What s So Special About a Shepherding Poem? Bestselling Author Robert J. Morgan Explores Power of the Twenty- Third Psalm in The Lord is My Shepherd

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What s So Special About a Shepherding Poem? Bestselling Author Robert J. Morgan Explores Power of the Twenty- Third Psalm in The Lord is My Shepherd Nashville, Tenn.

1 What s So Special About a Shepherding Poem? Bestselling Author Robert J. Morgan Explores Power of the Twenty- Third Psalm in The Lord is My Shepherd Nashville, Tenn., November 12, 2012 Psalm the topic of Robert J. Morgan s latest book - - is one of the most recognized poems in the world, one revered and quoted by people of various faiths and backgrounds, by children and the elderly, those in foxholes and emergency rooms. It has been prescribed as medicine for the sick and hope for the hopeless. But what makes this simple piece of ancient poetry - - just one hundred words in most English translations, fifty- five in the original Hebrew - - so compelling? Robert J. Morgan, a pastor in Tennessee and the bestselling author of more than twenty- five books, explores the seemingly endless depths of the poem that begins, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want... and continues on to that memorable phrase, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, and ends with the triumphant, I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. With remarkable stories of the psalm s impact on the lives of those in desperate situations - - from a Prisoner of War in Korea, to a World War II sailor who struggled to stay alive in shark- infested waters - - Morgan demonstrates in The Lord is My Shepherd: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 (Howard Books) how this simple but incredible passage of Scripture can inspire and comfort. The stories collected here, and in Morgan s personal reflections on Psalm 23, are interspersed with an in- depth analysis of the entire poem, one that examines its cultural background, present- day implications, and - - perhaps most interesting of all - - what Psalm 23 might tell us about God s role as shepherd, and how closely we, as humans, resemble sheep. Morgan s experience with the topic, not only as a pastor - - a word derived from the medieval word for shepherd - - but also as a long- time owner of sheep himself, led him to arrive at the following conclusion: Sheep without a shepherd is a pathetic sight. You never hear of sheep migrating along in great flocks, fending for themselves, or surviving without external protection. They panic at the slightest sound. They have no sense of direction, little native intelligence, and no way to defend themselves.... They can t track down their own food...can get lost even in their own pasture.... Sheep also need affection,... They are utterly dependent on a shepherd. They re just like us. But what does the shepherd do for us? According to Psalm 23, he leads us beside still waters, makes us lie down in green pastures, restores our souls, comforts us, leads us in paths of righteousness, and brings us through valleys. Morgan writes, This psalm follows the seasonal

2 moves of the shepherds of Israel.... Why did the biblical patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob live in tents instead of houses? Because they were always moving with their flocks, going from pasture to pasture with the seasons.... (It) becomes clear (Psalm 23) is not stationary; it s an excursion. The flocks begin in green pastures, continue along well- trodden paths, thread through dark canyons, meander into alpine tablelands, circle back through autumnal days to arrive at the master s house at the onset of winter. Morgan concludes that in addition to the poem following well- marked seasons of life - - beautifully mirrored in the shepherding landscape of ancient Israel - - what makes the psalm so special is how it sums up all our needs...and all the abundance of God s grace. It begins with The Lord, and it ends with forever. The Lord is My Shepherd: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 By Robert J. Morgan Howard Books $19.99 Hardcover February 2013 AUTHOR BIO: Robert J. Morgan is the pastor of the three- thousand- member Donelson Fellowship Church in Nashville, Tenn., which he has served for more than thirty years. He is a bestselling and Gold Medallion- winning author with more than twenty- five books in print and has appeared on numerous national television and radio shows. He is a staff writer for Dr. David Jeremiah and Turning Points magazine. His thirty- year hobby of tending the same flock of sheep uniquely equips him to write of the Great Shepherd in Psalm 23. Morgan graduated magna cum laude from Columbia International University and from Wheaton Graduate School with high honors. He also graduated from Luther Rice Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia, with a Master of Divinity. He and his wife Katrina have three daughters and ten grandchildren.

3 Suggested Interview Questions 1) Why has Psalm 23 has been so renowned, even amongst those who are not practicing Jews or Christians? Is this waning due to people becoming less religious? 2) How does Psalm 23 speak to people today? The way it always has, or differently? 3) What personal comfort have you taken from the psalm over the years? 4) Did you discover anything new about your faith or the psalm in writing this book? 5) Discuss your experience raising sheep; what lessons has it taught you, and why do you feel sheep are an appropriate metaphor for us, in keeping with Psalm 23? 6) You write that in the ancient world, shepherding was excellent preparation for leadership - can you discuss why that is, and what that can tell us about Psalm 23? 7) Discuss the structure of Psalm 23 and how it mirrors the nature of shepherding. 8) What are a few of the more sensational stories you came across in researching how people have been comforted and inspired by Psalm 23? 9) Is there a popular misunderstanding about Psalm 23, and if so, what is it? 10) Something is always lost in translation; is there anything in the original Hebrew that sheds additional light on the text, or gives it a nuance not present in English? To schedule an interview with Rob Morgan, please contact Karen Campbell at

