Today we’re going to look at one of the most powerful verses of Psalm 23 – verse 4. It’s powerful because it counteracts one of the biggest lies we hear, or we tell ourselves, when we are struggling through difficulties – the lie that we are alone; that no-one cares; that God has turned His back on us.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)
I know I’ve read this verse in the past and given mental assent to it. I’ve said “Yes, I know on an intellectual and theological level that God is always with me, but I don’t feel it, or know it on the inside.”
So I want to invite you to join me as we unpack the truth and reality of this verse for each of us who find ourselves in the “deepest darkness” or walking through the “valley of the shadow of death.”
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”
The Bible never shies away from the awfulness that life can be at times. “Deepest darkness” is the strongest word in Hebrew for darkness. If you know anything of what Job went through in the Old Testament, you will understand why the book of Job has the most references to the “valley of deepest darkness” in the Bible. Maybe, like Job, you are familiar with this dark valley. If so, this verse is for you.
“I will fear no evil”
The psalmist maintains that even in the valley of deepest darkness, “I will fear no evil.” The Hebrew word used here for “evil” (ra) has to do with a lack of the things of God. In essence he is saying, “I will not fear an absence of God.” It’s a declaration that even in this dark place, the Shepherd has not abandoned me.
In the Old Testament, ra is often contrasted with “good.” It is the opposite of God’s “goodness.” God is good – that’s part of who He is – and His goodness brings order and function. We clearly see this in Genesis 1 when God created the world and called it “good.” Everything in creation was in its right place and was fully functioning. But ra is the opposite of “good.” Ra has to do with disorder and dysfunction – ie. bad or evil. It’s the absence of God.
So the psalmist says, in effect, “even though I walk through the valley of deepest darkness, I will not fear disorder and dysfunction, because I do NOT have the absence of God. God my good Shepherd IS with me.” This is a powerful statement that counteracts the lie of God’s absence. He is saying “I am not closed off from God.” As mentioned in a previous post, verse 6 goes on to say that God’s goodness (which encompasses all that He is), is actually eagerly pursuing, chasing and actively running after me! That’s because God is my Shepherd, and the Shepherd cannot help but love and pursue His sheep.
In the Old Testament, ra is also contrasted with Shalom. Shalom doesn’t just mean peace; it means wholeness, completeness, fulfillment in every sphere. God IS wholeness, completeness and fulfilment – and He is the One who provides all these things. But Ra is the opposite of this. So the psalmist is saying “I will not fear an absence of wholeness, completeness and fulfilment, because I do NOT have the absence of God.”
“For you are with me”
Why will I not fear the absence of God? – because the Shepherd is with me. The word “with” has the sense of fellowship, companionship, and common experiences of suffering. It stresses a very close relationship and togetherness – with the root word meaning to tie or bind together. So God, the Shepherd isn’t just beside me, but He is in the centre of this deep darkness, bound together WITH me.
God is there, bringing His goodness, His wholeness, His comfort, His peace and His presence. On the strength of this verse, we can denounce everything that ra would like to tell us is true. God is not absent, but WITH me – even in the valley of deepest darkness, whether I feel it or not.
Can you see why verse 4 is one of the most powerful verses of Psalm 23? It counteracts the lie that says we are alone; that no-one cares; that God has turned His back on us. He has not!
So let’s stand together on God’s word today, boldly declaring alongside the psalmist, “I will not fear the absence of God – for my Shepherd is with me!”
