If the Psalms poet had lived in South Africa, Psalm 23 would have read quite differently, for David’s soul would have been invigorated by a diversity of places far beyond green pastures and still waters.
The first hard lockdown following the outbreak of Covid-19 meant that, for months, people all over the world had to live with a smaller view than they were accustomed to. The colours and scope of our landscapes were limited to what we were fortunate, or unfortunate, to see through our living-room windows. We had to find beauty in small-scale still lifes that could not be changed easily.
Strangely enough, being confined to our own spaces met the need that humans experience in times of emergency: when we are worried, depressed, sad or tired, we seek out enclosed, snug landscapes that feel as though they are offering us a