The Psalm For Lefties, Crazies & Uglies

By Celsa Rocha

What mortal can comprehend the passage of the threshold into the unknown?

The author presents us with the analogy of the shepherd and the sheep, tracing in detail the pilgrimage of man in this life.

As he walks, she leads you to learn to listen to the rhythmic sound of His staff on the stone

• Language: English
• Publisher: ibukku, LLC
• Release date: Jan 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9781685745790

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Unless otherwise indicated, all biblical texts quoted are taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV© are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc.®.

The contents of this work are the responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. The author, who is solely responsible for their copyright, provided all texts and images.

First edition: January 2024

Published by Ibukku, LLC

www.ibukku.com

Original Title: El Salmo para Zurdos, Locos y Feos

Translation by Mariaelena Tapia

Graphic Design: Diana Patricia González J.

Cover Design: Ángel Flores Guerra B.

Copyright © 2024 Celsa Rocha

www.CelsaRocha.com

ISBN Paperback: 978-1-68574-578-3

ISBN Hardcover: 978-1-68574-580-6

ISBN eBook: 978-1-68574-579-0

INDEX

Foreword

Prologue

Introduction

1 The Lord is my Shepherd

2 I lack nothing

3 He makes me lie down in green pastures

4 He leads me beside quiet waters

5 He refreshes my soul

6 He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake

7 Even though I walk through the darkest valley

8 I will fear no evil, for you are with me

9 Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me

10 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies

11 You anoint my head with oil

12 My cup overflows

13 Surely, Your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life

14 And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever

WORKSHEETS

BUT, HOLD ON!

WAIT A MOMENT, PLEASE!

References

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Celsa’s approach to Psalm 23, the most beloved psalm in the Bible, is rather refreshing and insightful. She gives historical and cultural backgrounds and provides theologically healthy interpretations for each verse. After her explanations, she also brings forth Reflections for you to ponder so your thoughts about this beloved Psalm can be expounded deeper on your own.

Yes, this Psalm can be read at normal speed in less than 50 seconds. But as you go through this Psalm with Celsa, you get a better and deeper understanding. It is not just about a Bible study; it becomes your meditation about your Shepherd as His sheep.

Pastor Joonho JK Kim

Calvary Chapel of Sahuarita

Prologue

Why Lefties, Crazies, and Uglies?

Disabled from your right hand is the Hebrew term for "left-handed." Being right-handed is equivalent to being fair, skillful, and correct, but being left-handed is not categorized in that manner. Society ignores those who predominately use their left hand, and in the past, they were persecuted. There is nothing easy about this trait because they must overcome many obstacles imposed on them.

The book of Judges points out that within the tribe of Benjamin, there were seven hundred elite soldiers who were left-handed, and each one could use a sling with such precision that he could throw a stone or hit a hair without missing.

I imagined that these soldiers once used their right hand. While fighting valiantly in battle, they lost either their right hand or arm, leaving them with only a marked scar, but perhaps they had intensive training to exercise the left hand; well, this was just a thought.

However, the Bible does not mention that. It only says that they were left-handed and describes them as elite soldiers who never missed a shot.

In the present, how many of us have frequently fought through the pain and suffering that life has scared us with? In addition, we’ve had to become mental or emotional lefties for many reasons. It could be because of our bad decisions or actions by not dedicating enough time to God. I say this because of the case of Moses, who had to flee to the desert of isolation because he got ahead of God’s plans. There, he had to take care of bad-smelling sheep.

Who was Moses? A murderer or a liberator? Did he belong to the pharaoh’s family or the Hebrew people?

I believe that he turned into a leftie, do you? Are lefties identifiable now?

I like how Dwight L. Moody summarizes the periods of Moses’ life:

Moses spent forty years in the king’s palace thinking that he was somebody; then he lived forty years in the wilderness finding out that without God he was a nobody; finally he spent forty more years discovering how a nobody with God can be a somebody. Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899)

Why "crazies"? Because these break paradigms - they are explorers who take risks, face doubts and rejection, and persist despite everything because they believe in what they do.

Paul faced rejection and persisted in speaking in his defense. At this point, Festus interrupted Paul.

You are out of your mind, Paul! he shouted. Your great learning is driving you insane. Acts 26:24.

On the other hand, fear, guilt, anxiety, panic, and addictions are bigger problems for the crazies. It should be said that symptoms of madness can vary in several ways during its manifestations; it is a different behavior from the normal and can be absurd and useless.

With a sling and a stone, David confronted the giant Goliath and became Israel’s hero. Sometime later, fleeing from Saul, he sought refuge and entered the city where Goliath was from. Saul’s fear drove him into another enemy’s territory. Immediately, the Philistines recognized David. They took him before King Aquis and presented him as the man who defeated their champion.

David’s panic, fear, and anguish in front of the king were so great that they made him change how he behaved in front of Aquis.

1 Samuel 21:13 says: So he pretended to be insane in their presence; and while he was in their hands he acted like a madman, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.

Either panic or severe anxiety can drive a person to a state of madness when seeing the risk of losing his life, as in the case of David, the great hero of Israel, who was ultimately the laughingstock of the enemies of God’s people.

Imagine a disheveled crazy man with a cracking, shrill voice as he scribbled on the front doors and