Part of most religious learning involves memorizing some important feature of the faith. It’s often a prayer. Many people also have to, or choose to, learn a passage from the written text of the religion. Most Christians learn the Lord’s Prayer (‘Our Father…’). Many also learn Psalm 23:
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 for ever.
I have always been taken by the section about ‘though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil:’. I have held onto that notion for many years, and I know why. That doesn’t mean that I have never had fear. Almost every day, something scary happens, or nearly happens. Yesterday, two cars nearly collided head-on with the one I was driving, as I was taking the 13 year-old to school, and due to return said rental car.
This psalm is one I have always enjoyed, and I’m not going to say more about it than that. Those who want to analyse its imagery are free to do so. I’m just going to drift off quietly back into some classes on Religious Education that I went to as a boy. I didn’t go to a school that insisted on students getting at least an A, but it wasn’t an issue. 🙂
Have a blessed day.
Jamaica: Political Economy 