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Using the Book of Psalms to Transform an Organization into a Spiritual

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DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.2459990

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Using the Book of Psalms to Transform an Organization into a Spiritual

Workplace

Hershey H. Friedman, Ph.D.

Professor of Business
Finance and Business Management Department
School of Business
Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
E-mail: x.friedman@att.net

James A. Lynch, J.D.

Associate Professor of Business and Law
Department of Finance and Business Management
School of Business
Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
E-mail: jameslynch795@gmail.com

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 Abstract

It is becoming quite evident that the American people have lost confidence in their
leaders and institutions. There is quite a bit of evidence that autocratic leaders are not
effective in enhancing organizational performance. Thriving organizations are led by
compassionate leaders with superior people skills who can motivate employees with their
vision. The authors demonstrate how Psalms with its inspiring and rousing hymns can be
used to transform an organization into a spiritual workplace. The themes one finds in
Psalms include integrity, conscientiousness, curiosity, concern for others, determination,
faith, perseverance, resilience, self-confidence and the power of hope. Leaders from the
political and corporate worlds should read Psalms for inspiration and as a way to
understand the importance of moral leadership.
Keywords: ethics, leadership, spiritual workplace, Bible, Psalms, righteous person,
moral leadership

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 Introduction

A recent Gallup poll conducted in June 2014 found that Americans have lost confidence

in such institutions as the Supreme Court (only 30% of respondents indicated that they

had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in that institution), the presidency (29%

confidence), the public schools (26%), banks (26%), the healthcare system (23%), the

criminal justice system (23%), organized labor (22%), big business (21%), and Congress

(7%). The only institutions the American people have a reasonable amount of confidence

in are the military (74%), small business (62%), and the police (53%). These numbers do

not bode well for a country that wishes to maintain its leadership in the world (Watson,

2014; Blow, 2014a).

Americans have also lost confidence in their leaders. The Gallup Organization conducts

an annual poll in which respondents are asked the following question: “Please tell me

how you would rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in these different fields

― very high, high, average, low, or very low?” Business executives are near the bottom

of the list. The only professionals who score significantly lower in honesty ratings than

them are lobbyists, members of Congress, and used-car salesmen (Gallup, 2014). There

is a leadership crisis in the United States and the entire world. According to a recent

study, only 24% of people globally believe that leaders – in business and politics – are in

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fact providing effective leadership (Ketchum, 2013).

What went wrong? Numerous scandals, especially the Great Recession of 2008, have

made everyone aware that the financial industry has not done its best in upholding the

“highest ethics when handling other people’s money” (Eavis, 2014). Banks were

supposed to be trustworthy, reliable, and careful with people’s money. Instead, what we

saw in the last few years on the part of major banks includes such unethical behaviors as:

“Money laundering, market rigging, tax dodging, selling faulty financial products,

trampling homeowner rights and rampant risk taking” (Eavis, 2014). William C. Dudley,

President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, had the following to say: “There is

evidence of deep-seated cultural and ethical failures at many large financial institutions”

(Eavis, 2014). The scandals continue: 16 banks are being sued for rigging the Libor rate,

a benchmark interest rate, which affects charges on credit cards, mortgage rates, and

student loan rates. The reason this key interest rate was manipulated was to increase bank

profits (Raymond and Viswanatha, 2014).

It is not only the financial industry that has integrity issues: Mary T. Barra, CEO at

General Motors, surprised everyone by taking a new approach and accepted

responsibility for problems with a faulty ignition switch. Apparently, the problem with

the switch was known for 10 years and the company made no efforts to repair the defect

thereby causing the deaths of 13 innocent people (Vlasic, 2014).

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It is clear that integrity and values are extremely important in effective leadership; in

fact, they may be the most important traits in predicting performance of top-level

executives (Gentry, 2013). This should not be surprising since one of the most important

tasks of leaders is to convince subordinates to “willingly follow” them and help achieve

their vision (Kouzes & Posner, 2010: 15-20). Few people are willing to follow leaders

they do not trust. Of course, the vision also has to make sense and leaders have to be

seen as capable (Kouzes & Posner, 2010).

Lennick and Kiel (2011: xxxii) state:

The integrity crises of the first decade of the 21st century

have been devastating. But they have not yet convinced
enough leaders of the importance of morally intelligent
leadership. How many wake-up calls do leaders need to get
the message that their ultimate success depends on moral
leadership? Will leaders get another chance to do the right
thing? Given the precarious nature of today’s global
economy, we fear that this wake-up call to choose integrity
over greed might very well be our last … how can any
leader afford to ignore the call to put moral values at the
center of what they do?
Integrity and values are no longer a luxury. Every leader has to strive for ethical and

moral leadership.

