THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM - by an American Indian

The Great Father above is a Shepherd Chief, I am His, and with Him I want not. He throws out to me a rope, and the name of the rope is Love, and he draws me, and draws me, and draws me to where the grass is green, and the water is not dangerous, and I eat and lie down satisfied. Sometimes my head grows very weak and falls down but He lifts it up again, and draws me into a good road. His name is Wonderful.

Sometimes it may be soon, it may be longer, it may be a long, long time; He will draw me into a place between mountains. It is dark there, but I will draw back not, I will be afraid not, for it is in there between these mountains that the Shepherd Chief will meet me, and the hunger that I have felt in my heart all through this life will be satisfied. Sometimes He makes the love rope into a whip, but afterward He gives me a staff to lean upon.

He sets a table with all kinds of food. He puts His hands upon my head and all the tired is gone. He fills my cup until it runs over.

What I tell you is true. I lie not. These roads that are away ahead will stay with me through this life, and afterward I shall go to live in the Big Teepee, and sit down with the Shepherd Chief forever.