What Does It Mean, the Lord Is My Shepherd?

"He leads me beside still waters"

I'm preparing to teach a class for adults.  I was going to call it "Psalms Immersion," until I discovered there is already a study on the Psalms with that name on sale at Cokesbury.  I thought, we might want to use that workbook some day, so I will call my class something else.  What something else? I thought, well, a school of fish, a gaggle of geese, a murder of crows, a team of football players--how about a Jubilation of Psalms?

So, "Jubiliation of Psalms" it is.

The primary text, of course, is the book of Psalms, sometimes called the Old Testament hymnal.  In preparation  Jesse and I have started reading one a night, though it will be impossible to read all 150 at that rate.  I read aloud to Jesse in Spanish.  Often Jesse has to explain unfamiliar words. If you read in another language, you can gain a deeper appreciation.  Often I wish I had studied Hebrew and Greek when I was in seminary.  My two years of high school Latin are not helpful.  Still, I'm teaching in English, and many different English translations exist, each containing its unique interest and beauty.

As many others in my generation, I learned Psalm 23, "The Lord Is My Shepherd"  in public elementary school.  I found a presentation of the 23rd Psalm on YouTube, and I think I'll use it with the class.   A rabbi explains this poem by a shepherd boy named David who became a hero and king.   Of course the rabbi's description is not exactly what a Christian pastor might say.  The Rabbi jokes that whenever he hears it recited he thinks he's at a funeral. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=8z_1dING_uI&feature=endscreen).  While the Book of Psalms was a compilation, the majority were written by David.  I love the annotations: "David while on the run from King Saul."  "David after he had sinned with Bathsheba."

The study guide is called "The Psalms" by Wes Pixler, or the Rev. Wesley B. Pixler, D.Min., my first husband and father of my children.  He prepared the material and taught at it Christian ashrams and other spiritual retreats.  Years ago he sent me an e-mail of his workbook. Wes passed on almost two years ago; you can find one of the psalms he wrote, "My Heart Belongs to God" on this blog.  I feel like Wes and I are working together, as we did when we were first married.  Wes taught this as a combination face-to-face/on-line course, but I think this go-round it is going to be face-to-face and whatever contributions people want to make to this blog, as I don't think I can prepare and build a new Website at the same time.

My contribution will be the delivery, relying on training I've had over the years in music, drama, art, journaling, collaging, photography, prayer, sharing and working with groups large and small.  I expect this to be a highly interactive and fast-paced class.   Seven Sundays, April 7 through May 19, 10-11:30 a.m., Longs Peak United Methodist Church.  Coffee and study materials will be provided at no cost.

A Jubiliation of Psalms, coming soon.  Watch this space to see how it unfolds.

P.S.  If you have magazines (of whatever type) you can spare, we can use them.