Back in the 1950s, Peter Drucker saw the corporation as an organization “built on trust

and respect for the worker and not just a profit-making machine” (Byrne, 2005). This is

even truer in the global knowledge economy where the major asset of most firms is the

intellectual capital of its employees. If the United States is going to prosper and grow, it

will need a new kind of CEO using a new approach. In a global, knowledge economy,

5
creativity and efficiency are critical. The Management Innovation Exchange (2012)

sponsored a “hackathon” in which hundreds of management innovators attempted to find

major management problems that prevented companies from thriving in today’s chaotic

environment. The major problems they uncovered included

• an unwillingness to adapt to the rapidly changing world, preference for doing

things the old way, and a lack of experimentation;
• insufficient resources devoted to develop a culture of creativity;
• too much bureaucracy, and ineffective leadership which has a lack of vision and
does not encourage creativity.

The CEO that is needed in the Internet age is an individual of integrity who can inspire

employees to embrace his/her vision which includes creativity. The effective leader is

trusted by employees who are engaged in their jobs and work together to make an

organization succeed.

Leadership integrity is important if a leader wants employees to be engaged in their work. In

fact, keeping employees engaged might be one of the key tasks of leadership. One doubts that

disengaged employees will be creative and productive. One study found that only 30% of

American employees feel engaged (Schwartz and Porath, 2014). Employee engagement

is important since there is a strong correlation between employee engagement and

customer satisfaction, productivity, and profits (Gross and Holland, 2011; Thottam,

2005). It takes the right kind of leader to ensure that employees are engaged. Schwartz

and Porath (2014) posit that “A truly human-centered organization puts its people first –

even above customers – because it recognizes that they are the key to creating long-term

value.”

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According to the American Psychological Association’s 2014 Work and Well-Being Survey

only half of American workers believe that their “employer is open and upfront with them”

(APA, 2014). Only 47% of employees claim that they are satisfied with employee

recognition practices (APA, 2014). Employees who feel valued by employers are less likely

to feel stressed than those who do not feel appreciated, more likely to be in good

psychological health, and more likely to be engaged in their jobs (APA, 2014).

Many companies are working at getting rid of “jerks” with autocratic management styles.

Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, asserts that his company does not need “brilliant jerks”

since the “cost to effective teamwork is too high.” Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP also

stated: “abrasive never works, demanding is sometimes required” (Korn and Feintzeig,

2014). Sutton (2010) also posits that nasty people seriously damage organizational

performance. It is quite easy for a vicious person – especially a corporate leader – to

create a toxic workplace with his or her venomous approach to dealing with people (Kusy

and Holloway, 2009).

A significant number of boards are looking for CEOs who “can demonstrate superb

people skills in dealing with employees or other stakeholders while delivering consistent

results.” Autocratic CEOs are not effective leaders. In fact, "Farsighted, tolerant,

humane and practical CEOs returned 758% over 10 years, versus 128% for the S&P 500"

(Tischler, 2007). Things may be changing and "People are expecting more from the

companies they're working for, more from the companies they're doing business with,

7
and more from the companies they're buying from" (Tischler, 2007). Friedman,

Friedman, and Kass-Shraibman (2008) assert that CEOs have to see their role in a new

light. It is no longer about maximizing shareholder wealth or maximizing the profits of

the firm. CEOs today have the responsibility to ensure that firms behave in an ethical

manner and do what is right for all stakeholders – customers, suppliers, employees, local

communities, and the environment.

It is not only about hiring the right kind of CEOs, company mission statements have to

change their focus. The mission statement is the company’s roadmap for the future and

should clearly have goals that ensure its long-term prosperity and growth. Unfortunately,

many executives with business school training are more concerned with maximizing

shareholder wealth and focusing on the short term; they do not see themselves as “long-

term economic stewards” (Holland, 2009; Gardiner 2010).

Using the Bible to Teach Character and Values

The Bible is the most popular book of all time; an estimated 6 billion copies have been

sold. The Hebrew Bible is the basis of the religions of approximately two-thirds of

humanity, the so-called Abrahamic religions. To the believer, the Bible, the word of God,

provides a roadmap for how individuals and businesses should behave and lead a

meaningful and spiritual existence. A recent Gallup survey indicated that approximately

65% of Americans state that religion is important in their daily lives; 47% agree that the

8
“the Bible is the inspired word of God” and 28% agreed that “the Bible is the actual word

of God” (Blow, 2014b). Even non-believers recognize the Bible as an important work of

literature and a valuable tool for teaching timeless, enduring lessons for all of humankind.

There are many statements in the Hebrew Bible that resonate even with non-believers and

have the ability to provide guidance to all, especially those in leadership positions. A

large number of people are not religious yet are spiritual. Young people tend to be

disillusioned with organized religion but are still quite spiritual. In fact, one third of

Americans describe themselves as spiritual but not religious (SBNR). SBNR has become

a new way of describing oneself (Shakespeare, 2014).

