What are the rod and staff in Psalm 23?

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.

It is evident that the words "Staff" and "Rod" do not imply "correction" or "chastisement;" whether my Christian reader take the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" for this world, as a scene of death, or for death, the hour of departure, itself. For, if applied to a believer's life in this world, it is evident, from the Word, that "Staff" and "Rod" cannot mean "correction," as many take it; — for "no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous," whatever the result may be, and therefore it could not be said in this sense, "they comfort me." But if applied to the hour of death or departure, how could we for a moment entertain the thought of Christ "chastening" or "correcting" His suffering ones at that moment? The very thought would be monstrous. "Thy Staff and thy Rod they comfort me." Thus it is clear that the meaning of those two words must be a widely different one, viz., "Staff" in the sense of "support," and "Rod" in the sense of "power and authority," as it was in the hand of Moses, when he lifted up his rod and stretched out his hand over the Red Sea, and the waters were divided, and the people walked on dry land in the midst of the sea. So the "Staff and Rod" of Him, of Whom Moses and his rod is a type, support and comfort His feeble flock, whilst passing through the "Valley of the Shadow of Death," so that we can always say, if truly leaning upon Him, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"

When Bethany, that little "green spot" of true refreshment to the heart of that heavenly Stranger, Whose meat and drink it was to do the will of His Father Who sent Him, had, for a time, assumed the general character of the "Valley of the Shadow of Death," and bore the deserted aspect of death; when every head and heart there was bowed under the shadow or power of death, which had asserted its claim even upon him whom the Lord loved; there was One, moving in that place of death and consternation with the calmness of Divine Majesty. He could say, I am the resurrection and the life." His head was shining in the sunlight of resurrection, whilst His feet were walking through the dark "Valley of the Shadow of Death," until that blessed glorious head itself was bowed upon the cross, but only to utter the words, "It is finished!" Was it not the Staff of that good and great Shepherd that supported and comforted those two drooping lambs of His flock with the words, "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die," — before He lifted up the Rod of authority and power at the mouth of the grave, and spoke the word of Divine command, "Lazarus, come forth!"

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!

In Psalm 23, which has been a solace to the people of God throughout the centuries, the Psalmist says "Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." The rod (or, sceptre) conveys the thought of correction and the staff that of support, but the comfort itself is experienced because both correction and support are known as in the company of the Shepherd, for the verse reads, "Thou art with me: Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me." As we pass through a scene unable of itself to yield any element of comfort, and filled as it is with all kinds of moral dangers, how comforting it is to know that the "Sceptre shall rise" and destroy all that is found in opposition to God and to His people (Numbers 24:17), and will also maintain that which is right and consistent with His own nature (Psalm 45:6).

There are many Scriptures which convey the thought of comfort as connected with the rod of the Lord. In Ezekiel 20:37 we read, "I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." Again in Jeremiah 33:13-14, Jehovah speaks of His flock as counted under the rod, saying "I will perform that good thing which I have promised." Then, too, in Micah 7:14, we have the words, "Feed Thy people with Thy rod, the flock of Thine heritage." As we contemplate the comfort which God has in mind for His earthly people as passing them under the rod, dealing with them thus because they are His, shall we not value with increased appreciation the grand objective which the Lord has in view for His people in our own day as He passes us under the rod of correction, removing in the chastening that which is inconsistent with Himself in order that "we might be partakers of His holiness," (Hebrews 12). What positive comfort such words are to the heart that truly loves the Lord, and desires to be here for His interests.

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.

W. B. D. The rod may speak of power (compare Exodus 7:10-12; 17:5, etc.), or, as is generally supposed, of correction, while the staff is for support. But whether His power, His correction, or His support, all are for our "comfort" in difficult circumstances.

A. F. P. I have thought that the rod with its crook would be used by the Shepherd to help the sheep out of a ditch back into the path, or to restrain it from straying into danger. The Shepherd would use the staff to drive off savage beasts. In Palestine they were in the habit of carrying a club for this purpose. In other words, what comforts the one who has to pass through the valley is the Shepherd's power to direct and to protect.

