting to know we have someone watching over us. It’s comforting to know that we have God with us every step of the way, guarding us from evil, people and things that want to inflict harm upon us. In the 23rd Psalm, David compares himself/humans to helpless sheep. God acts as a shepherd of his people. God is with us all the time, protecting us, prodding us in the right direction. We may go through struggles, or trials, but He is always with us. Works Cited"Bible study: An analysis of tone in the Twenty-Third Psalm ... - Helium." 2008. 26 Apr. 2013 "Explanation on the 23rd Psalm - Warrior4Christ - Tripod." 2004. 26 Apr. 2013 "Please explain the meaning of Psalm 23." 2012. 26 Apr. 2013 "Psalm 23: A Psalm That Calms the Soul | - Worlds Largest ..." 2009. 26 Apr. 2013 Critical Reviews Essay RubricComponentsRequirementsPoints HYPERLINK "" 6 TraitsIdeasOrganizationVoiceWord ChoiceSentence FluencyConventionsYou interpreted the prompt in a way that makes your writing stand out.You have a logical organization.Your writing isn’t too choppy or stuffy.Your words vary and spark a specific image for the reader. Your sentence length varies.You follow grammar and spelling conventions.Your essay has a specific thesis and story map.(Out of 40)Critical EssaysReader’s Response CriticismBiographical CriticismHistorical CriticismCultural CriticismPsychological CriticismGender/Queer Criticism It is an interpretation based on a critical reading, not a summary. A thesis organizes the paper.The story is included on a MLA formatted works cited page (hanging indents, DS, correct information included)You include at least 2 direct quotes.You cite at least three sources that you used to research the published criticisms or an aspect of the poem. Two of these should be critical readings from the MPCC database.(Out of 40)PresentationYou follow MLA formatting for any quotes and to document sources.The paper is 3-4 pages in length.You use times 12-point font, 1-inch margins, correct student information, and a title.(Out of 20)Comments:Total(Out of 100) ................
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