Today is the first Sunday in our summer schedule, and for the next seven Sundays when I am in the pulpit I want to focus on the timeless truths of what may be the most familiar and comforting passage in all of the Bible--the 23rd Psalm.

I have often shared with other colleagues that it is so unfortunate that we only read and preach about this text at funeral services, which are most often offered in a funeral home. This tremendous writing has so much to say about life in the here and now.

If we were to take a gathering of 100 people at a sports stadium or here in the sanctuary as to what is the favorite and most meaningful scripture passage, the 23rd Psalm would be selected the most. It is cherished by our Jewish brethren, Roman Catholics, Protestants, and even by those who claim to have…