Psalm 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
3 he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me;
Verse 4 of our beloved 23rd Psalm makes a bold claim, 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me. I don’t think it’s terribly realistic to believe that we won’t be afraid when life lands us in one of those awful, dark valleys. That belief could actually do us more harm than good the next time something happens that leaves us truly afraid. But, I also believe that internalizing and claiming these promises of hope and assurance is vital to our spiritual health.
King David, who wrote this Psalm, knew what it was like to be persecuted, shamed, abandoned, and betrayed. He also knew the agonizing pain of sinning against God and his neighbor. David’s assurance of God’s presence, even in the darkest valley, comes from experience.
4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil, for you are with me;
There will be times in each of our lives when we are afraid – for our safety, for our health, for our loved ones, for our souls. Carrying the 23rd Psalm in the depths of our minds & spirits keeps us focused on God’s great love for us. With that assurance, we can claim God’s peace before we even begin to feel it.
Prayer: Lord God: Thank you for your Word of comfort and assurance spoken from the beautiful, flawed, faithful, human heart of King David. AMEN