Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

[intro]It’s one of the most famous passages in the Bible, and one of the earliest (if not only) chapters we memorize. But how many of us actually take the time to think through the 23rd Psalm?[/intro]

W. Phillip Keller did. But then, as an agricultural ecologist who spent significant portions of his life both living among shepherds and being a shepherd, it came more naturally to him. Sheep are desperate, helpless animals, subject to the elements and the lay of the land. It was no coincidence, Keller realized, that Jesus called himself the Good Shepherd, and that we are his sheep.

Hence his book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Originally published in 1970, this now-classic delivers exactly on its promise. Verse-by-verse, and in some cases word-by-word, Keller walks through the relationship between the shepherd and the sheep and beautifully illuminates exactly what it means when we call the Lord our shepherd.

What did I like about this book?

Unless you care for a flock yourself, you would never realize that David (the Shepherd-King) walks through the entire year in the life of a sheep in these 6 verses. Where there is peace and tranquility for the flock, there is hard work and love from the shepherd.

As just one example, verse 5—”You anoint my head with oil”—is in reference not only to the anointing of David as king by Samuel (1 Samuel 16), but also (and perhaps primarily) to the pests of summer. In the warm weather, sheep are plagued by flies and ticks and mosquitoes. Keller cites one kind of fly in particular that lays its eggs in the nasal passages of sheep, leading to inflammation and infection. The sheep would go mad in summer, trying to free themselves of the pests, frantically rubbing their heads against trees and rocks.

The solution? Rubbing an antidote on the sheep’s head. Keller’s preferred one was a homemade remedy of sulphur, tar, and linseed oil. David himself likely used a compound including olive oil. Keller explains:

This to me is the exact picture of irritations in my own life…It is the niggling distractions that become burning issues that can well nigh drive me round the bend or up the wall…

Just as with the sheep there must be continuous and renewed application of oil to forestall the “flies” in my life, there must be a continuous anointing of God’s gracious Spirit to counteract the ever-present aggravations of personality conflicts.

Translation? Life will get us down. We need to keep going to the Shepherd and let him do his work to protect us, not from the existence of flies, but from their harmful effects.

This is just one example (and it’s not even a full description of the use of oil for the health and protection of the sheep). Everything—the still waters, the valley, the table—is in reference to the careful love and preparation of the shepherd for the care of his sheep.

Would I recommend this book?

Absolutely. From Abraham to Jesus, shepherding is an important motif throughout the entire Bible. This book may focus on Psalm 23, but its illumination of the shepherding experience shines throughout all of scripture.

Any issues in the book?

The biggest concern is not with the content of the book, but with the physical book itself. The publisher at some point created an abridged version of an already short book (my copy is less than 150 pages, with relatively large print). Anyone who chooses to purchase it may want to triple-check to ensure they purchased the full version.

Where can you buy it?

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 is available on Amazon.

 

Image Credit: Giuseppe Milo