Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4)
As I immersed myself in this chapter, I began to seek to go deeper than ever before. In doing so, I found that there is indeed a literal Valley of the Shadow of Death in Israel. It lies between Jericho and Jerusalem and is the main route by which shepherds would take their flocks from the Jordan river valley to the hill country of Judea. It was notorious for being a dangerous place as it was a steep narrow canyon where wild beasts were known to lie in wait for their prey. It was treacherous to navigate and the shepherds had to be on alert, prepared to defend their flocks. The sun only shone at high noon when it was directly above the canyon. The rest of the time it was full of dark shadows, creating a difficult passage full of uneven crevices. The shepherds were no doubt at full attention, navigating the flock carefully in order to protect them.
The shepherd’s rod was a two to four foot club used to defend the sheep from predators and it was worn on a belt. It is a crafted club whittled from solid wood with a knob at one end. The staff is used to guide the sheep gently on the safest path. It was also used to hold the sheep during shearing and for gently redirecting them. The hook at the top would fit around the neck of the sheep and the bottom was a spoon shaped shovel. The hook was used to gently tug and pull them should they get caught between rocks or wedged somewhere tight, unable to move. We probably have all seen a picture of a shepherd carrying a little lamb around his neck. This would happen should the lamb not be able to walk due to injury or if it was unruly and refused to obey the commands of the shepherd and he had broken his leg in attempt to teach him not to run off from the flock.
Our text states that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. It implies that we will walk through the valley but we do not have to fear. I will fear no evil is a declaration. It doesn’t say I will try not to fear but that I will not fear. Why? Because our Good Shepherd is there with us and is prepared to defend, protect and guard us . This is a beautiful analogy of how God intends for us to respond to His provision for us. I think it grieves the heart of God when we walk in fear. He knows that fear is the enemy of our faith. You may be thinking, “but how can we ascend to the place in Him where we have no fear?” After all, fear is one of the major weapons in the enemy’s arsenal. The Lord repeatedly tells us not to fear. He knows we will be tempted unmercifully to fall prey to it. He knows avoiding it is a KEY TO VICTORY. We get there by abiding in Him, by having a relationship with Him, by knowing Him so intimately that it never occurs to us that He will not protect us and meet our needs. We get there by settling it once and for all, as Job did, that though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Is it easy? No. Has He provided a way of escape? Yes. When fear comes, we must immediately recognize it and cast it down. 2 Corinthians 10:5 states: “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” The word “casting” here means to hurl violently. This is strong language and it is speaking to how critical it is to remove negative thoughts from our minds before they are able to grab a foothold. If we do not, we will slide helplessly into Satan’s trap and be entangled in his web of deceit and lies, forgetting the goodness of God and the provision that has been made for us.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.
What a wonderful picture of grace and mercy. Not only does He prepare a table of blessings and redemption for us, He does it in the presence of our enemies. He is our defense. How we want to rail and inflict revenge in the flesh on those who hurt us or hurt those we love, BUT GOD SAYS He will prepare a table for us in their presence. When we are tempted to respond to injustice and unfairness, we can put God in remembrance of this Word. Thank you Lord. Keep us by your Spirit. Help us walk circumspectly before you in righteousness and holiness.
He anointest my head with oil. There are all kinds of nasty pests and insects that inflict pain on sheep. The shepherd is known to pour oil, an ointment to relieve them from the pain and discomfort, over the head of the sheep. He knows, He cares, He provides a solution. This simple yet profound act caused the psalmist to write that his cup runneth over. The blessings are so great and of such magnitude they could only be described as full and running over. An abundance; more than enough; sufficient for every need.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen and Amen. Praise the Name of the Lord!
I trust this in-depth look into this beloved chapter has been a blessing to you. It certainly has been for me. It is so easy to let familiarity rob of us deeper truth. I have seen these precious words in a new light. God wants us to get every morsel of the Word and understand \precisely what He is saying to us. He is our Good Shepherd and He has made a way of escape in every situation. Let us gaze on Him and allow Him to lead, comfort and provide for us as He desires to do. Praise the Name of the Lord!
afirebynight 