Sermon: What the 23rd Psalm of the Bible Means to Me

The reason I like the 23rd Psalm of the Holy Bible more than any other is that it speaks directly to me. The word I or me is used over and over making it a very personal message. For me it is very inspiring. It is a reminder that I am not alone in the world. As long as I live a good and loving life and accept God into my life I have nothing to fear.

The 23rd Psalm - A Psalm of David (King James Version)

1 The Lord is my shepard; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4 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.
5 Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
My interpretation of this Psalm
1 The Lord is my shepard; I shall not want.

I am not alone. God watches over me and I do not have to be afraid.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Filled with love and grace I can be peaceful and enjoy the pleasures of a good and peaceful life. When I am upset I know that through peaceful meditation and prayer I can find a spiritual safe and comfortable place within my thoughts.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

The conscience God gave me and the religious text will guide me on the right path through life.

4 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.

Even though at times things are difficult, I trust that God will watch over me and give me the ability with the help of my loved ones to overcome difficulties.

5 Thou prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Even though at times things are difficult, the table before me means that I can try to reconcile with my enemies. Try to make peace. For my efforts God will provide me with enough of what I need to comfort me.

6 Surely goodness and mercy, shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Because I am a good and loving person, people will treat me with love and goodness and at the end of my life I will be at peace and remembered with love by those whose life I have touched for the better. I will live in heaven forever.

George W. Hunt was agent of the Kiowa and Comanche Indians in 1877. It is believed that he may have taught the Comanche Indians in Texas the 23rd Psalm. The North American Plains Indians used Universal Sign Language to communicate the Psalm among tribes who spoke different oral languages. Seventeen years later in 1894, Isabel Crawford, a Baptist missionary to the Kiowa Indians in Oklahoma translated the Sign Version of a Psalm for a Winter's Twilight, which was the title the Indians had given it somewhere along the way, into literal English. That literal English version has come to be known as the Kiowa version of the 23rd Psalm. A novel entitled Psalm for a Winter's Twilight by Beatrice La Force that, among other things, tell the story of the Indian version of the 23rd Psalm. It is included in a Boy Scout manual called Meditations for the Scout Trail by Jery Stedinger and Neil Rotach. Princess Pale Moon of the American Indian Heritage Foundation has been instrumental in publishing and spreading knowledge of the Kiowa version of the 23rd Psalm. I found it in "An Interfaith Minister's Manual" by Reverend Angela Plum. I found it interesting enough to do the research to learn just how it had come about.

Kiawa (from Oklahoma) 23rd Psalm
Psalm for a Winter's Twilight

The Great Father above a Shepherd chief is.

I am his and with him I want not.

He throws me a rope, and the name of the rope is love.

He draws me to where the grass is green, and the water is not dangerous, and I lie down and I am satisfied.

Sometimes my heart is very weak and falls down. But he lifts me up again and draws me into a good road. His name is wonderful.

Sometime, it may be very soon, it may be a long, long, time, he will draw me into a valley. It is dark there, but I'll be afraid not, for it is between these mountains that the Shepherd chief will meet me. And the hunger I have in my heart all through life will be satisfied.

Sometimes he makes the love rope into a whip, but afterwards he gives me a staff to lean upon.

He spreads a table before me with all kind of foods.

He puts his hand upon my head and all the tired is gone.

My cup he fills till in runs over.

What I tell is true - I lie not.

These roads that are away ahead will stay with me through this life and after. And afterwards I will go to live in a big teepee and sit down with the Shepherd chief forever.

I hope you have been reminded of two things from this Sermon.

The first is that our lord walks with us and watches over our lives. All we have to do is follow his law (the ten commandments), accept his love and live a good life.

The second is that the teachings of the Bible are so strong that they find resonance with the hearts of people and are spread even in the most unlikely places.

Thank you for this opportunity to share my thoughts with you.

God be with you.


Reverend George V. Schubel
Interfaith Minister