The following are just a small sample of Biblical statements that have influenced the

world.

Frederick Douglass (1852) used a verse from Psalm 137 to denounce slavery. The verse

—“How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” — alludes to the alienation and

harsh conditions endured by American slaves and is mournful and gut-wrenching. The

verse in Leviticus (25: 10), “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the

inhabitants thereof,” is inscribed on the Liberty Bell. It too is a powerful message for

humankind.

The “Let my people go!” proclamation from Exodus (5:1) became a famous African

American spiritual and a mantra of the civil rights movement. It was also used as the

battle cry of Soviet Jewish dissidents and refuseniks. Jews all over the world and many

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gentiles rallied to that passionate appeal. Muravchik (2010) asserts that:

…dramatization of the Soviet refusal to let people

leave, a denial of freedom matched by few if any
non-Communist dictatorships, served as a powerful
reminder of the nature of our foe and, even, of the
forgotten virtues of Western democratic civilization.

The phrase “No justice, no peace” or “No peace without justice” is from Isaiah 32: 17.

The complete quote is: “And the work of tzedaka (translated as either righteousness or

justice) will be peace; and the effect of tzedaka, quietness and security forever. The

Hebrew word tzedakah suggests more than charity. Sacks (2009) posits the following:

What does it mean? Tzedek/tzedakah is almost impossible to

translate, because of its many shadings of meaning: justice, charity,
righteousness, integrity, equity, fairness and innocence. It certainly
means more than strictly legal justice, for which the Bible uses
words like mishpat and din.

Justice alone is not sufficient. The world requires leaders that are concerned with equity

and helping people realize their potential. This phrase, “No justice, no peace” has been

used to justify riots as well as peaceful demonstrations. Pope John Paul II (2002) spoke

about this topic on the World Day of Peace. Pope Francis was Time Magazine’s 2013

“Person of the Year.” and has been called a “whistleblower for the poor.” (Arnade, 2013).

His Apostolic exhortation (see

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/francesco/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-

francesco_esortazione-ap_20131124_evangelii-gaudium_en.html) is a “treatise on the

corrosive effects of capitalism and a call for empathy” (Arnade, 2013).

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Martin Luther King, Jr. proclaimed the following in his legendary 1963 ‘I Have a Dream’

speech (Lucas and Medhurst, 2012):

We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi

cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has
nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied,
and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like
waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.
He was quoting a famous passage from Amos (5: 24): “But let justice roll down as

waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

Martin Luther King, Jr. also stated the following in his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech. Indeed,

many see it as the high point of an amazing speech (Lucas and Medhurst, 2012):

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted,

every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough
places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be
made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together.
The passage is from Isaiah (40:4-5). Reverend King often quoted from biblical sources.

This was an ingenious way to demonstrate to believers that his message of equality and

justice for all was based on the core values of the Bible.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech is arguably one of the

greatest American speeches. It was delivered on April 3, 1968, a day before he was

assassinated. It ends as follows (Lucas and Medhurst, 2012):

Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity

has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just
want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to
the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the
Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want

11
 you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the
Promised Land!

Incidentally, the above two speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr. are among the Top 100

American speeches of all time (Lucas and Medhurst, 2012); The “I have a Dream”

speech is ranked first on the list. The “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech does not

quote directly from the Bible but alludes to the story of Moses at the end of Deuteronomy

where he is allowed to see the Promised Land but will not be the one who leads the

Israelites there (Deuteronomy 34: 4): God tells Moses:

And the Lord said to him: This is the land of which I

swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying ‘I will
give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your
own eyes, but you shall not cross over there.

One extremely popular phrase used in so many speeches is that “the meek shall inherit

the earth.” It is actually a sentence in Psalm (37: 11): “But the meek shall inherit the

earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace” (it is quoted in Matthew

5:5). To understand the meaning of this passage, it is important to read the entire chapter.

It starts as follows: “A Psalm of David: Grieve not over the success of evildoers nor

envy wrongdoers.” In this Psalm, we are encouraged to “turn away from evil and do

good” (Psalm 37: 27) and not to envy the prosperity and apparent success of wrongdoers.

This Psalm could easily be directed at the corrupt bankers and financiers who made

billions while destroying their organizations.

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 Psalms

As noted, the Bible is one way to teach character and values. This paper will focus on one

book in the third division of the Bible known as the Writings (Hagiographa or Kethubim),

Psalms. The Hebrew Bible is usually divided into the Torah (Five Books of Moses), the

Prophets, and the Writings. The Book of Psalms (Sefer Tehillim in Hebrew) consists of

150 inspiring and rousing hymns. The Hebrew word Tehillim means praises and it is a

book of praises of God and spirituality. But it is much more than thanksgiving and praise.

