psalm 23 and sirach 44: 9-15
1 A psalm of David.
I
The LORD is my shepherd;*
there is nothing I lack.a
2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
3b he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths*
for the sake of his name.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,c
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.
9 Of others no memory remains,
for when they perished, they perished,
As if they had never lived,
they and their children after them.
10 Yet these also were godly;
their virtues have not been forgotten.
11 Their wealth remains in their families,
their heritage with their descendants.
12 Through God’s covenant their family endures,
and their offspring for their sake.
13 And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out;
14 Their bodies are buried in peace,
I
The LORD is my shepherd;*
there is nothing I lack.a
2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;
to still waters he leads me;
3b he restores my soul.
He guides me along right paths*
for the sake of his name.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,c
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff comfort me.
II
5* You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;*
You anoint my head with oil;*d
my cup overflows.e
6 Indeed, goodness and mercy* will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the LORD f
for endless days.
5* You set a table before me
in front of my enemies;*
You anoint my head with oil;*d
my cup overflows.e
6 Indeed, goodness and mercy* will pursue me
all the days of my life;
I will dwell in the house of the LORD f
for endless days.
Psalm 23
for when they perished, they perished,
As if they had never lived,
they and their children after them.
10 Yet these also were godly;
their virtues have not been forgotten.
their heritage with their descendants.
12 Through God’s covenant their family endures,
and their offspring for their sake.
13 And for all time their progeny will endure,
their glory will never be blotted out;
14 Their bodies are buried in peace,
but their name lives on and on.c
15 At gatherings their wisdom is retold,
and the assembly proclaims their praises.
15 At gatherings their wisdom is retold,
and the assembly proclaims their praises.
Sirach 44: 9-15
is Psalm 23 heaven? (it sounds like it to me.)
what about "...even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death..."? heaven is perpetual light. hell is perpetual darkness. life on earth is both light and darkness. could "the valley of the shadow of death" refer to our time on earth?
to me Sirach 44: 9-15 speaks of another place--not hell, not perpetual darkness, not heaven, not perpetual light--but, "buried (rest) in peace".
the world is both light and darkness. "darkness" in the world includes hate, lies, conspiracy theories, greed, poverty, famine, hunger, disease, fire, floods, natural disasters, etc. "light" is love, truth, charity, faith, hope, etc.
for those of us who have lived our lives more in darkness than in light, Sirach: 44 9-15 along with John 3:16 offers us hope.
"For God so loved the world that he gave* his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life."
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