How can we confidently say, "I will fear no evil," as in Psalm 23:4?

The Psalmist now waxes more bold. He has told us what Jehovah is, and what He does. This gives him confidence, and he is consequently able to say, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me" (Ps. 23:4). The valley of the shadow of death is not so much passing through death, as the character of our pathway through this scene. We are passing through a judged world. Death hangs over it like a pall; and hence to the believer, who enters into God's thoughts about it, it is the valley of the shadow of death. But what is his antidote against fear? It is that "Thou art with me." This indeed is the source of all our security and blessing — the Lord is with us. And being with us, we have His rod and His staff to comfort us — His rod to direct, and His staff to support. Do we sufficiently enter into this? Is it as constantly present to our souls as it should be — that the Lord is with us? and that His rod and His staff comfort us? The scene may be never so dark and desolate, and we may be never so weak and weary, but we have boundless resources in the One who is our Shepherd — His own presence to cheer our souls, and His rod and His staff to guide in perplexity, and to support in weakness. Blessed be His name!

46 Psalm 23 is so ordered by the Spirit as to apply to a dying Christ, or a saint who follows His footsteps, or the preserved remnant. It does not consider the sufferings of Christ from God, or from man, nor those of the faithful, save as mere facts and occasions of Jehovah's care. Its subject is "Jehovah is my Shepherd" - the constant unfailing care exercised by Him. It is a life spent under His care and eye, come what will, the experience it affords, and the assurance that Jehovah's love gives to the end and for ever. It is not what He gives which assures the heart, but Himself. "Jehovah is my Shepherd; I shall not want." Power, grace, goodness, interest in the faithful One, all assure; and assure in all circumstances and for ever and always. He has undertaken and has charged Himself with the care of His faithful ones. These cannot want. We have not to think of what may come, or what means may be employed. The Shepherd's care is our assurance. The natural fruit of this care is fresh and green pastures in security the peaceful enjoyment of the sure refreshings of goodness. But in fact man, specially the remnant, and Christ Himself, are in the midst of oppressing sorrow, and death, and in presence of mighty enemies. Is the soul troubled and bowed down? He restores it. Does it go through the valley of the shadow of death? does death cast its dark gloom over the spirit that must go down into its shade? He is there, greater than death, to guide and sustain. Are powerful and relentless enemies there to alarm and threaten? They are powerless before Him. He dresses a table for His beloved, where they sit down in safety, and secure. Divine unction is the seal of power when all is against us. Human weakness, death, and spiritual powers of wickedness, all are only the occasions to shew most evidently that Jehovah, the Shepherd, is the infallible safeguard of His people.

The threat of adverse circumstances is always present to try the believer, as is illustrated in the case of sheep exposed to the danger of enemies, of noxious weeds, of rough terrain. We "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" (v. 4). This is not walking through death itself, but the valley of its shadow, which is the world, which has always the shadow of death hovering over it, and is seen as such by the believer in the Lord Jesus more clearly than men of the world see. The psalmist does not minimize the danger, but is fully aware of it, yet he can confidently say, "I will fear no evil." The reason for this is immediately added, " For You are with me." A realization of the presence of the Lord is a most wonderful comfort for the believer. How can we possibly fear if we see Him walking beside us?

"Your rod and your staff they comfort me." His rod is that of firm authority. A shepherd may use the rod for destroying or scattering enemies; thus, the believer does not need to fear his enemies. We are told also that in cases of a sheep being determined to wander, a shepherd may use his rod to break the sheep's leg, so that it may learn to be obedient. In such a case even chastening results in comfort.

But if we pass the way of the valley we have company, and such company — the One who has already been through death's dark flood journeys with us. Well may we say, "I will fear no evil; for THOU ART WITH ME."

But there is yet a fourth reason why we need fear no evil, for the Psalmist says, "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." The rod is for defence, and the staff is for support. Does the enemy make a last attack upon the believer as he enters the valley of death? Then let not the believer fear for the Lord is there with His rod to defend His sheep, and drive off the enemy. Is the sheep fearful by reason of his weakness in the presence of death? Let him not be discouraged, for the Lord is there with His staff to support.

First, he was only going "through" the valley. We do not fear when we go into a tunnel, because we know we do not go in never more to come out. We are going "through" and on the other side is the bright sunshine. The valley indeed is dark, for over it is the shadow of death, but on the other side is the everlasting day — the morning without clouds.

Second, we must not forget it is but the "shadow" of death. When the good Shepherd took His lonely way down into the dark valley of death it was to bear the "substance" of death in all its terror, as the wages of sin. If the believer is called to go through the valley it is only the "shadow" we have to meet. The penalty of death has been paid, the sting of death is gone.

Nevertheless, if the LORD is our Shepherd, we can say with the Psalmist, "I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me." The Lord can say, "If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death" (John 8:51). The Lord does not say, he will not pass through it, but he shall not see it. Those who stand round the death-bed of a dying saint may indeed see death, but the one that is actually stepping down into the dark valley sees JESUS. Even so, if we have to pass that way it is only passing "through." And the journey through is very short; for is it not written, "Absent from the body … present with the Lord." And in that passage through the valley, not only is the Lord with us, but He is present with His rod and His staff — the rod to drive off every foe, the staff to support us in all our weakness.

