The Lord Is My Shepherd

Description

Harold S. Kushner is Rabbi Laureate of Temple Israel in Natick, Massachusetts, where he lives. This is his ninth book.

From the author of the best-selling When Bad Things Happen to Good People and Living a Life That Matters–a new book of practical spirituality, of inspiration and encouragement gleaned from what may be the best-known and best-loved chapter in the Bible: the Twenty-third Psalm.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” So begins the psalm that, for millennia, has been a source of comfort in grief and of courage in fear. Now Harold Kushner discovers what it has to teach us about living our day-to-day lives. Each chapter discusses one line of the psalm in the context of both the time when it was written and the present day, and illuminates the life lessons contained within it. For example, Kushner shows us that the phrase “My cup runneth over” is a declaration of our gratitude for what life has given us and a rejection of the envy we may feel for what others have. And he draws on the ideas and thoughts of various spiritual figures–from G. K. Chesterton to Martin Buber to Paul Tillich–to further expand our understanding of this great psalm and help us benefit from its everyday spiritual wisdom.

“The author pours into [the book] everything a long life has taught him about this psalm, and all that this psalm has taught him about life. . . . It is a book worthy of attention from people of all faiths.” —The Dallas Morning News“This is a nurturing book that will bring comfort to those who are grieving and peace to those who are caught in the vise of constant fear.” —Spirituality & Health“Reaffirms [Rabbi Kushner’s] pre-eminent position among the religious teachers of the 21st century . . .This book is filled with just the right story, anecdote or illustration at just the right place.” —Jewish Media Review
“One of Kushner’s strengths always has been his ability to empathize, to understand the pain of others on a personal level, and to share his gentle wisdom in an accessible manner. . . . Nearly as soothing as the psalm itself, Kushner’s words elucidate, reassure and encourage.” —The Plain DealerFrom the Trade Paperback edition.

Additional information