Many human emotions – faith, joy, trust, lament, grief, confession, thanksgiving, awe,

remorse, anger, and happiness – are revealed in Psalms. Birnbaum (1976: 169)

maintains:

The keynote of the psalms is simplicity of heart, faith in

God and good conduct. In them we find the human heart
in all its moods and emotions—in penitence, in danger, in
desolation, and in triumph. The psalms are as varied as
human life; they are enlightened in their ethics as they are
lofty on their religious spirit.

Three major religions – Judaism, Christianity, and Islam – consider its words holy. It has

been a source of comfort for millions of people through the ages. The Bible, an

important work of literature, has influenced the lives of many, believer and nonbeliever.

Psalms therefore acts as a tautological mechanism which encourages the individual to act

in accordance with the highest ideals.

According to the Talmud (Babylonian Talmud, Baba Bathra 14b-15a), David, king of

ancient Israel, wrote the Book of Psalms but included the work of ten others: Adam,

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Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, Heman, Jeduthun, Asaph, and the three sons of Korach.

David, however, was the major author. According to tradition, the Levites sang these

Psalms in the Temple in Jerusalem. Many of the Psalms actually name the instrument on

which they were to be played in the Temple; that is why several begin with the name of

an instrument (e.g., Shminit, Gitis, Neginos, Shushan Aidus, Machalas, etc.).

Important Themes in Psalms

Righteousness and Integrity

The Psalmists provide a perfect description of the upright person who may “dwell on

God’s holy mountain.” It is an individual who is concerned with helping others and

being a moral, honest person. True righteousness is about helping others and having

integrity.

You will destroy those who utter deception. A

bloodthirsty and deceitful man God detests (Psalm 5:7).
The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and the
one who loves violence His soul hates. He will rain down
blazing coals on the wicked; fire, brimstone, and
scorching winds is the portion of their cup. For the Lord
is righteous; He loves righteousness; the upright shall
behold His face (Psalm 11: 5-7).
A Psalm of David. Lord, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? One who walks
in total integrity, works righteously, and speaks truth in
his heart. One who does not slander with his tongue and
has done no evil to his fellow human, nor takes up a
reproach against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile
person is despicable, but who honors those who fear God;
one who keeps his oath even when it hurts. He lends not
his money for interest and neither takes a bribe against
the innocent. Whoever does these things will never falter

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 (Psalm 15).

Birnbaum (1976: 169) states that Psalm 15 “has the most perfect description of a good

man.” This idea of what it takes to be a good person is repeated in Psalm 24: 3-5.

Who may ascend the mountain of God, and who may

stand in the place of His holiness? He that has clean
hands and a pure heart; who has not lifted up his soul to
vanity and who has not sworn deceitfully. He shall
receive God’s blessing and righteousness from the God of
his salvation (Psalm 24: 3-5).

Humankind has an obligation to imitate God and have love and compassion for all

people. Helping the poor is something that is very important to God. Those who are

honest, are assured that only good will happen to them.

He loves righteousness and justice; the lovingkindness of

God fills the earth (Psalm 33:5).
All my bones will say, O God who is like You. You save the poor
from one mightier than he, and the poor and needy from one would
rob him (Psalm 35:10).
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives
grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from
those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).
Loving-kindness and truth have met, righteousness and
peace have kissed. Truth will sprout from earth and
righteousness will look down from heaven (Psalm 85:11-
12).

The idea that individuals (as well as organizations) have an obligation to be concerned

about justice and equity and should have “clean hands” is stressed by the Psalmists. Only

when deeds of loving-kindness and truth meet, will we have a world of peace and

righteousness. Sadly, many organizations are built on greed and deceit; all that matters is

15
profit.

The Psalmists believe that it is foolish to rely on mortals since most are deceitful and will

betray their friends in times of trouble. It is important for an organization to stress the

importance of honesty.

Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak

with deception May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, and
the tongue that speaks of haughty things: Who have said,
“With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own:
who is master over us?” (Psalm 12:3-5).
Also, my close friend, in whom I trusted, who ate my
bread, has lifted up his heel against me [to trample me]
(Psalm 41:10).
But you, O God, You shall lower them down into the pit
of destruction: men of blood and deceit shall not live out
half their days; but I will trust in You (Psalm 55:24).
Trust not in exploitation, and in robbery do not place vain
hope; though [ill-gotten] wealth flourishes, do not pay it
heed (Psalm 62: 11)
O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent. For wicked
and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me;
they have spoken against me the language of falsehood.
With words of hatred they surround me, they attack me
without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but
I give myself to prayer. They repay me evil in return for
good, and hatred in return for my love (Psalm 109: 1-4).
I said in my haste, all men are deceitful (Psalm 116:11).

