Di Lord Na My Shepherd

Night for di hills. One sheep dey cry somewhere for di dark. Fire dey crackle small. And one young shepherd, wey eye open well, dey watch im flock, dey hum one song wey na only im know.

Psalm 23 na one of di songs wey people love pass, out of all di songs wey anybody don ever write. Di heading for di top call am psalm of David, and David know sheep. Before e become king, e be di last son of Jesse, wey dem dey send go di fields round Bethlehem to take care of di family sheep. One time e tell King Saul say e don pursue lion and bear to rescue one small sheep. So when dis song show God as shepherd, e no be soft picture wey dey far. Na di picture of working man, about person wey dey lead, dey feed, dey protect and no dey ever leave.

Di Lord na my shepherd. I no go lack. Wetin e mean be say, I get everything wey I really need. Picture one flock for dry land. Grass no dey everywhere. Water scarce. Sheep no fit find dem own way go reach any of dem. But dis shepherd know di land. E make me lie down for green grass. E lead me go beside quiet water. No be stream wey dey rush, wey fit carry small sheep go, but quiet water where e safe to drink. E restore my soul. When I don tire finish, e dey bring me back to life. E lead me for di paths of righteousness because of im name. Di correct paths. Because good shepherd name dey depend on how e take care of im sheep.

Then di song waka go somewhere wey dark pass. Yes, even though I dey waka through di valley of di shadow of death. Shepherds wey dey move dem flock from one grass land go another, sometimes dem must pass through narrow valleys, where di rocks block di sun and wild animals dey wait for di shadow. Di psalm no pretend say di valley no dey. E no promise one road wey go pass am by side. E talk something wey better pass. I no go fear any evil, because you dey with me. And listen as di talk change. Until now, di singer dey talk about di shepherd. Now, for di place wey dark pass, e dey talk to am. You dey with me. Your rod and your staff, dem dey comfort me. Di rod na to drive attackers comot. Di staff na to guide, and to pull sheep wey hook for somewhere comot. Both of dem mean say di shepherd dey near.

Now di picture change again. Di shepherd become di person wey dey host guests. You prepare table for my front, for di presence of my enemies. Di singer still get enemies. Dem never disappear. But na only to stand and watch dem fit do, as dem welcome am, sit am down, and serve am. You anoint my head with oil. For dat world, host fit refresh guest wey e honour with oil wey get sweet smell. My cup dey run over. E reach pass. And then di last lines, wey full with confidence. Surely goodness and mercy go follow me all di days of my life. Dat word follow fit carry di meaning of pursue. God goodness no dey drag behind. E dey pursue. And I go live for di house of Di Lord forever.

To call ruler shepherd na common thing for di old world. Long before David, Hammurabi, di famous king of Babylon, call imself shepherd for di opening lines of im law book. Kings dey use di title to talk say dem dey care for dem people. Israel prophets borrow di same picture to criticise leaders wey dey feed demself instead of di flock. So when David di king sing, Di Lord na my shepherd, e dey talk something wey serious. Even di king na sheep. E need shepherd too.

Psalm 23. Six verses, wey people don sing and pray for three thousand years, for weddings and for hospital beds and for graveside, and for ordinary Tuesday mornings. E no promise say we no go ever waka pass dark valley. E promise company. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Which line for Psalm 23 you need hear pass dis week, and why?