Psalm 23 is very well-known psalm, but it certainly packs a punch! This is the fourth study on this amazing psalm.
Verse 4 is a particularly powerful verse. We began to delve into this verse in the previous post where the psalmist makes some very strong statements. During times of distress or deepest darkness, he boldly declares that he will not fear that God is absent, because God is bound together with him, even through these awful times.
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)
The final part of the verse 4 says, “Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me,” and this is the part we want to delve into now.
Your rod comforts me
The shepherd’s rod or stick is a mark of the authority of the shepherd. It is primarily used for mustering or counting the sheep, particularly when bringing them into the sheep pen at night.
Two things spring to mind here. Firstly, each sheep matters, and is therefore carefully counted by the Shepherd. He always knows when something is up with one of His sheep.
Secondly, every sheep is part of a flock with other sheep around it. And the flock belongs to one shepherd. So none of us are ever alone. It is no accident that the word “rod” is the same Hebrew word for “tribe.” This is because the shepherd’s rod or stick comes from the branch of a tree – and the tribes of Israel are metaphorically “rods” from one “tree.” Jesus picks up a similar idea when He says, “I am the vine; you are the branches…” (John 15:5).
So the rod symbolises the authority of the shepherd, not just to care for each one of us individually, but that we are intimately connected – both to our shepherd and to other believers around us. This brings tremendous comfort during dark times.
Your staff comforts me
The staff, on the other hand, is like a walking stick. It’s something to lean on and has to do with trust and reliance.
In the Bible, this particular word for a staff is always mentioned alongside some kind of action to bring about something good – particularly some kind of provision (eg. 2 Kings 4:29-31; Judges 6:21; Numbers 21:18). We can lean on the Shepherd, who always acts for the good of His sheep.
You comfort ME
The word “comfort” has to do with breathing deeply or physically showing emotion. It’s always associated with action, not simply a “warmth” or a “nice thought.” In Psalm 23 it’s like God is actively breathing out comfort over His people.
And one of the key aspects of the rod and staff is about who they belong to. They belong to God, our Shepherd. He is the one breathing comfort in the valley of deepest darkness, through His rod and staff, and all they represent.
What does this mean for you right now? Are there any areas you need God to breathe out His comforting presence over you? Or maybe, like me, you just needed reminding that you are NOT alone. That God has placed you in a flock with many other “sheep” and that He is the One who knows the bigger picture – and maybe you need to simply rest and trust in His care for a while.
Comfort during despair
Towards the end of the Old Testament, the nation of Judah went through a particularly distressing time of deep darkness. They were invaded by the Babylonian army and the people were forcibly taken away into exile in Babylon.
It is into this darkness of utter despair that God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, saying “Comfort, comfort my people” (Isaiah 40:1), breathing out comfort to those who have been torn away from their homeland and everything they knew. They thought God had abandoned them – but He had not.
Just a few verses after crying out “Comfort, comfort”, Isaiah says of God:
He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.
Isaiah 40:11 (NIV)
You can feel the depth of the Shepherd’s love and care for His people in these verses. In fact, this whole passage proclaims a vision of God coming to his people with authority and with tremendous reassurance. Isaiah 40 powerfully and almost overwhelmingly pronounces God’s continuing plan for His people. God is coming to comfort his people in exile, and nothing will stand in his way!
While Isaiah 40 gives a reassurance of God as Shepherd who still cares for the whole nation of Israel, Psalm 23:4 is for each one of us as individuals. It’s a powerful declaration that even in the darkest times of our lives, God does not leave us. In fact, He is bound together with us, comforting us, and reminding us that we belong to Him.
