04: Formational Soul
"The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."
(Psalm 23:1-3 NIV)
Date: 1410-450 BC
Writer: King David (credited for most)
The Context
In 1400 BC, the Hebrew people had finished wandering the desert, settled in Canaan and they wanted a king. Saul was the first to take the throne, only to be followed by David once Prophet Samuel's anointing oil ascribed him as God's choice. The majority of the writings in the book of Psalms are attributed to David. In Hebrew tradition, the book of Psalms is referred to as "Tehillim", meaning "Praises." This collection of poetry is a theological book of timeless instruction on how to be in relationship with God. It is also a lyrical expression of worship, providing insight into the spiritual lives of the Hebrews. Finally, Psalms is one of the many connective tissues that bind the Old Testament to the New.
The Book
The book of Psalms is also known as the Psalter, "an anthology of 150 poems collected in the postexilic period to serve as a hymnbook for Jewish worship at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem." Some of the earlier Psalms may have been allocated as a part of the Torah, as "the books of Moses are Israel's record of divine revelation and the covenant that orders its life before God." The Psalter became Israel's hymnbook, and it was most likely a text that Jesus studied while in his youth. An affirmation of that notion can be found in the synoptic gospels, all of which record that Jesus and his disciples sang a Psalm after Passover.
The Text
Although the majority of Psalms are about lament, many focus on praise. The first couplet of Psalm 23 ("The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want") displays a "cause-and-effect relationship." The first stanza represents Israel's reliance on God. The second stanza is a reference to God's faithfulness as Israel lacked nothing when they wandered in the wilderness. "He restores my soul" is "a song of trust that may have been evoked by an experience of deliverance." Overall, this text is a declaration of trust, faith and obedience with God shepherding our path.
The Relevance
This text is a guiding light within the formational journey because it affirms that God is open to whatever we want to say and understands the full gamut of our human emotions within the process. There is a "certainty of God's protection and providence and exceptional intimacy with God combined in an individual's prayer of trust." It is an assurance of God's restoration and guidance as we seek to live more like Jesus, and bears witness to God's actions, blessing and character throughout our life journey.
The Witness
Disclaimer - this particular testimony is a bit supernatural. There is a long history of Believers who have encountered God/Jesus/Holy Spirit in very tangible ways. Such is the divine mystery of Christ. I just never imagined that I might become one of them.
Still in the early stages of my formational journey, I had a dream. In that dream, there were three lights surrounding my bed. One was on my left, one on my right and one at the foot of the bed. And, they were working on me, but it wasn't in my physical body. In hindsight, I might suggest that it was within my etheric body, but at the time I had never even heard of that word. But, I remember laying there with tears rolling down my face, feeling like I was on God's operating table. I had pain in the places where they touched. It felt as if they were touching and healing the wounded places of my soul. That's the best way I can describe it. And, I remember being shocked because there was alot of wounding. I was hurting in places I wasn't even aware of. At some point I fell back into a normal state of sleep, but I will never forget that dream. I call it my "Spiritual Surgery" experience. You know that feeling when you leave church and you have had the most breathtaking experience of God? My dream was no different. It was just a different experience. But one thing I do know - He restored my soul.
Resources
Attridge, The HarperCollins Study Bible
Gaventa, The New Interpreter's Bible One Volume Commentary
Harrelson, The New Interpreter's Study Bible
Powell, The HarperCollins Bible Dictionary