City Life Starter

The Word: 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.

You already know what this verse says; it’s one of the most quoted verses of all time. David generally says he trusts God so much that it soothes his fears and comforts him. Since most of us already know the correct answer, I think we’ll get more out of it by learning the two things he’s not saying:

He’s not saying evil isn’t close by and dangerous.

 

 

Valleys make you an easy target; they give your enemies clear visibility of you, and their projectile weapons gain extra momentum as they travel with gravity toward you. It’s a dangerous place, and even this encouraging verse doesn’t deny that. David is not promising that the enemy will never hurt you; even the Garden of Eden, a place filled with God’s presence, didn’t prevent evil from slithering in and causing catastrophe. However, David says that fear will never help you, even when it feels like evil is winning. Fear is always nonproductive; while clinging to God’s sovereignty will always be the best choice.

He’s not saying you shouldn’t feel sad.

 

 

Sheep understand the shepherd’s rod and staff as signs of guidance and discipline; they regularly see these objects held by their leader and feel the pain inflicted by said objects when they misbehave. In addition, the Hebrew word often translated as “comfort me” can also be understood as “console”, “regret”, or “appease”. Overall, it’s a soft emotion in reaction to a negative event. Many people hear “comfort” and imagine being happily snuggled up in bed, while this word means something different. David’s not saying that discipline or being led through scary valleys should make you happy, but that God will humble you away from opposition or pride. It’s okay to not feel joy during distress, as long as we remain faithful to God’s will.