Jump Start # 3877
Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Last week I was in Louisiana preaching. I have a favorite sermon from Psalms 23, “The View from the Valley,” that I preached. Spurgeon called this the “Pearl of all the Psalms.”
So, I thought I’d share some insights to this great Psalm. One of the difficulties one faces as they approach chapters like this in our Bibles is that we have read it so many times, and have seen it printed on posters, cross stitched, on greeting cards and funeral cards, that is is so familiar that we don’t really see it. We think we know it, but do we?
Begin with some textual observations. Written by David, who was a shepherd, the concepts of green pastures, quiet waters and deep canyons was something he experienced.
First, notice the activity of God. The Lord is busy in this chapter. He is leading. He is restoring. He is guiding. All though these short sentences, David recognized and realized that God was a part of his life.
Second, notice the personal nature of this Psalm. God is the Lord of Heaven and Earth. He was the God of Israel. But here in this chapter, it’s just David and the Lord. God is MY shepherd. He makes ME lie down. He leads ME. He restores ME. He prepares a table before MY enemies. Sometimes we hear folks squawking about a personal relationship with the Lord. If it is not personal, what is it? It sure is personal in Psalms 23.
Third, the chapter makes an incredible shift midway through these verses. It’s easy to miss. The chapter begins talking about God. The Lord is my shepherd. The Lord guides. The Lord leads. He is describing and talking about God. But in verse four, our verse today, the verse about valleys and death, a transition and a shift takes place. Instead of talking about God, David begins to talk to God. Right here in the middle of this chapter, a prayer forms. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil for YOU are with me. Did you see that. He doesn’t say the Lord is with me. He doesn’t say God is with me. But instead, it’s YOU. The chapter begins with The Lord is my shepherd and then in verse four YOU are with me.
Some lessons from the valley:
First, God intends for us to journey through the valley. Remember, as this is written, David is following the shepherd, God. He did not take a wrong turn. It wasn’t a mistake that put him in the valley. Following God, took him through the valley.
In ancient times, the sheep would pasture in the lowlands. As summer came, they would be moved to the higher lands where it was cooler. To reach that, they often had to travel through valleys. These were not green rolling hills, but deep canyons. A sudden rain and they would fill with water and death. Great places for dangerous animals or robbers to hide.
David wasn’t lost. He didn’t take a wrong turn. In the valley, he was following the shepherd. The shepherd was leading him through the valley. For us, it may be a season of grief that we are traveling through. For us, it may be a journey through a crisis that He leads us through. The valleys can be long. They can be scary. But, the Lord is there. God did not intend for David to live in the valley. God does not intend for you to live in your valley.
Second, the valleys are opportunities to draw close to the Lord and help others. When we are scared, we like to be close to one who will comfort us and help us. We tend to pray deeper when things are tough and uncertain. We tend to long for fellowship when things are upside down in our lives. Our verse tells us that God’s rod and staff comfort us. We are not left alone with our worries and fears. The comfort of Scriptures reminds us of God’s promises and the hope we have in Him.
Third, God intends for us to make it safely through to the other side. The valley is not supposed to defeat us. We are not to die in the valley. The valley does not win. With God, we journey through. With God our heads are anointed, our cups are overflowing, goodness follows us and we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. As the Romans were told, we are more than conquerors. We don’t barely make it. It’s a shut out. It’s a slam dunk. It’s a blow out.
Troublesome times may be here, as the hymn states. But that doesn’t mean there is trouble in my heart. I have a shepherd and that shepherd will see me safely to the other side as long as I stay with him and follow him.
Roger