MARTIN LUTHER ONCE COMMENTED THAT, "FAITH IS A MATTER OF PERSONAL PRONOUNS." IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS ONE THING TO SAY "THE LORD IS A SHEPHERD"; BUT QUITE ANOTHER THING TO BE ABLE TO SAY, "THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD."
THE IMAGE OF THE SHEPHERD HAS PROVIDED US WITH MANY LOVING AND PROTECTIVE IMAGES OF CAREGIVING. JUST THE WORD ITSELF CARRIES WITH IT THOUGHTS OF SECURITY, ATTENTION, AND PROVISION FOR THOSE UNDER THE SHEPHERD’S WATCH.
WHETHER ONE IS A CHRISTIAN OR NOT, THE TWENTY-THIRD PSALM HAS BEEN A “GO-TO” SOURCE OF COMFORT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE OVER THE AGES DURING THE UNCERTAIN, CHALLENGING, AND DARK TIMES OF LIVING LIFE IN THIS FALLEN WORLD.
THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THIS PSALM WAS WRITTEN. IN A VERY TROUBLED TIME IN DAVID’S LIFE, HE NEEDED TO REMIND HIMSELF THAT GOD WAS STILL THERE WITH HIM. AFTER ALL, HERE HE WAS, THE KING, LIVING IN EXILE AND IN FEAR WHILE RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE FROM OF ALL PEOPLE…HIS OWN SON, ABSALOM, WHO WANTED TO KILL HIM AND TAKE HIS THRONE.
WE TOO, CAN FIND RELIEF AND COMFORT IN REMEMBERING GOD’S GREAT LOVE FOR US. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE JOY FOR US TO KNOW THAT IF GOD IS WITH US IN THE “SHADOWS OF DEATH,” THEN HE WILL ALSO CARE ENOUGH TO BE WITH US, EVEN AMONGST ALL THE SCATTERED REMNANTS OF EVERY DAY LIVING.
THE PSALMIST DESCRIBES A GOD WHO LEADS, RESTORES, AND GUIDES US WITH HIS ROD AND HIS STAFF. DAVID IS REMINDING US OF GOD’S COMFORTING PRESENCE AND PROTECTION. HE IS TELLING US THAT BELIEVERS ARE NEVER IN SITUATIONS THE LORD IS NOT AWARE OF, FOR HE NEVER ABANDONS HIS PEOPLE. HEBREWS 13:5, “I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”
THE SHEPHERD’S ROD, MUCH LIKE A POLICE OFFICER’S “NIGHT STICK,” WAS USED AS A DEFENSIVE WEAPON TO WARD OFF THEIVES AND WILD ANIMALS THAT POSED A THREAT TO THE SHEEP. THE ROD WAS A WAY TO PROTECT THE SHEEP FROM OTHER THINGS.
THE STAFF, MUCH LIKE A LONG BROOM HANDLE WITH A HOOK ON THE END, WAS USED TO "CATCH" OR "GRAB HOLD" OF THE SHEEP TO STOP THEM WHEN THEY WERE NEARING DANGER OR HEADING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. THE STAFF WAS DESIGNED TO PROTECT THE SHEEP FROM THEMSELVES.
THIS COMFORTING IMAGERY OF THE SHEPHERD WAS TO GIVE US THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S CONSTANT VIGILANCE, HIS PERSONAL PRESENCE, STRONG DEFENSE, AND PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT IN THE LIVES OF HIS SHEEP.
THIS DISCRIPTION PROVIDES FOR US ONE OF THE GREATEST BLESSINGS WHICH IS TO KNOW THAT WE WILL NEVER FIND OURSELVES IN A SITUATION WHERE THE LORD IS NOT PRESENT OR AWARE OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN OUR LIVES.
THIS IS WHY WE CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY IN HEBREWS 13:6, THAT "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, SO I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT CAN MERE MORTALS DO TO ME?"
WE CAN TAKE THE GOOD NEWS WITH US TODAY BY SIMPLY REMEMBERING THAT GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US. NOTHING ESCAPES HIS WATCHFUL PRESENCE. HE IS NEVER CAUGHT OFF GUARD. GOD IS A LOVING FATHER WHO IS EVER VIGILANT AND ATTENTIVE.
