Country and Western music: as true an American art form as there ever was. It's the unmistakable beauty of nasal twang on sheet music. It's heart surgery performed on a steel guitar; syllables sliding an entire scale on purpose. It's Nashville's contribution to the Louvre.

Most CW songs tell sad stories. The ballads range from broken hearts to trailer parks, from poker hands to one night stands, with a whole lot of dusty miles in between. But though the venues may vary, the storylines remain the same.

The most popular theme is the, "My baby done me wrong" songs. This includes such hits as, I'm digging a hole to bury my heart, and Hog tied over you. And who could ever forget, Flushed from the bathroom of your heart, or I shaved my back for nothing cuz nothin's comin back to me. And, of course, the ever popular, Jesus may love you but I don't, God may forgive you but I won't.

Another familiar storyline is the "Fallen arches and broken dreams" category. These songs typically translate Murphy's Law into hillbillyese. Old standards like, I'm darned if I don't and danged if I do, and All my Ex's live in Texas. Colorful classics like, You dirty old egg-suckin dog, or Earache my eye. And the boot-tapping hit, The homecoming queen's got a gun. And, my personal favorite, You're the reason my kids are ugly.

In the world of music, Country Western is the loveable-but-ugly sister in the family portrait. It's a chunk of concrete in an upscale China shop. It's TV dinners at Buckingham Palace. Hog-calling at Carnegie Hall. The music's unpretentiousness exposes the soul of its singer. That's the appeal. The musician's heartache transcends our own. His pain is our pain. His dog died too.

I bring this up because of Psalm 7. It's easy to see that David was a big fan of Israel's impassioned music. Psalm 7's introduction identifies it as "A Shiggaion of David." The footnote in my Bible says, "Wild passionate song," suggesting perhaps a Hebrew equivalent to our Country Western.