Untitled Sermon (2)

WE ALL WILL HAVE THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH

II. The Shepherd Protects (vv.4-5)

When we come to verse 4, we see a couple changes. In verses 1-3, the sheep are in the sunshine, in verse 4, they’re in the dark.

Psalm 23:4 LEBEven when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

“You…Your”

Notice how the pronouns for God change. In the first half, King David is worshipping the virtues of the Shepherd, using “He” and “His” to refer to YHWH. When we come to the second half, he speaks to the Shepherd more personally: “You are with me, your rod and your staff…you prepare…you anoint.”

When times were tough, God became more real to David. Have you experienced that?

Psalm 23:4 LEBEven when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

“walk in a dark valley” — “valley of the shadow of death,” KJV

The literal meaning of the valley imagery is a valley where the danger of death lurked because of robbers and wild animals. One commentator identifies it geographically as “a path that runs between two cliff embankments.” In other words, no quick way out. But we walk “through” the valley. We don’t have to stay there. We must keep walking through this pandemic infested world. In one sense, the dark “shadow” of something is more ominous than what it represents. On the other hand, the shadow of, say a fierce dog, cannot possibly bite us, and the shadow of death cannot harm us if we stay close to the Shepherd. When there is a shadow there must be light somewhere near.

People don’t normally live on the tops of mountains.

We live in the lower areas.

We live in the valleys.

One of the things that I’ve definitely learned in this area is that the tops of mountains generally have very poor soil.

You can’t grow food there.

So, whereas I love mountains, I live in the valley.

We need to be thankful for the valleys

Overcome by the shadow of death

Turning to his oldest daughter, who was deeply grieving the loss of her mother, Barnhouse asked, “Tell me, sweetheart, would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?” Looking at her father, she replied, “By the shadow, I guess. It can’t hurt you.” Speaking to all his children, he said, “Your mother has not been overridden by death, but by the shadow of death. That is nothing to fear.”16 This response of Dr. Barnhouse is a great reminder to all of us that as Christians we have nothing to fear in death. Jesus has overcome the grave; he has conquered death and sin. His victory is our victory!

Psalm 23:4 LEBEven when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

“for you are with me”

The conjunction and pronoun “for you” begins the sentence to emphasize the Lord’s presence. David can deal with the valley of the shadow of death because he can say, “you are with me.”

Psalm 23:4 LEBEven when I walk in a dark valley, I fear no evil because you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

“your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

The rod was used as a weapon and for discipline, and the staff for support.