See what thought he had about God! He does not say, I must get my soul restored and then go to God; but "he restoreth my soul." It is not said, If any man repent, but "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." Who can restore but He? There may be something to correct in us, if not actually a fall — hardness in my heart, which trouble shows me, etc. For our good in this way, He sends trouble — the soul needs ploughing up, and cannot tell what God is doing — as well as that which is our proper portion as followers of Him who was the "man of sorrows." But when He does restore, it is "for his name's sake." Here am I, a poor failing wretched creature, and the Lord comes in and restores. Why? "For his name's sake." Whatever I am, God is for me, and not only in this way, but also against enemies. "Though I walk through the valley," etc. Man had reason to quail at death, before Christ came, for death was the wages of sin, Genesis 3; but now we need "fear no evil," death is "our's" now: "the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead." If they took my life, they could not hurt me, for I was trusting to One Who could raise me; Paul meant to say, If they take this life I have lost nothing; nay, it is positive gain, for it hastens me on the road. Death is not terrible now. Why? "Thou art with me," terrible without. "Thy rod," etc., not only a rod, but "Thy rod," etc. I shall fear no evil. Why? Because no one can compete with God. Death is the very thing by which Christ has saved me, and it is by that He will take me into His presence: "absent from the body present with the Lord." "Though I walk," etc., it may come as a trial to exercise my soul, well, I have to remember, "Thou art with me."

The starting-point of Christian experience is "God for us"; and "if God be for us, who can be against us?" I am the object of His favour, which is better than life. "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters." I shall find good everywhere. I shall lie down, no one making me afraid. Though the wolf may prowl in the way, I lie down in green pastures. It is "He leadeth me," and that must be in perfect peace and enjoyment "beside the still waters." This is the natural Christian state. We realise all things ours, for God is for us; therefore we may lie down. We shall have conflict, etc., but amidst it all enjoyment. If the sorrow gets between our souls and God so as to produce distrust, it is sin. Even if sin comes in, sad as it is, He can restore the soul. Whether from trouble, or from offending, He can restore. See what thoughts are here given about God! The Psalmist does not say, I must get my soul restored, and then go to God, but "He restoreth my soul." So "if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father." Who can restore but He? There may be something to correct in us, if not actually a fall. There may be hardness in my heart, which trouble shews me, and the like. For our good in this way He sends trouble, as well as that which is our proper portion following Him who was the "Man of sorrows." But if He restores, it is "for His name's sake." Here am I, a poor, fainting, wretched creature, and the Lord comes in and lifts me up - why? "For his name's sake." Whatever I am, God is for me; and not only in this way, but also against enemies. "For, though I walk through the valley," etc. (v. 4). Man had reason to quail at death before Christ came; but now in the fullest sense, we need "fear no evil." Death is "ours" now. "We have the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raiseth the dead." If they took my life, they could not hurt me, for I am trusting to One who could raise me. Paul as good as says, If they take this life, I have lost nothing; nay, it is positive gain, for it hastens me on the road. Death is not terrible now. Why? "Thou art with me." It is terrible without this. "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." It is not a rod, but Thine, so I shall fear no evil. No one can compete with God. Death is the very thing by which Christ has saved me, and it is that by which He will take me into His presence - " Absent from the body, present with the Lord." It may come as a trial to exercise my soul. Well, I have to remember, "Thou art with me."

Secondly, the believer that looks up stedfastly to Christ in the glory will be a man that is supported by Christ in heaven. This does not necessarily mean that the Christian will be kept from trial. He may, indeed, be allowed to pass through the most terrible trials, even as Stephen who was falsely charged with blasphemy, cast out of the city, and stoned out of the world. But if Stephen is not kept from trial, he is sustained in the trial and brought through the trial. In these terrible circumstances he realises the truth of the Lord's words, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned" (Isa. 43:2). Thus, with the stones falling upon him, Stephen is called to pass "through the valley of the shadow of death": but he fears no evil for the Lord is with him to support him, and glory is before him.

What is the point of safety in this psalm? "Thou art with me". Here the sheep turn their eyes away from the dangers to the shepherd and his business was to deal with adversaries and foes, the grievous wolves. If sheep are in danger their safety is found in the shepherd. Have you every pondered the words, "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me"? That rod is something like a club, two foot long with a bulb on the end, perhaps a nail as well, a tremendous weapon against wild beasts, and if you are in the hands of a shepherd who loves you so much that he is prepared to give his life for you, you are safe, and that shepherd is Jesus. My dear friend, we can approach the valley of the shadow of death in all confidence. In the first three verses of Psalm 23 David speaks about the Shepherd - "the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want", but when he gets down to verse 4 he no longer talks about the Shepherd, he talks to the Shepherd - "Thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me". Some connect the valley of the shadow of death only with the circumstances of death, but rather it seems to me that it represents the whole of our pathway, all is connected with danger, but safety is found in Him who is the Shepherd, the God of the valley.