P. V. W. All that the rod in the hand of Moses meant to the people of Israel (see Exodus 15:16; 17:5) Christ Jesus is to us now, He who opened the sea for our deliverance from a worse bondage than Israel's. The staff occupies a large place in Scripture, and is a symbol of support and strength. For us, Christ is the reality of what the staff implies, to sustain the Christian through this life. Every other staff, every other confidence fails. Christ is the true Priest — not encompassed with infirmities as Aaron — Who can carry His people through the whole journey to the end. He is God's wisdom and resource for us, in all circumstances and in all things.

W. B. D. The rod may speak of power (compare Ex. 7:10-12; Ex. 17:5, etc.), or, as is generally supposed, of correction, while the staff is for support. But whether His power, His correction, or His support, all are for our "comfort" in difficult circumstances.

A. F. P. I have thought that the rod with its crook would be used by the Shepherd to help the sheep out of a ditch back into the path, or to restrain it from straying into danger. The Shepherd would use the staff to drive off savage beasts. In Palestine they were in the habit of carrying a club for this purpose. In other words, what comforts the one who has to pass through the valley is the Shepherd's power to direct and to protect.

P. V. W. All that the rod in the hand of Moses meant to the people of Israel (see Ex. 14:16; Ex. 17:5) Christ Jesus is to us now, He who opened the sea for our deliverance from a worse bondage than Israel's. The staff occupies a large place in Scripture, and is a symbol of support and strength. For us, Christ is the reality of what the staff implies, to sustain the Christian through this life. Every other staff, every other confidence fails. Christ is the true Priest — not encompassed with infirmities as Aaron-Who can carry His people through the whole journey to the end. He is God's wisdom and resource for us, in all circumstances and in all things.

The humanity of Christ is the assurance of the truth from man's lips here, "Thou art ever with me"; and in what follows — "Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me" — while the original figure of the shepherd suggests the language, it would seem as if the full truth had burst through this envelope, and we were made to feel the human tenderness which sought its objects among the sons of men. The rod, it is true, is still the symbol of authority; but the "staff" is, according to the derivation, "what one leans upon," and can hardly apply to the Shepherd in this way, though it be still His staff. It is His word which is thus the stay of the soul; that which, going with us into the furnace of trial, is proved by the same furnace as we ourselves are. Every believer's experience is full of assurance as to this.

Further on, we read that "Israel bowed himself on the staff." (This would appear to be the correct reading of Gen. 47:31. The LXX have it thus, as also the Apostle in Heb. 11. The difference is simply in the vowel points, which would alter the word from mittah to matteh.) A great contrast with the wagon is the staff, which is an emblem of the word of God, as the support and defence of the soul. There must be importance in this apparently slight action of Jacob's, or we should not have had it twice recorded. The staff is connected with the rod in Psalm 23, "Thy staff and Thy rod they comfort me:" that is, not only is the supporting staff comforting, but the chastening rod is so — being a proof of a Father's love and care. The fact is that now Jacob returns to the simplicity of entire dependence on God. In the midst of his prosperity he had said that with only his staff he had set out and crossed Jordan, and that since then he had got great wealth. Now he is going to leave it all and come back to the bare staff; leaning on that alone he worships God. As Antaeus, when brought to the ground, uprose with increased vigour received from its contact; so Jacob, now brought down to the staff, receives an exaltation of spiritual power which closes his troubled and pathetic life in lofty praises and far-reaching prophecies.

Alexander Duff was the first missionary sent out to India by the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. His name is deservedly held in reverence for his devoted service to Christ. A man of extraordinary eloquence and of statesmanlike ability, his zeal carried him far in the service of God. In 1849 he travelled on horseback from Simla to Kotghur. His road lay along a narrow bridle-path, cut out from the face of the precipitous rock. He was much interested in watching a shepherd. He carried in his hand a long rod, a crook fashioned at one end of it, the other consisting of a heavy iron band. If a sheep wandered too near the precipice, the shepherd would gently catch its hind leg with the crook and draw it back into a place of safety; if a dangerous beast attacked the flock the heavy weighty end was used as an instrument of defence. Thus was illustrated the verse, “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”