Encountering the Prodigal Son in Psalm 23
A Reading by Lee Magness
The most obvious connection between Psalm 23 and Luke 15 is the common reference to shepherds. But since the three "lost" parables of Luke 15 are parallel in meaning, we will not be surprised to find similarities between the parable of the Prodigal Son and the Psalm. What is surprising is the number and significance of the similarities.
1) Read Psalm 23, Reflect on the characters of the Lord and the Psalmist, especially their relationship. Make some notes on your reflections.
2) Read Luke 15.11-32. Reflect on the characters of the father and his sons, especially their relationships. Make notes on your reflections and on the parallels you observe between the two texts. If you are working in a group, discuss the parallels you observed and how the psalm and the parable illuminate each other.
3) Read (out loud, in parts, if you are working in a group) the liturgical reading below--several times if you wish. Identify parallels you had already noticed and ones you had not.
4) Write an encounter essay on the interpenetration of the psalm and the parable and how they inter-interpret each other.
IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER
This reading interweaves one of David’s best known and most loved psalms, Psalm 23, with one of Jesus’ best known and most loved parables, the Prodigal Son. Reader P is the psalmist. Reader 1 serves mainly as the narrator of the parable. Reader 2 voices the words or experience of the two lost sons. At its heart the parable of the Prodigal Son has a profoundly missional message: God longs for the lost, the broken, the marginalized; God is extravagantly compassionate at their return; and God lovingly restores all the lost, the self-reliant and the self-righteous.
Stanza 1
P The Lord is my shepherd.
1 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them…
2 Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin…
1 There was a man who had two sons.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 And the younger of them said to his father,
2 “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.”
1 And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son…
2 …gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country,
1 and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country,
2 and he began to be in want.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
2 who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
1 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate,
2 and no one gave him anything.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
1 But when he came to himself, he said,
2 “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread,”
P He makes me lie down in green pastures.
2 “More than enough bread,”
P He leads me beside still waters.
2 “More than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!“
P I shall not want.
2 “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’”
P He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
1 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
P Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
2 but I perish here with hunger!
1 He was dead!
P I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 And the son said to him,
2 “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
1 But the father said to his servants, ‘…let us eat and celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’”
P You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
1 But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
P Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
1 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion,
P and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
2 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’
Stanza 2
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing.
2 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
P He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
1 And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and sound.”
P Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…
2 But he was angry and refused to go in.
P ...I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 His father came out and comforted him,
P You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
1 but he answered his father,
2 “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command,
yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
P …in the presence of my enemies…
2 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!”
P Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
1 And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
P and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
1 “You must celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive;
2 he was lost, and is found.”
This reading interweaves one of David’s best known and most loved psalms, Psalm 23, with one of Jesus’ best known and most loved parables, the Prodigal Son. Reader P is the psalmist. Reader 1 serves mainly as the narrator of the parable. Reader 2 voices the words or experience of the two lost sons. At its heart the parable of the Prodigal Son has a profoundly missional message: God longs for the lost, the broken, the marginalized; God is extravagantly compassionate at their return; and God lovingly restores all the lost, the self-reliant and the self-righteous.
Stanza 1
P The Lord is my shepherd.
1 What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them…
2 Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin…
1 There was a man who had two sons.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 And the younger of them said to his father,
2 “Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.”
1 And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son…
2 …gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country,
1 and there he squandered his property in reckless living.
And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country,
2 and he began to be in want.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country,
2 who sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
1 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate,
2 and no one gave him anything.
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.
1 But when he came to himself, he said,
2 “How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread,”
P He makes me lie down in green pastures.
2 “More than enough bread,”
P He leads me beside still waters.
2 “More than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!“
P I shall not want.
2 “I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him,
‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you.
I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.’”
P He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
1 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
P Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
2 but I perish here with hunger!
1 He was dead!
P I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 And the son said to him,
2 “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
1 But the father said to his servants, ‘…let us eat and celebrate.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’”
P You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
1 But the father said to his servants, “Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.
And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate.
P Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
1 But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion,
P and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
2 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’
Stanza 2
P The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.
1 Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house,
he heard music and dancing.
2 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.
P He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
1 And he said to him, “Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf,
because he has received him back safe and sound.”
P Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…
2 But he was angry and refused to go in.
P ...I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
1 His father came out and comforted him,
P You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
1 but he answered his father,
2 “Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command,
yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends.
P …in the presence of my enemies…
2 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes,
you killed the fattened calf for him!”
P Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
1 And he said to him, “Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
P and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
1 “You must celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive;
2 he was lost, and is found.”