Psalm 23

Easter 4 – Year B

Psalm 23

How dark is dark? Darker than a soul’s despair? Darker than midnight down in a cypress swamp? Darker than before light bursts on the scene?

Some of these darknesses are post-event – a sin-sick soul. Darkness is pain and death.

Some of these darknesses are present – midnight is but a marker of time and a swamp is a marker of location. Darkness here does not carry an emotional overlay beyond this time, this space.

Some of these darknesses are prelude – a fertile flow of various circumstances undefined. Darkness here is ready for a creative spark.

The shift from one kind of darkness to light is different in each case. Sometimes we are able to shift from post-event to prelude to light without having to spend time simply cataloging circumstances. Sometimes we find ourselves shifting through all three forms of darkness, like an atom in Brownian motion, and not finding a light at the end of our undeterminable tunnel. Sometimes we don’t even know there is darkness abounding as we float on our obliviousness. Sometimes we are in light and our context defines it away.

The significance of rod and staff, feasts, reconciliation, and abundance is different in each case. Our assurance of goodness and mercy being our milieu also varies according to the source, duration, and depth of our dark experience.

Blessings upon your particular darkness. Take Psalm 23 and call me before morning.