What does it mean to walk through the valley of the shadow of death (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!

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.

What then is the meaning of those solemn words, "Valley of the Shadow of Death?" Without gainsaying the interpretation, of v. 4 in the sense of death generally, and its application to the future Jewish remnant especially, when they will have to pass through unprecedented troubles (Dan. 12) which will usher in the millennial era of unprecedented earthly blessings; and without desiring in the least to impair the comfort many a departing Christian may derive, and has derived, from this precious verse; yet I fully believe that this expression conveys more than merely death. It is "The Valley of the Shadow of Death," that is, this earth, the narrow and dark place ("the valley,") where the shadow, i.e., the power of death, has its sombre sway. Every reader familiar with Scripture, will be aware that the word "shadow" is used in the Bible in a fourfold sense. In its literal meaning of a cool place, protected from the heat, or, in the spiritual sense of refreshment. In the sense of frailty, and passing away. Or it means figure, or type; in which sense it only occurs in the New Testament. And — In the sense of power.*

“The valley of the shadow of death” does not mean the death-bed—it may include that, but it is more. It is the road that the pilgrims tread as they journey to the house of the Lord: their dwelling-place for ever. That road lies through the world, and the outstanding event in the annals of this world is the murder of the Lord—“ the princes of this world . . . crucified the Lord of glory .” It is this, first and foremost, that makes it the valley of the shadow of death to those who love Him.

"The valley of the shadow of death" does not mean the death-bed — it may include that, but it is more. It is the road that the pilgrims tread as they journey to the house of the Lord: their dwelling-place for ever. That road lies through the world, and the outstanding event in the annals of this world is the murder of the Lord — "the princes of this world … crucified the Lord of glory." It is this, first and foremost, that makes it the valley of the shadow of death to those who love Him.

But do not be surprised if the way winds at times through darkness and gloom. You may be called to walk THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH. That does not mean when you come to your death-bed, it may of course include that, though countless Christians have proved that when they came to that crisis in their soul's history there was not even a shadow. This world is the valley of the shadow of death for the one who loves the Lord. "Where thou lodgest I will lodge, and where thou diest will I die, and there will I be buried," said the Moabitish Ruth to her mother-in-law, and she is the example for all time of unselfish, devoted love. You said that to the Lord in your baptism, and in taking up your cross you carry that decision out in practical living. If you had seen a man carrying his cross in the day when the Lord was here you would have said, That man is as good as dead to this world, he is on his way to execution. That is it, he would be treading the valley of the shadow of death. But the Psalmist did not stop at "the valley of the shadow of death," he completed the sentence and he made the valley ring with triumph. Said he,

Christians often fear death. As old age approaches the fear sometimes becomes acute. As someone has said, It is the dying they fear, not death. It is the weakness and pain and difficulty of dissolution that fills them with foreboding, not the thought of being actually with the Lord. How this might be alleviated if the thought of the arrow sharpened by love were kept in mind.

The fact is, we shall not get grace for dying till the dying time arrives, if the Lord does not come first. Let us then seek grace for living; if old and feeble, grace to live in that condition—which grace the Lord will abundantly minister, if we only seek it. Let the grace for dying not trouble us. It will come when it is needed. The Lord will not fail us “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me,” is as true for the end of the journey as for only a portion of it, for “the valley of the shadow of death” surely means the whole of our life in this world. Let our minds dwell on the heavenly scene. Let us be at home with the Lord now, and we shall rejoice to think that we shall actually be with Him where He is, in that land of pine delight, for ever.

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.

(1) We are only "WALKING THROUGH" the valley. We do not fear when we enter a tunnel, because we believe we are going through it, and that soon we shall reach the bright sunshine on the other side of it.

(1) We are only “WALKING THROUGH” the valley. We do not fear when we enter a tunnel, because we believe we are going through it, and that soon we shall reach the bright sunshine on the other side of it.

(2) It is only the valley of death's “SHADOW.” When the Good Shepherd took His lonely way down into the dark valley it was to encounter 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 but the “shadow” that he has to meet.