Summer 2009 Teaching Series #2: Psalm 23

Few passages of Scripture are as famous as the 23rd Psalm...

• The Elephant Man quoted it, proving that he could learn.
• Its' been put to music from the likes of Leonard Bernstein to Coolio, Kayne West, the Eagles and U2.
• It's been mentioned in a variety of movies from The War of the Worlds to Varsity Blues.
• It's been used in recent television classics like Lost and Prison Break.
• It's present in works of fiction like The Beach and V for Vendetta.
• President Bush read it following the September 11 attacks and Edgar Allan Poe used its symbolism is his poem Eldorado.
• It's been the most basic funeral passage since the 1662 Book of Common Prayer made it part of the funeral liturgy.

It might be the most famous passage of Scripture in the entire Bible. Psalm 23 is the John 3:16 of the Old Testament. When we read this Psalm it is hard not to think of a funeral scene as the pastor reads the Psalm as the family wipes away their tears. There are few things cuter than watching a YouTube video of a small child quoting the Psalm.

Psalm 23, more than any other text, is part of the fabric of our culture. No matter what people think about our faith, chances are they respect this text. Yet like anything that is familiar, this text while widely known and quoted, is not as understood as we would like to think. While we can quickly recognize the Psalm, its words deserve more time than a simple reference in a movie. These words can literally change our lives.

Sermons (streaming audio)

•  August 16, 2009 — Kevin, "A Not-So-Trivial Pursuit" Psalm 23:6 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  August 16, 2009 — Ed, "A Not-So-Trivial Pursuit" Psalm 23:6 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren
•  August 9, 2009 — Ed, "Fine Dining" Psalm 23:5 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  August 9, 2009 — Kevin, "Fine Dining" Psalm 23:5 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren
•  August 2, 2009 — Kevin, "The Death of Fear" Psalm 23:4 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  August 2, 2009 — Mike, "The Death of Fear" Psalm 23:4 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren
•  July 26, 2009 — Kevin, "Takeover My Makeover" Psalm 23:3 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  July 26, 2009 — Ed, "Takeover My Makeover" Psalm 23:3 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren
•  July 19, 2009 — Joel, "Not so Fast" Psalm 23:2 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  July 19, 2009 — Kevin, "Not so Fast" Psalm 23:2 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren
•  July 12, 2009 — Ed, "Men Aren't Pigs" Psalm 23:1 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Fort Smith
•  July 12, 2009 — Kevin, "Men Aren't Pigs" Psalm 23:1 (MP3 33 mb)
/ Van Buren

Resources

•  ESVStudyBible.org (ESV) — Psalm 23
•  BlueLetterBible.org (NASB) — Psalm 23
•  BibleGateway.com (The Message) — Psalm 23
•  A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm by Phillip Keller
•  Traveling Light by Max Lucado