The Psalmist does more than describe a righteous person. The Psalmist informs us what

righteous people desire and, as an instructional device, points us towards what we all

should be focused upon. Righteous people do not make the acquisition of material

wealth the major purpose of life. What they want is to lead a spiritual life, i.e., “dwell in

16
the house of the Lord.” They also ask God to “Turn my heart toward your statutes and not

toward covetousness” (Psalm 119:36). Greed and covetousness turn righteous people

from living the upright, moral life. There is nothing wrong with making a profit but an

organization must also have spiritual values.

Psalm 72 describes the mission of any leader. It was written by King David for his son

and successor, Solomon. Note the importance of helping the poor and their children.

For Solomon. O God, give your judgments to the king and

Your righteousness to the king’s son. May he judge Your
people with righteousness, and Your poor with
justice…May he judge the nation’s poor, deliver the
children of the destitute, and crush the exploiter (Psalm 72:
1-4).

He will have pity on the poor and needy, and the souls of
the destitute he will save (Psalm 72: 13).

Staying Away from Wicked People

A righteous person avoids socializing with the wicked. Similarly, CEOs and politicians

should surround themselves with advisors who are upright, not simply sycophants. The

very first verse of Psalms declares that one should not associate with the wicked. It is too

easy to learn from their ways. The wicked are told by the Psalmist that only bad things

await them since God hates them. Leaders should surround themselves with upright

people who have integrity. The righteous person imitates God and helps the poor and

needy; wicked people harm them.

17
 Happy is the man that walks not in the counsel of the
wicked, nor stands in the way of the sinful, nor sits in the
seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1).
I hated the gathering of evildoers, and with the wicked I
did not sit (Psalm 26: 5).
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their
teeth at them. The Lord laughs at the wicked for He sees
that their day is coming. The wicked draw their sword
and bend their bow to cast down the poor and the needy,
to slaughter those whose ways are upright. But their
swords will pierce their own hearts, and their bows will
be broken (Psalm 37: 12-15).
Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the
glory of his house increases; for he will take nothing with
him when he dies, his glory will not descend with him.
Though while he lived he counted himself blessed--and
men praise you when you prosper. He will join the
generation of his fathers, who will never again see the
light. A man who has riches without understanding is
likened to the beasts that perish (Psalm 49: 17-20).

There is hope even for the wicked since no matter how far a person has strayed, he or she
can repent and get a fresh start.

Spiritual Values

Since the Psalms were sung in the Temple by the Levites and combined poetry and

prayer, it is not surprising that many deal with faith in God and spiritual values. A key

observation is that humans cannot confide in mortals whose days “are as grass.” One of

the most important messages in Psalms is never to give up and to rely primarily on God

(or on spiritual values). It is foolish for a person to confide in people who are filled with

deceit and whose days are numbered. However, those who place their trust in God, will

see that justice ultimately prevails. One does not have to believe in God to believe in the

importance of spiritual values.

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 In the Lord, put your trust (Psalm 11:1).

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my rescuer; My

God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my shield
and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. With
praises, I call upon the Lord, and I am saved from my
enemies. The pains of death surrounded me and torrents
of godless people terrified me. The pains of the grave
surrounded me, the snares of death confronted me. In my
distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God for
help; He heard my voice out of His sanctuary; my cry
came before Him into His ears (Psalm 18:3-6).
The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in
Him, and I was helped. My heart was overjoyed and I
will give praise to him with my song. The Lord is the
strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his
anointed one. Save your people and bless your
inheritance; be their shepherd and elevate them forever
(Psalm 28: 7-9).

In you, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver

me in your righteousness (Psalm 31:1).
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in
trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives
way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the
sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the
mountains tremble with their surging. Selah (Psalm 46).
God alone is my rock and my salvation; my stronghold. I
will not be greatly shaken (Psalm 62:3).
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength
of my heart and my portion forever (Psalm 73:26).
I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my
fortress: my God; in Him will I trust (Psalm 91:2).
As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field,
so he sprouts. For if a wind passes over it, it is gone; and
the place thereof shall know it no more. But the kindness
of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon those
that fear him, and His righteousness unto children's
children (Psalm 103: 15-17).
I will lift up my eyes to the mountains, from where comes my help.
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He

19
 will not let your foot slip; He who watches over you does not
slumber (Psalm 121: 1-3).
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in
whom there is no help (Psalm 146:3).

Psalm 23 below, arguably among the most powerful (and renowned) passages in

Scripture, deals with faith in God and can offer instruction on how to deal with life’s

inevitable vicissitudes. The Lord is compared to a shepherd who has a rod (i.e., crook)

and staff and takes care of His flock. These inspirational words help guide us through the

stresses of life. It is comforting to believe that God is watching over us and cares what

happens. Note that the Shepherd guides his flock on the path of righteousness and

justice. Snyder (2009) sees the verse, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want,” as a

message of hope in difficult economic times. Millions of people have lost their jobs. If

people can reduce their wants and needs and be satisfied with less, there will be plenty

for everyone. It is greed that caused the Great Recession; and a desire for an ostentatious,

flamboyant life filled with material goods that makes people unhappy. Thus, making the

Lord one’s Shepherd is also about rejecting the view that “a human being is

fundamentally a being of desire” (similar to the homo economicus model taught in

economics courses). Man is more than one who wishes to maximize his utility. We are

spiritual beings who delight when everyone is satisfied. Snyder (2009) concludes: “Part

of what Psalm 23 is saying is that we do not need to be slaves to our wants. We can learn

to come to want what the Lord, our shepherd, provides for us.”

