The Context of the Passage in the Bible - Paper Example

Introduction

Death, to all and sundry, is an inevitable eventuality. This knowledge accords to many a fearful connotation that expresses itself in a downcast deportment. Fear is inherent to humanity. The uncertainty of the future works too but increase anxiety that feeds this fear. This anxiety is especially real, if enemies abound, and lurk after your blood. David experienced this encounter. Severally, bounties on his head during his lifetime ever had him looking over his shoulders. It is a sad thing not to know who you can trust, or not. Ulterior motives often hid in a cloud of hypocrisy, can deceive anybody, especially the pious anointed of God. The all too trusting trait of God's faithful servant potentially sets him up for gullibility. However, in the danger of trusting the wrong people, of being a sheep among the wolves, David's firm trust in the protection of His God is refreshing. It is more like the assurance of the sheep in the face of death.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The Historical Context of the Passage

This passage comes in as part of the 150 David's psalm featured in the bible, apparently written during David's lifetime, who was also the second king of Israel, after King Saul. David is described as the man after God's own heart. This indicates he made no provision of making flesh his arm, for this severally disappointed him. The birthplace of this chapter suggests that it might have been written in the wilderness, in David's flight from Absalom. The authoring of this chapter is probably between the monarchic and the Maccabean periods. While it may be uncertain to derive the exact timing of the writing of his chapter, the setting can be determined from the context of the words. The words indicate a configuration of a crisis. The first four verses clearly show this. Despite no particular mention of the specific problem, the existence of the problem is absolute from verse four.

Content Analysis of the Text and Opinions

David acknowledges from the chapter that life is merely a journey. A transition from one state to another. The same way we can't have a valley without mountains, we also can't have lived physically and not die physically too. The transition also occurs in matters of life, when one dies, there is a transitioning from sinful earth to perfect heaven. Out of the nine types of genres biblical authors employed, Psalms is of the poetic kind. Psalms twenty-three belongs to first of the five books of Psalms. This psalm, like all other psalms, center on David. Their common theme is a continual ask for protection from God.

This psalm is, in essence, a thanksgiving hymn, which appreciates God for sufficient protection, while expressing the faith of David in His Lord's loving care. A tone of confidence and trust also present. Diligent hermeneutics demands a contextual consideration of preceding and following chapters to make out this psalm entirely. The preceding Psalms 22 chapter talks about the cross. Psalms 23 talks about the crook while Psalms 24 talks about the crown.

Psalms 23:1 introduces the reader to David's life and the place of God in it. This is more like the background and refrain of the entire chapter if it were to be considered a song. This is because all the other latter verses refer to what was said in verse, verify or tandem. The first verse begins by saying, A Psalm by David. The author of the psalm. The impact of this knowledge is a correct interpretation of meaning from the initial range of possible meanings, was the chapter authorless. After the introduction, David says 'The Lord is my shepherd.' Note, after introducing himself, David is swift to introduce His Lord with a strong possessive pronoun, my. The interpretation of this reading is a denotation of faithfulness, security, and companionship. Rarely is God called a shepherd, though the phrase was popular in traditional Israel. The use of "Shepherd" to describe God indicates His devotion and faithfulness to protect, guide and lead His sheep. The human race in this analogy is represented as the flock and God as their shepherd. Humans, who through faith follow the teachings of Jesus in the gospels, have a promise of sure protection from their shepherd, God, for time and eternity. This analogy imperatively also assumes the shepherd and the flock are out in the field, where boundless resources abound. Dangers of being out will thus be quenched by this faithful shepherd. Christ, in John 10:11 uses words to the effect of affirming this role of a good shepherd that David referred to. Interestingly, David was a shepherd too before he became a king. This might be seen as the symbolic representation of the role Christ would play as the ultimately good shepherd, a prototype of God's shepherd. Presently, the term shepherd is used to refer to leaders of the church such as pastors, who fulfill requirements contained in 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Paul coined this term to refer to the office of the pastor. The affirmation of David's initial usage of this term to refer to his relationship with God, clearly shows that a good shepherd is all anyone needs in life, to be happy and safe. The concluding part of verse 1 says, 'I will not want'. The shepherd's job description involves providing for all the sheep's needs. If the shepherd be faithful, then certainly the sheep would not be in want. The Lord is all in all, to those who fully trust in Him.

Verse 2 begins by saying, 'He makes me lie down in green grass' No sheep would cozily lie down unless it was rest assured of freedom from all fear, freedom from all friction with other sheep, freedom from infestation of pests, and lastly, freedom from hunger. So if there is an indication of a cozy lying down, there certainly is assurance of these prerequisites met. Verse 2 also says, 'He leads me upon resting waters'. As the initial part of the verse points to God's providential trait, this latter part shows that it was a place of rest. A gentle and calm place of rest, indicative of the peace surpassing all understanding, which is salvation to all who truly and freely experience it. Verse3 states that the Lord restores His soul, symbolic of Lord's role in granting direction to David's life. Verse 4 to 6 which are the primary concern of this exegesis, are rather diminutive of the role of the Shepherd in providing protection to the sheep. Verse 4 begins by saying, 'Even though I walk through the darkest valley'. Typical of Judah's hilly region whose paths were quite unclear, so is it tumultuous to navigate through life. However, with God, David assures of a steady guide and guard. Verse 4 conclude by saying, 'your rod and your staff, they give me comfort'. The staff's role was in walking, while the rod for blows. These two tools were indispensable to any shepherd, albeit a good one. Verse 5 states that, 'you set a table before me in the face of my hostilities'. This indicates the thoughtful care the shepherd provides for food and sustenance. Verse 5 also says that, 'you anoint my head with oil'. It was common practice in Israel to anoint honored guests with scented oil before entrance to a banquet room. The concluding part of verse 5 says, 'my cup overflows'. This is a cup representative of spirit and body. The good shepherd not only tends to His' sheep's bodily needs, but I also greatly concerned for the spiritual well-being. Verse 6 indicates states, 'surely goodness and kindness shall pursue me all the times of my life'. This verse is in yield of preceding verses. That surely the Good shepherd will be His sheep through thick and thin, all lifelong. The verse' conclusion says, 'And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord My whole life long'. This was a pledge David made to the good shepherd, symbolic of what is expected of all good sheep. Faithfulness and steadfastness, not forsaking the assembling together of the saints, as is the manner of some Hebrews 10:25. A promise to stay in the house of the Lord is also a strong statement of faith, indicating a looking forward unto the eternal heavenly house.

Bibliography

Allen, Clifton J. Esther-Psalms. The Broadman Bible Commentary, vol. 4. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1971.

Craigie, Peter C. Psalms 1-50. Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 19. Edited by David A. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker. Waco: Word Books, 1983.

Smith, Mark S. "Setting and Rhetoric in Psalm 23," Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 41, (June 1988): 61-66.

Steussy, Martin J. Psalms. St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2004.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Notes on the Psalms. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1947.