LIKE THE SHEEP IN THIS PSALM, MAYBE WE HAVE FOUND OURSELVES WALKING IN THOSE SHADOWS A TIME OR TWO. THE HEBREW IMAGERY OF SHADOWS IN THIS PSALM INDICATES TIMES OF TOTAL DARKNESS. IN FACT, THE TRUE MEANING OF THE STATEMENT “SHADOW OF DEATH” IN VERSE 4 SHOULD BE ACTUALLY TRANSLATED “DEEP DARKNESS” OR “DEADLY GLOOM.”
IT SPEAKS NOT JUST OF FACING THE TRANSITION THROUGH PHYSICAL DEATH, BUT WHAT APPEARS TO BE THOSE DARK PLACES IN LIFE. WE CAN FACE THOSE PERILOUS TIMES, FACE EVEN DEATH, AND EVIL ITSELF BECAUSE OF THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE.
THIS IS WHY DAVID COULD BOLDLY PROCLAIM, “I WILL FEAR NO EVIL!” THE HEBREW WORD FOR EVIL IS A BROAD TERM FOR ANY KIND OF HARM OR DANGER THAT MAY COME. GOD, OUR FATHER, GIVES US THE ASSURANCE WE DON’T NEED TO FEAR DEATH NOR BE AFRAID OF LIFE BECAUSE OUR SHEPHERD IS WATCHING OVER US.
THE SAME WAS TRUE FOR THE SHEEP OF DAVID’S FLOCK. THE SHEEP FREQUENTLY HAD TO GO THROUGH THE DARKEST PART OF THE VALLEY, THE LOWEST PART, WHERE THE SUN DID NOT SHINE, IN ORDER TO GET TO GREENER PASTURES.
THEY HAD TO TRUST THE SHEPHERD WHOSE PRESENCE TRUMPED THEIR FEARS AND BROKE THEIR TEMPTATION TO CUT OUT, SCATTER AND RUN IN A STATE OF PANIC OR CONFUSION.
THIS DARK SHADOW OF THE VALLEY THAT REPRESENTS THE THREAT OF DEATH AND THE DARKNESS OF EVIL PORTRAYS THE OTHER SIDE OF REALITY THAT LIFE ISN’T ALWAYS EASY OR FAIR.
THE PASTURES ARE SOMETIMES BLACK AND BARREN INSTEAD OF GREEN. THE WATERS ARE SOMETIMES DEEP AND TORRENTIAL INSTEAD OF PEACEFUL AND DRINKABLE.
BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT TYPE OF SITUATION DAVID FOUND HIMSELF, HE KNEW THAT GOD WAS WITH HIM THROUGH IT ALL. HOW DO WE KNOW GOD WAS WITH HIM?
WE KNOW GOD WAS WITH HIM BECAUSE HE TALKED DIRECTLY TO GOD IN THE SHADOW OF THE VALLEY. NOTICE THE GRAMMAR OF THIS POEM. ALL THE TIME DAVID HAD BEEN SPEAKING OF GOD IN THIRD PERSON: "HE" MAKES ME LIE DOWN, "HE" LEADS ME, AND "HE" WILL REFRESH.
BUT WHEN DAVID GETS DOWN INTO THE DARKNESS OF THE SHADOW HE CHANGES TO SECOND PERSON BY SAYING "YOU" ARE WITH ME. DAVID HAD BEEN SPEAKING ABOUT GOD AND THEN, IN THE VALLEY, HE SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO GOD.
ALTHOUGH NOT IN THE TEXT, THE BEST WAY TO KNOW GOD WAS THERE IS BECAUSE OF THE SHADOW! WE MUST ASK: WHAT NEEDS TO BE PRESENT IN ORDER FOR A SHADOW TO BE CAST? EXACTLY! LIGHT! GOD IS OUR LIGHT THROUGH THE PRESENCE OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST WHO IS THE SHEPHERD!
THIS LIGHT WAS DAVID’S COMFORT WHEN HE WALKED IN THE SHADOWS. IT IS THE PROMISE MOSES TOOK WITH HIM IN THE WILDERNESS IN EXODUS 33:14, "MY PRESENCE WILL GO WITH YOU AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST."