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not

want. He lays me down in green pastures. He leads me
beside tranquil waters. My soul He restores. He leads
me on the path of tzedek (usually translated as either
righteousness or justice) for the sake of His Name. Even

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 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. You prepare a table before me in
the presence of my enemies: you anoint my head with oil;
my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and
lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm
23: 1-6).
“By the rivers of Babylon” might seem like a lament, but upon close examination, it is a

message of not giving up.

By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we

wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps
upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that
carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they
who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one
of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in
a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right
hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let
my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth (Psalm 137: 1-
6).

By not forgetting about Jerusalem, these exiles (and/or their children) did eventually see

Jerusalem rebuilt. The Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon in

586 B.C.E. The prophet Jeremiah had predicted that “this whole land shall be a ruin and

desolation; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon for seventy years” (Jeremiah

25: 11). This was a punishment for sins that included idolatry and forsaking the Torah.

The first attempt to rebuild the Second Temple began in the time of Sheshbazzar. There

were numerous problems with the nobility that controlled the land of Judea who were

close to the Samaritans and the rebuilding had to be halted. The rebuilding of the Temple

was completed by Zerubbabel under the reign of Darius. The Second Temple lasted from

21
about 520 B.C.E. until it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. (Schiffman, n.d.).

Penitence and Forgiveness

Psalm 51 teaches us all that even great people make mistakes and the door to penitence is

always open as long as a person acknowledges his or her misdeeds. This psalm has been

described as “the most heart-searching of all the psalms and the world’s noblest

penitential hymn. It is the voice of the penitent soul in all ages; and we only need to be

human to appreciate it” (Hertz, 1959: 328). The story of David’s adultery with

Bathsheba is described in II Samuel 12-13.

For the director of music, A Psalm of David. When

Nathan the prophet came to him after David had
committed adultery with Bathsheba. Have mercy on me,
O God, according to Your lovingkindness; according to
your vast compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash
away all my iniquity and from my sin purify me. For I
know of my transgressions, and my sin is before me
always. Against You alone have I sinned, and done that
which is evil in Your eyes; therefore, you are proved right
when you speak and justified when you judge... Hide
Your face from my sins, and all my iniquities blot out. A
pure heart create for me, God; and a spirit of correctness
renew within me. Cast me not away from Your Presence,
and take not Your Holy Spirit from me (Psalm 51:1-6;
11-13).

Helping the Weaker Members of Society

The Book of Psalms makes it clear that we all have an obligation to take care of the

unfortunates of society. Psalms makes it very clear that the world cannot exist without

justice and equity for all. The idea of helping the weak is repeated numerous times in

22
scripture. Psalms helps in this process by helping us to move beyond a myopic sense of

self to a concrete sense of community. The orphan, widow, and stranger are paradigms of

those who can easily be taken advantage of. In modern times, one might add the

handicapped and those of other ethnic groups.

Give justice for the poor and orphan; uphold the rights of
the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the poor and
needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked. They
have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk in
darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken”
(Psalm 82: 3-5).

He has dispersed, he has given to the poor; his

righteousness endures forever; his horn shall be exalted
with honor (Psalm 112:9).
He secures justice for the oppressed; He gives bread to the hungry.
The Lord releases the imprisoned. The Lord gives sight to the
blind; The Lord straightens those bowed down; the Lord loves the
righteous. The Lord protects the stranger; orphan and widow. He
enables to stand firm; but the way of the wicked He thwarts (Psalm
146:7-9).
He raises up the poor from the dust and lifts up the needy
from the dunghills, to seat them with the princes, with the
princes of their people. He returns the barren woman to
her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the Lord!
(Psalm 113: 7-9).

The Psalmists recognize the importance of justice. Hirsch (2014: 705) in his commentary

on Psalm 82 stresses that:

This innate sense of justice represents the will of God concerning

the shaping of human affairs, and every court of justice that is
appointed to proclaim and enforce this right must look upon itself
as adath el, “a congregation of God” – a group that has a part in
God’s scheme of things and which to the best of its power and
understanding must not allow itself to be led by any other motive
save the pure perception of justice.

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Psalm 82 emphasizes the importance of social justice since it stresses the plight of the

poor, the destitute, the orphan, the afflicted, and the needy.

