Why do we always think this verse is meant for a person at the moment they are dying? Why do we think Psalm 23 is only relevant for an imminently dying person? Consider this, we are all dying each day. Each day we breathe brings us closer to the day we stop breathing. This psalm is not only for the imminently dying. It’s for everyone.
Recognizing that, let’s look at Psalm 23:4. Many of us memorized this verse using the King James Version. We began reciting it like this, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” In other translations, this verse begins with “though” or “even though.” The beginning of verse four rests upon what David wrote before it. He said, because the Lord is my Shepherd, I will have everything I need because He is almighty, all-loving, kind, and merciful. I have food and drink, rest when needed, rescue from physical danger and eternal separation from Him, release from fear of harm, and guidance each day and with each footfall from Him who is all-wise and all-knowing (Psalm 23:1-3).
From this wise, knowing, almighty, kind, merciful, loving, powerful, and rescuing Shepherd, I know I need not ever fear what is happening or what may happen. In verse four, David basically said, “Because of who I personally know my great Shepherd is and because of what I have seen Him do, I fear nothing that is or may come against me—not death or any kind of dastardly development.” The hardest places in life that we live through or could ever think is the worst we could go through, those places of deepest, darkest, extremely dangerous times are when I can know and do know my Shepherd is there and mightier than what is happening.
My Shepherd is greater than any storm or suffering. He is mightier than them and is Lord over time and space. Before I even faced this valley of the shadow of death, my Shepherd spanned across time and created the plan of rescue for me. I need not worry because He has already rescued me in the future, so I can trust in Him and His rescue in my now. The Shepherd is with us, behind us, before us, and around us in time and presence, so we need not fear any storm or darkness. How does David say the Shepherd helped him in his extremely dark and dangerous circumstance? His presence kept David from harm.
David spoke more of how the Shepherd protected and guided him. He said the Shepherd’s rod and staff were with Him. The rod that beats off attacks and attackers defends him and defeats the dangerous presence or pandemonium. With the Shepherd’s might, power, wisdom, care, and His unbreakable rod, David knew he was safe. He can beat back whatever may cause physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual harm. Once you are part of the Shepherd’s flock, He will not let you be taken from Him. You are His. Keep you eyes, heart, and mind on the Shepherd, your Savior. Take heart and remain spiritually strong; have faith in your unyielding, ever-protecting Shepherd.
David wrote that this Shepherd carried another tool. He wrote that He carried a staff as He cared for His flock. Why would a Shepherd and Savior need a rod and staff? The rod defends the sheep from an attack. It rescues the sheep in advance. The staff rescues the sheep from precipices and crevices, from blindly walking astray forgetting where safety is and only seeking the next blades of grass or spring of water that appears nearest to it.
Sheep, like people, have tunnel vision. What they see tempts them to walk away from their Shepherd. It may or may not be intentional. Being lured by our eyes to keep walking toward what you think you want often leads you beyond what the Shepherd knows is best. Being lured and decidedly willingly go also often leads a person away from the shepherd. The appetites of our flesh, heart, and mind often are not what’s best for us. These can be due to error, lies, or intentional sin.
This is where the Shepherd’s staff comes in. A staff has a crook at the end to hook around the leg or neck of a sheep to bring it back to Him from a precipice or crevice. The crook was often not a round stick rounded at the end looking like a candy cane. Instead, the rounded hook was flat so the Shepherd could scoop up the sheep to let it lie upon the flat crook end securely. This Shepherd’s staff can remind us of the hands of God. He can round His hands to go around us and pull us back to safety or He can place us in His palms to carry us close to Himself.
Psalm 23 isn’t just an end of life or funeral psalm. It speaks about life as we journey with our Savior Shepherd. It reminds us that God never leaves or forsakes us (Deuteronomy 31:6 & 8, 1 Chronicles 28:20, 1 Kings 8:57, and Hebrews 13:5). He is the God of time and all that is. God has already planned the rescue from your storm or temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). He is your Savior Shepherd. The Shepherd has defeated the enemy. He lovingly scoops you onto His crook and into His palms to carry you back to His pasture of plenty and safety. He lovingly stretches out His staff to catch you from falling off the precipice or through the crevice as you focused solely on the next blade of grass or drop of dew that would satisfy your desire.
Though we walk through dark and dangerous times due to temptation, blindness, and/or evil, we need not fear. The almighty, loving, merciful, all-knowing Savior Shepherd is with you if you are one of His sheep. He will rescue you and take you back to His pasture of plenty and safety.
How can you know if you are a sheep in the Savior Shepherd’s flock? Admit Jesus is God’s Son who died for your sins. Believe in Him to save you from your sins and the judgment of eternal separation from Him. Confess your sins and repent of them. Once you believe, profess, and confess making Jesus Lord of your life and accepting Him as your Savior, He will never leave or forsake you. That is a continual promise from God throughout the Old and New Testaments. It is His covenant of love to all His sheep, His children.
Today, if you are saved by Jesus, you can say with David, “Even 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 comfort me.” Nothing can ever separate you from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Nothing! You are rescued. You are safe. You are loved eternally. Take comfort; you are God’s.
