“Yea, 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.” – Psalms 23:4 NKJV
Picture yourself trying to find a specific object in a pitch-dark room. Imagine the discomfort of putting one foot in front of the other, hands outstretched, trying to feel your way to the end of the room because, at that moment, you feel blind. For all you know, you could be walking straight into danger.
Similarly, life can sometimes feel like groping through a dark valley, full of challenges and uncertainties that could make us feel vulnerable and fearful. Yet, in Psalm 23:4, David speaks of walking through the valley of the shadow of death without fear. How is this possible?
The answer lies in the presence and leading of God.
As we learned earlier in the week, Jesus is your good shepherd who wants to guide you through the valleys of life, no matter how dark they get. In our anchor verse, we see that He does this primarily through His protective rod and guiding staff so that you don’t grope in confusion.
All through the Bible, we see story after story of God leading His children and going to great lengths to assure them of His presence and comfort through the storms of life. In John 16:33, Jesus reassures us that even though life is inevitably full of trouble and uncertainty, we can rest in Him. His presence with us is light and direction amid the darkest experiences.
We see David’s source of comfort; he says, “For You are with me…” In the same way, we can rest in the truth that we are never alone (Hebrews 13:5b). In Deuteronomy 31:6, Moses encourages the Israelites with a similar promise: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The rod and the staff symbolise God’s protection and guidance, and comfort in the valley comes from trusting in His control and presence (Isaiah 41:10). Our circumstances might be daunting. However, God’s protection and guidance offer us peace. Philippians 4:7 describes this peace as one that “transcends all understanding,” guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Jesus reassures us in John 16:33 that even though life is inevitably full of trouble and uncertainty, we can rest in Him: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Dear believer, God is with you to lead you. He is your guide and comfort through life’s storms and confusions. From today, resign in your heart to trust the one who leads you through the darkest valleys. You have God; you are never alone.
Bible Reading Plan: Matthew 25: 31 – 46