"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
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.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."--Psalm 23
There are places in Scripture that are powerful, so deep, that to recite them is to experience them. Psalm 23 is one of those places. This is David's testimony, his personal experience with God. It is precious to all of us, a balm to our wounded souls. And what makes this a constant friend is that it covers all of life. With simple beauty, it speaks of green pastures and still waters, as well as dark valleys and enemies and adversities.
But what I think comforts us and helps us is the Psalm's confidence. David really believes this about God. He has heard and experienced God voice, followed His lead, felt His care. Beneath the beauty of his words there are solid convictions, formed in time of crisis.
Notice that in the first three verses, David refers to God in the third person: "The Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me lie down . . . He leads me . . . He restores my soul." Then in verses 4-5, David shifts, referring to Him in second person: "I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me . . . You anoint my head with oil." And then he closes by returning to third person: "Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Why does David switch from talking about God with “He” to talking to God with “You”, and why does it happen in verse 4? Why didn't he just go on to say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for He is with me; His rod and His staff, they comfort me”?
As I read, I believe that the change "He" to the more intimate "You" happens in verse 4 precisely because it is there, he speaks of the valley he has walked. He has felt the shadows closing in. Verse 4 describes the crisis points in his life. And in those times, something deep happened between him and God.
Ever been in a crisis and did not know which way to turn, and decided to make Jesus your choice? You have noticed it too, haven't you? We are more prone to talk about God when we are in the green pastures and more prone to talk to God when we are in the dangerous areas of life and a choice needs to be made. In the light, we are prone to wander off in pursuit of greener grass. But in the dark, we hug His knee. David changes from comments about God to communion with God, because during his valley time, he stayed ever so close to the Shepherd, never taking his eyes off Him. He had experienced God in a way there that had ushered him toward intimacy with the Almighty Shepherd.
As we continue to explore the psalms for when life hurts, I invite you to a familiar oasis where we will see that God is closer than we think in times of crisis. My prayer is that God so imprint His truth in your heart that you will find your confidence in Him and rise above the storm clouds in your life, even as David did. Take a few moments with me to see David's confidence in times of crisis.
God allows time in the valley: In the first four verses of Psalm 23, David takes the gentle picture of a shepherd with his sheep to describe the relationship God has with us and we with Him. Everything makes sense in our understanding of a shepherd leading his flock to green grass and calm waters.
The connection between verses 3 and 4 confirm this: The path through the valley is also one of the paths of righteousness in which God leads. "He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me . . . "
But why would a good shepherd who would lay down his life for his sheep lead a lamb into a valley filled with danger and death threats? There is only one possible answer: To get to some better place! Philip Keller is an Australian shepherd whose wonderful little book, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23” includes this observation about these barren valleys:
"The shepherd knows from experience that predators like coyotes, bears, wolves, or cougars can take cover in these broken cliffs and from their vantage point prey on his flock. He knows these valleys can be subject to sudden storms and flash floods that send walls of water rampaging down the slopes. There could be rockslides, mud, or . . . a dozen other natural disasters that would destroy or injure his sheep."
"But despite such hazards, he also knows that this is still the best way to take his flock to the high country. He spares himself no pains or trouble or time to keep an eye out for any danger that might develop."
When we are walking through some unfamiliar valley and the shadows linger . . . When we have an illness and must decide what to do, when employment is lost, when our finances are tight, and we think about taking on yet another job to make ends meet, remember this: Our Shepherd has appointed even this hard time as one of His paths of righteousness. He is leading us through this valley for reasons that probably will not be apparent. But rest assured, He is taking us to the high country, where the sun is warm, and the grass is green. Every valley is pathway to something better.
As Psalm 84:11 says, "No good does the Lord withhold from those who walk uprightly." Or as Paul in Romans: 8:28 put it, "We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”. The valley is not good, but the Shepherd is. He knows the way.
He saw God's power: A shepherd's rod was a two-foot club made of oak, with a rounded head that was whittled from the knot of the tree and had sharp bits of metal pounded into it. This club was used to defend the flock against attacks. It pictures the shepherd's power, wielded against overpowering enemies. David said he had no fear in adversity because of the comfort of God's power, protecting him from that which would ruin him. And you need not fear. The Bible says in 1 John 4:4 “Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world”.
He experienced God's leading, your staff: It comforts me, he said. He was referring to the shepherd's crook, with its hook on one end. A good shepherd would use it to guide the sheep, lest they stray away. Just a gentle tap of the staff on a lamb's side would move them back in the fold. And the crook could gather up a sheep from a place where it might have fallen. David felt comforted that his Shepherd was guarding his steps, making sure that he makes it through the darkness safely.
David was supremely confident, not only about his present circumstances, but of grace in the future that would see him all the way home. He believed that valley times were appointed for His good. He learned things about God that could be learned no other way in the deep ravines of life.
He stayed close, trusted in God's protection and guidance all the way. All because he could say, "The Lord is my shepherd."
When all the color has drained out of life, and our soul is downcast, look up. Fix your eyes on Jesus, our Good Shepherd. Stick close to Him. Trust that He knows the way through this valley and will see you safely through. Believe that He has good reasons for taking this route, even though it is hard and unfamiliar. And hold on to the truth that there is something better waiting on the other side of this valley.
May the grace and mercy of our Lord and savior continue to bless and keep you.
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