All throughout history, humanity seems to have a fascination with death. Our fascination no doubt stems from the harsh realization that one day every single one of us is going to encounter death, coupled with the frustration that no one knows exactly what to expect when that encounter occurs. As a result, imaginations run wild with ideas of what it will be like to come face to face with death.
If you were asked to describe the personification of death what would it look like? …
In some cultures, death is depicted as a woman. In Latin America death is known as Santa Muerte. She is generally pictured as a young woman with a de-fleshed body wearing a long robe and holding a scythe. In Poland death she is an old skeletal woman wearing a black robe. In Scandinavia she wore a black hood and carried a rake or a broom. In Lithuania she was old and ugly with a long blue nose and a poisonous tongue. In other cultures, death is depicted as a man. In India, death rides a black buffalo and carries a rope lasso to carry the soul back to his home. In East Asia death wears a judge’s cap and is depicted as a stern and ruthless bureaucrat. Among the Islamic people, death changes his appearance depending on how good or bad the soul it has come to harvest.
The personification of death that most of us are familiar with is of a cold spectral skeletal figure wearing torn and tattered black robes, riding atop a black horse, and swinging a bloodstained sickle as it chases down the souls it has been sent to harvest.
For most of us death is a black hood wearing, bony finger pointing, sickle swinging monster. It does not require a degree in psychology to realize that death takes on this personification as a manifestation of our fears. We as individual people and collectively as cultures are afraid of death. There is the fear of the unknown. None of us has ever died before, I mean really died not just being dead tired but the irreversible cessation of all vital functions. We have no frame of reference to tell us what we will see or hear or feel when we die and that can be very frightening. Additionally, we fear death because it is such an unnatural thing for us to do. We were not created to die. We were created to live. The reason we die is found in the book of Genesis. There, God warned His perfect creation “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”[1] Sadly mankind ignored the warning and ate the forbidden fruit. As a result of their sin, death imposed itself upon humanity. God told Adam and Eve “for dust you are and to dust you will return.”[2] It is only because of sin that we die.
Death is unknown, it is unnatural, and it is unholy, as a result it is not at all surprising that we should have a fear of death. However, our Psalm for today reminds us that Easter changes the way we view death. The Psalm we are going to spend time with today is affectionately known as the 23rd Psalm. It is the most familiar and best loved of all the Psalms. It describes our Lord as a constant companion, in life, in death, and beyond. For this reason, the 23rd Psalm has been read at bedsides of the sick, in hospital rooms of the dying, and over caskets with the bereaved.
But before we visit with the 23rd Psalm, we have to make a quick stop at the 22nd Psalm. You see, you can’t have the 23rd Psalm without the 22nd Psalm. Not just because the number 23 comes after the number 22. I have mentioned several times how cool I think the 22nd Psalm is. It graphically describes the crucifixion from the viewpoint of the person being crucified hundreds of years before the event took place. The 22nd Psalm tells us how the Messiah was forsaken by God and mocked by men. It tells us His bones were pulled out of their joints, His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and His hands and feet were pierced. The first half of the 22nd Psalm is a grim reminder of the sacrifice that was required to save us from our sins. Likely you have heard me mention these things before. What I don’t mention as often as I should is how the 22nd Psalm ends. It ends with these words, “He has done it.”[3] It ends with the Messiah proclaiming His victory over sin, death and the devil. It ends with an empty tomb and a risen Savior. It ends with Easter. That is why I say you cannot have the 23rd Psalm without the 22nd. Without the victory won on the bloody cross and proclaimed from the empty tomb the 23rd Psalm has no comfort for those who face death. However, the sacrifice for sin has been made and death has been defeated. As a result, the 23rd Psalm is a source of incredible comfort for us.
In the 23rd Psalm we find ourselves on a journey with a companion. In verses 1-3 this companion is depicted as shepherd and we are depicted as sheep. King David writes, “1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” As a shepherd provides for his sheep so the Lord provides for us; He provides everything that we will need in order to face death. He provides us green pastures and quiet waters which are the truths of the gospel. In the green pastures and the quiet waters of the gospel we learn how “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”[4] In the green pastures and quiet waters of the gospel our souls are restored. Restored from the dead, hostile, and evil souls they were because of sin into holy, blameless and innocent souls they now are because of our Savior. Further, the Lord provides a path of righteousness for us to follow. It is a path that is paved with His perfection and made straight and narrow for our protection. On this path we are led away from sin and every evil. On this path we walk in the truth and the light of the Lord. On this path we are shown the way to everlasting life. As we begin our journey, we notice that our companion has provided us with everything we need to face death. Our souls have been restored by the gospel and we have been put on the right path.
In verse four, our journey continues and we find ourselves face to face with death. There, King David writes, “4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Having begun our journey with a companion who provides us all we need to face death, we find that having met death there is no evil to fear. That is not to say it is wrong for you to be apprehensive about this meeting. Personally, I think it sounds quite reasonable for you to be nervous about meeting death. I think it is completely acceptable for you to be anxious about the process of death, you know, how is it going to happen, when is it going to happen, what is it going to feel like. The process of death might understandably cause you anxiety. However, it might help to alleviate some of your concerns to know that when it comes time for you to meet death, you will not face it alone. The companion who started this journey with you remains by your side even as you face death. The Lord will be with you. Like a shepherd who uses a rod to count his sheep so also the Lord will count you as His own. For the Lord knows you, indeed He has always known you. He knows your name; it has been written in the book of life from the creation of the world.[5] Like a king who extends his staff to pardon and protect a subject so the Lord will extend to you the pardon purchased on the cross and the protection provided by the empty tomb. When the time comes for you to face death, you will not face it alone. The Lord who has predestined, pardoned and protected you will be right there with you.
The process of death might cause you anxiety, but the result of death should not. When it comes time for you to face death, nothing evil is going to happen to you, quite the opposite actually. Good things are going to happen to you. In verses 5-6 our journey comes to an end. There, King David writes, “5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Here, at the end of our journey, we notice that our companion is no longer depicted as a shepherd and we are no longer depicted as sheep. Now our companion is depicted as a King and we are His court. Our destination is a palace in which a banquet is being held. Here we are treated as honored guest whose heads have been anointed with oil. Here we are richly provided. Like a king whose provisions are plentiful so also the Lord provides for us. Like an overflowing cup, the Lord pours His blessings upon us. Here we have an abundance of goodness and love. Here, in the heavenly King’s palace where honor is bestowed upon us, blessings are given us, and love is showed to us, here is where we will dwell. Here is where our journey ends. It ends with our companion forever by our side.
In the context of Easter, the 23rd Psalm reminds us there is no reason for us to see death as a black hood wearing, boney finger pointing, sickle swinging monster to be feared. Death is simply a part of our journey from here to there. Jesus our constant companion is using the green pastures and still waters of the gospel to prepare us to meet death. Jesus our constant companion will stand by us with His rod and scepter in hand as we face death, and Jesus our constant companion is eager to celebrate with us after we have passed through death.
Easter changes everything. It even changes the way we view death. Amen
[1] Genesis 2:17
[2] Genesis 3:19
[3] Psalm 22:31
[4] 2 Corinthians 5:21
[5] Revelation 17:8