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Verse(s): Psalm 23:4
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
One minute you’re walking with the Shepherd in a verdant meadow, listening to the trickling of water and taking deep breaths of clean, sweet-smelling air. You’re at peace. You’re safe. You’ve rested. All is well.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, you find yourself in a valley, surrounded on all sides by darkness. You don’t know how you got here; you don’t remember taking a wrong turn or abandoning the path. Somewhere close by, a wolf howls. It’s so dark that for a moment you lose sight of the Shepherd. You reach blindly into the shadows and call out for Him. A few seconds pass, and then He appears in front of you.
Why did you leave me alone in all this darkness? you say.
I never left you, the Shepherd says gently. He looks down at the rod in His hand. I was beating back the night. Then He guides you back onto the path, into the warm light that seems to glow from His very being. Let’s keep going.
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When we’re stumbling through a dark valley, we can’t see the path in front of us. We take one awkward, shuffling step after another, arms outstretched, hoping and praying we don’t run into a wall or fall into a pit. We know there are dangers lurking all around; we can hear the howls. But we don’t know where they are or when they’ll attack. It’s a terrifying, lonely place to be.
In the middle of all this, David presents a stunningly beautiful picture: the Shepherd, close beside us, carrying His rod and staff.
It would be easy to assume both objects are meant for us—the staff to guide, the rod to correct. But that’s not what David’s getting at in this verse. David, as a shepherd himself, would’ve known the rod was used to protect sheep against attack, and the staff to then gently guide them back to safety. And the same was true for him and his Shepherd. So even in the “valley of the shadow of death,” David knew he didn’t need to be afraid.
And we don’t either.
Don’t be afraid. Yeah, okay. Easier said than done. If it were that simple, you’re probably thinking, then I wouldn’t have a problem. Overcoming fear is a process, so it’s okay if it doesn’t happen overnight. But at the very least, let this be a rock to stand on when nothing else seems sturdy enough to hold you:
You don’t have to be afraid—because your Shepherd can see through the dark.
You don’t have to be afraid—because your Shepherd knows what’s ahead.
You don’t have to be afraid—because your Shepherd goes before you, rod and staff in hand, to protect you from attack, and to lead you, always, back to safety.
If you’re in the valley right now, please know you’re not alone. Even though it may not seem like it, this dark night will come to an end. The sun will rise, bringing warmth and light with it. And Jesus, Your Good Shepherd, promises to be with you every step of the way.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:5 NLT