How did America become such a great country? America became a prosperous nation

because of the poor immigrants who settled here since it was a land of opportunity, i.e.,

helping “those bowed down.” John R. Kasich, Republican Governor of Ohio, defying the

Republican Party’s position about social safety nets, stated: “I’m concerned about the fact

there seems to be a war on the poor…That if you’re poor, somehow you’re shiftless and

lazy. The very people who complain ought to ask their grandparents if they worked at the

W.P.A.” (Gabriel, 2013). Susan Fiske, Professor at Princeton, has found that American

attitudes to the poor have become extremely negative. Fiske claims that “Americans

react to the poor with disgust” and also asserts that: "We're losing part of our humanity"

by dehumanizing the impoverished and "These were the seeds to the Holocaust: That

some lives matter more than others" (Lubrano, 2013). Washington, D. C. has been called

a “town without pity” (Blow, 2013).

Industriousness

One is obligated to help the unfortunates of society. This, however, does not mean

helping those who are indolent. Righteous people are hardworking and engage in honest,

productive work. This provides them with satisfaction and shows us how we too can

achieve our own peace of mind. The verse below stresses the importance of

industriousness. Indeed, there is a considerable amount of research that indicates that

losing one’s job has a huge impact on one’s happiness; a good job, one the other hand,

24
contributes a great deal to one’s happiness and self-confidence.

When you shall eat of the toil of your hands, you will be
happy and it will be well with you (Psalm 128:2).

Protecting the Physical Environment

Hertz (1959: 582) observes that Psalm 104 is the ”most wonderful of nature hymns, the

worshipping poet is enraptured by the marvels of Creation, and loses himself in adoration

of God.” This statement summarizes it all: “O LORD, how manifold are Your works!

In wisdom have You made them all” (Psalm 104: 24). Birnbaum (1976: 170) notes: “it

has been declared that it is worthwhile studying the Hebrew language for ten years in

order to read Psalm 104 in the original.” The righteous person is in awe of God’s world

and has respect for the environment.

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, you are very great!
You are robed with splendor and majesty, covering
Yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the
heavens like a curtain. He lays the beams of his upper
chambers on the waters; He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks on the wings of the wind; He makes his
messengers winds, His ministers flaming fire.

He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should not

be moved forever. You covered it with the deep as with a
garment; the waters stood above the mountains. At Your
rebuke they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they
hastened away. The mountains rose, the valleys sank
down to the place that you founded for them. You set a
boundary that they may not pass over, so that they may
not again cover the earth.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys; they flow

among the mountains; they give drink to every beast of
the field; the wild asses quench their thirst. Beside them
the birds of the heavens dwell; they sing among the

25
 branches. From Your upper chambers, You water the
mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your
works.

You cause the grass to grow for the cattle and plants for
man to cultivate, that he may bring forth bread from the
earth and wine that makes glad the heart of man, and oil
to make his face shine and bread that strengthens man's
heart.

The trees of the Lord are satisfied, the cedars of

Lebanon that He planted. In them the birds build their
nests; the stork has her house in the fir trees. The high
mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge
for the rock badgers.

He made the moon for the seasons; the sun knows its time
for setting. You make darkness, and it is night, when all
the beasts of the forest creep about. The young lions roar
after their prey, and seek their food from God. When the
sun rises, they steal away and lie down in their dens. Man
goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.

O LORD, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have

You made them all; the earth is full of Your possessions.
Yonder is the sea, great and wide, which teems with
creatures innumerable, animals small and great.
There go the ships, and Leviathan, which You formed
to frolic with.

They all look to You expectantly, to provide them their

food in due season. When You give it to them, they
gather it in; when You open your hand, they are sated
with good things. When You hide your face, they
are panic-stricken; when You take away their breath, they
die and return to their dust. When You send forth Your
Spirit, they are created [anew], and You will renew the
face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord
rejoice in His works, who gazes upon the earth and
it trembles, who touches the mountains and they erupt!
I will sing to the LORD with my life; I will sing praise to
my God as long as I am alive. May my words be pleasing
to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord. Sins will be excised
from the earth, and the wicked will be no more! Bless

26
 the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 104).

World Peace

There is nothing more joyful than peace among all of humankind. A humankind that is

concerned with social justice and improving the world. Moral capitalism can help

humankind achieve its spiritual as well as economic goals. A company should be

concerned with helping alleviate poverty and sickness throughout the world.

A Song of Ascents of David. Behold, how good and

pleasant it is when brethren dwell together in unity!
(Psalm 133:1).
The next selection describes a time when all nations of the world will assemble as “the

people of the God of Abraham” in peace.