4 or Excerpts: The Lord is My Shepherd: Resting in the Peace and Power of Psalm 23 Some years ago when I went through a rough patch and couldn t rest, I found I could fall asleep on the couch by wrapping myself in a blanket and continuously repeating in my mind Psalm 23 with its opening declaration: The Lord... The Lord is... The Lord is my... The Lord is my Shepherd... This chapter had a calming power I found nowhere else. It was a soul soother, a mental ointment. Mulling over every word was like finding another life preserver. Many other people share a similar testimony. Recently, I met a friend who s recovering from open- heart surgery. There were complications, and he had a horrendous time. While I was lying there in intensive care, he said, I just kept quoting the Twenty- third Psalm to myself over and over. It s what got me through. (13) It was in the springtime of the year, and the snows had only recently melted. The grass was turning green. There were about two thousand sheep in a large flock, and the shepherd built a large bonfire. Allan drank in the scene as if it were a page in a picture book one shepherd, three sheep dogs, a bonfire, and two thousand sheep. As the night wore on, the sheep settled down and all was quiet until suddenly the long, loud wail of coyotes pierced the air. The dogs growled and peered into the darkness. The sheep, which had been sleeping, lumbered to their feet, alarmed, bleating pitifully. The shepherd tossed more logs onto the fire, and the flames shot up. In the glow, Allan looked out and saw thousands of little lights. He realized those were reflections of the fire in the eyes of the sheep. Those sheep had instinctively looked toward the shepherd. In the midst of danger, Allan observed, the sheep were not looking out into the darkness but were keeping their eyes set in the direction of their safety, looking toward the shepherd. I couldn t help but think of Hebrews 12:... looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.... (29-30) Last night I slept fitfully, and I think part of the reason was a lurking fear that the complications of my wife s multiple sclerosis are worsening, particularly due to our insurance company s denial of a particular medication she was taking. I fretted not only about her but also about me. As a caregiver, I wondered what would happen to her should something happen to me, and what will happen to me if her condition significantly deteriorates. We sheep are full of apprehensions, aren t we? Without our Shepherd, we re clueless. With Him, we have more than clues; we have Christ. His presence imparts reassurance at every step. So after a night of fretting, I wasn t surprised this morning when I came to Isaiah 12:2 in my daily Bible reading: Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid. There s a similar statement in Psalm 56:3: Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. But Isaiah 12:2 takes us to an even healthier

5 level of maturity. It s one thing to trust when we are afraid, but it s even better to trust and not be afraid. This morning I reminded myself that our Shepherd can be fully trusted. (35-36) Much of the stress of shepherding comes from maintaining adequate and rich pasturelands, for sheep will never be healthier than the meadows on which they graze. So when the psalmist said, He makes me lie down in green pastures, that isn t a trite phrase. The word green signifies verdant and rich pasture, as opposed to scruffy and weed infested. It represents diligent, painstaking care on the part of a wise shepherd to raise a healthy flock by locating and cultivating high quality pasturelands. This is a biblical metaphor with layers of significance. Psalm 23 is an allegory. We re not talking about real sheep or a real shepherd; we re talking about a beautiful oil painting that hangs in the gallery of our minds to illustrate real truth. We re obviously not animals with four hoofs. Though some of us may be white- haired, we re not covered with wool.... David wasn t saying we are sheep, but we are like sheep. He was painting a picture to show us the comparisons. There are parallels between how God made us and how He made sheep. There are correlations between our almighty God and a Middle Eastern shepherd. It s an analogy... (44-45) Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. In other words, I am reassured by the shepherd s equipment. He isn t ill prepared. He has a rod to drive off predators and enemies. He knows how to club the foes that attack me. He also has a staff with the crooked or curved top, so He can snag and snatch me if I get too close to the edge of the precipice. He knows how to restrain my footsteps, how to protect me even from myself and my missteps. Whether the danger comes from outside myself (necessitating the rod) or my own foolishness (requiring the staff),... (he) is watching carefully and guarding constantly. (124)

YOU CAN LIVE CONFIDENTLY PSALM 23 BY PLACING OUR LIVES UNDER THE CARE OF THE LORD AND IN THE COMMUNION OF THE THE LORD WE CAN LIVE A CONFIDENT LIFE.

SER368A 8-23-98 YOU CAN LIVE CONFIDENTLY PSALM 23 NEED: PROPOSITION: OBJECTIVE: TRUST IN THE LORD BY PLACING OUR LIVES UNDER THE CARE OF THE LORD AND IN THE COMMUNION OF THE THE LORD WE CAN LIVE A CONFIDENT