I don’t remember a time when I couldn’t read; books have always been the lenses through which I view the world. The Book, the Word, the Light, brings into being my very faculty of sight. Some books are corrective glasses, clearing up distortions and bringing into focus all things needful for me to see. Others are binoculars, extending my field of vision to identify far off things of which I would otherwise have only blurry glimpses. Certain books are microscopes, showing me minute particulars which despite their seeming smallness are of vital significance. Still others are telescopes, directing my gaze past this finite world to wonders of the great Beyond. Some books are windows, letting light and air into the rooms in which I am too apt to shut myself up. And some are mirrors, holding up before me the honest reflection of my true self which I would not otherwise see.

Monday, July 5, 2010

Book Review: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by Phillip Keller

Synopsis

Drawing upon his years of experience as a sheep rancher, Keller reveals depths of meaning in this well-known but imperfectly-understood Psalm unimagined by people living in modern non-agricultural societies. His intimate knowledge of the terminology of sheepherding, the common habits and maladies of sheep, and the concerns and practices of conscientious shepherds enables the author to explain the symbolism behind virtually every phrase of the poem, which he interprets as a recounting of the cycle of the year for sheep and shepherd. Additionally, Keller pulls into his exposition the threads of Jesus' descriptions of Himself in the gospel of John, weaving a rich tapestry portrait of the Good Shepherd.

Comments and Recommendations

I was amazed and humbled to discover the parallels between the life of sheep and our journey of faith. Reflection on the principles presented here will serve to both broaden and deepen the comfort so many derive from these familiar verses. I encourage the reader to take time to savor each phrase and its underlying significance.
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