GOD MADE THE SAME PROMISE TO JACOB IN GENESIS 28:15, "I AM WITH YOU AND WILL WATCH OVER YOU WHEREVER YOU GO." AND ALSO TO JOSHUA IN JOSHUA 1:5, "AS I WAS WITH MOSES, SO I WILL BE WITH YOU; I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU."
TO THE ENTIRE NATION OF ISRAEL GOD PROMISED IN ISAIAH 41:10, 43:2, "DO NOT FEAR, FOR I AM WITH YOU; DO NOT BE DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND HELP YOU; I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND…WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE WATERS, I WILL BE WITH YOU. WHEN YOU PASS THROUGH THE RIVERS, THEY WILL NOT SWEEP OVER YOU. WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE FIRE, YOU WILL NOT BE BURNED; THE FLAMES WILL NOT SET YOU ABLAZE."
AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, HE MADE A PROMISE TO US! IN MATTHEW 28:20, HE SAYS TO US, "SURELY I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE." SO, GO THIS DAY REMINDED OF GOD’S GREAT CARE FOR YOU. GOD, AS YOUR FATHER, IS THE ABLE PROTECTOR AND DIRECTOR, BUT ALSO THE ABUNDANT PROVIDER AND SUSTAINER.
YOU NEVER NEED TO FEAR EVIL EVER AGAIN! IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT AS INTIMIDATING AS EVIL CAN BE, THERE IS NOTHING YOU WILL EVER FACE THAT INTIMIDATES OUR SHEPHERD.
WE CAN REJOICE WITH RELIEF THAT OUR PAST DOES NOT DEFINE OUR FUTURE. NOTHING IN THIS LIFE IS EVER POWERFUL ENOUGH TO OVERCOME GOD’S WILL FOR YOU. EVEN WHEN ISSUES ARE OF OUR OWN DOING, THE GENTLE SHEPHERD’S STAFF WORKS TO VICTORIOUSLY DRAW US BACK TO HIMSELF.
WE NO LONGER NEED TO FEAR OUR OWN PHYSICAL DEATH. DEATH HAS LOST ITS TERROR FOR US BECAUSE OF JESUS, WE KNOW THAT DYING TRULY MEANS BEING WITH JESUS FOR ETERNITY.
JESUS HAS TAKEN AWAY THE STING OF DEATH, THEREFORE, THE WORST THING THAT DEATH CAN DO TO US IS REALLY THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO US. THIS IS THE WHOLE REASON PAUL COULD BOAST IN PHILIPPIANS 3:1, “FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN.”
JESUS CHRIST HAS SEEN IT ALL AND HAS SOUNDLY DEFEATED EVERY FORM OF WICKEDNESS. EVIL NEVER CATCHES HIM BY SURPIRSE. YOUR SHEPHERD IS ALWAYS PREPARED AND KNOWS EXACTLY WHEN AND WHERE YOU WILL EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY.
IF YOU TRULY WANT TO EXPERIENCE JESUS AS THE SHEPHERD OF THE 23RD PSALM, THEN YOU MUST FIRST KNOW HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR AND AUTHOR OF SALVATION. WE MUST PLACE OUR ABSOLUTE AND UNDEVIDED TRUST AND FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!
NO SAVIOR – NO JESUS. NO JESUS – NO SHEPHERD! FOR WITHOUT JESUS YOU CANNOT INHERIT THE PROMISE OF THE PSALM’S ENDING TO GOD’S CHILDREN: “SURELY GOODNESS AND MERCY SHALL FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE; AND I WILL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER.”
SURRENDER TO JESUS, FULLY, TO BE YOUR GOOD SHEPHERD. BY FAITH, TRUST THAT HE KNOWS THE EXACT WAY THROUGH YOUR JOURNEY OF LIFE AND WILL SEE YOU SAFELY THROUGH.
YOU ARE NOT LEFT ALONE TO FEND FOR YOURSELF IN THIS WORLD OVERCAST WITH THE “SHADOW OF DEATH.” YOU HAVE A SHEPHERD WHO LOVES YOU, WHO CARES FOR YOU, WHO PROVIDES FOR YOU, WHO GUIDES YOU, WHO PROTECTS YOU, WHO WATCHES OVER YOU AT ALL TIMES. JESUS IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. WALK WITH HIM. FOLLOW HIM.