O clap your hands, all you people. Sound the shofar unto
God with cries of joy. For God is supreme, awesome, a
great King over all the earth! … For God is king of all the
earth; sing praises to God O enlightened one. God reigns
over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. The
nobles among the people assemble as the people of the
God of Abraham; for God has the power to protect the
earth. He is exceedingly exalted (Psalm 47: 2-3; 8-10).
Psalm 117 is the shortest of all the hymns in Psalms but sends a powerful message about

the future that humanity should strive for.

O praise the Lord, all nations; laud Him, all you peoples!
For His lovingkindness has overwhelmed us; and the
truth of the Lord endures forever. Hallelujah! (Psalm
117).

The Spiritual Workplace

Organizations that are concerned with integrity and taking care of all stakeholders ---

27
employees, customers, suppliers, the community, the world, the environment, and

shareholders -- will find that they have created a spiritual workplace. Numerous articles

have been written about the spiritual workplace. A key characteristic of a spiritual

workplace is that employees feel that their work is meaningful. It is difficult to feel that

one is engaged in meaningful work if a firm is involved in deceiving customers. Fry

(2003) states that workplace spirituality involves “creating a vision wherein organization

members experience a sense of calling in that their life has meaning and makes a

difference.” Rhodes (2006) avers: “A spiritual workplace provides resources to help

people uncover their creative potential and to practice creativity within the organization.”

There are numerous studies demonstrating significant relationships between meaningful

work and happiness, job satisfaction, and physical health (Thottam, 2005). Karakas

(2010) reviews 140 papers dealing with spirituality and concludes:

a) Spirituality enhances employee well-being and quality

of life;
b) Spirituality provides employees a sense of purpose
and meaning at work;
c) Spirituality provides employees a sense of
interconnectedness and community.

There is a growing body of research providing strong empirical evidence that firms with

spiritual values can perform better than those without (Mitroff and Denton, 1999;

Jurkiewicz and Giacalone, 2004; Pandey and Gupta, 2008; Karakas, 2010; Gross and

Holland, 2011). A spiritual workplace has employees that are more loyal, productive,

engaged, and innovative than other companies.

The spiritual workplace may be hinted at in these psalms.

28
 I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where
your glory resides (Psalm 26:8).
For a day in Your courtyards is better than a thousand
days elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the
house of My God than dwell in the tents of wickedness
(Psalm 84:10).
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may
dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to
behold the pleasantness of the Lord and to meditate in His
temple. For He will hide me in His shelter on the day of
trouble; He will conceal me under the cover of His tent;
upon a rock He will lift me (Psalm 27: 4-5).
Righteousness and justice are the foundations of Your
throne, loving-kindness and truth precede Your
countenance (Psalm 89:15).

Psalm 89: 15 describes the four characteristics that are the foundation of the world:

tzedek (righteousness), mishpat (justice), chesed (deeds of loving-kindness), and emet

(truth). Organizations built on those attributes are spiritual organizations that will

flourish.

Conclusion

This paper provides a small sample of powerful statements from the Book of Psalms. The

ancient messages resonate today as much as they did thousands of years ago. Honesty,

aid to the poor, world peace, community, justice and more are all taught through Psalms.

These messages are meant for people seeking meaning in their life. Organizations and

leaders need a moral compass (Lennick and Kiel, 2011) and the Book of Psalms can be a

useful tool in developing it. Lennick and Kiel (2011: 61) state that there are four key

values or principles that are very important for leadership: integrity, responsibility,

compassion, and forgiveness. These are universal values and all are addressed in Psalms.

29
Today, the Psalmists would see the workplace as a means to seek social justice and

equity. Successful corporations have the means to help employees as well as

communities in which their plants are located. There is no question that moral capitalism

can be an engine for growth and a win-win for all. This is actually what Henry Ford

believed. This is the reason that he decided to pay his employees $5 a day and changed

the workday to 8 hours. This was done at a time when employees worked 60 hours a

week for a salary of $2 a day. Ford was denounced by the Wall Street Journal that felt a

salary this excessive was unethical; the publisher of the New York Times, Adolph S. Ochs

declared that Henry Ford was crazy. What Ford believed was that a generous wage would

enable his employees to buy his automobiles thus further increasing his profits (Herndon,

1969). Some feel that this strategy saved capitalism. Nowadays, boards have no problem

giving CEOs excessive salaries while keeping employee salaries low.

Porter and Kramer (2006) show that business and society are interdependent. They

conclude: “corporate social responsibility can be much more than a cost, a constraint, or a

charitable deed — it can be a source of opportunity, innovation, and competitive

advantage.” Even if corporate social responsibility does not provide an organization

with a competitive advantage, the Psalmists would assert the importance of showing

compassion for all of humankind. Man is more than homo economicus, solely concerned

with his/her self-interest and maximization of utility. Psalms reminds us that humankind

has an obligation to build organizations dedicated to tzedek (righteousness), mishpat

(justice), chesed (deeds of loving-kindness), and emet (truth).

30
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