He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.
Psalm 23:1
Reflect
As I’m writing this, the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the United States has exceeded 40,000 and this virus is currently the leading cause of death in the U.S., surpassing heart disease and cancer. Whether or not we have been personally touched by one of these deaths, we are all feeling their weight. As a society, it certainly feels like we are walking through, what the King James translation calls, “the valley of the shadow of death” (verse 4). Is it really possible to “fear no evil”?
The Bible assures us that evil does not come from God. God could hardly be a comforting presence if he was the author of all that is bad in the world. Evil exists as a consequence of conscious rebellion and malignant sin that has infected all of creation. It was defeated on the cross and will be banished once and for all at the end of days. In the meantime, we will walk in its shadow, but we don’t have to walk alone.
It may be hard for us to understand, but the path that moves us through the dark valley can be one of the Shepherd’s “right paths,” same as the ones that lead to green pastures.[1] Ancient shepherds like David knew that both grass and water may well lie in or near canyons, where they are protected from the sun’s heat. Of course canyons are also places of danger. Predators go there for the same reason as sheep, and the shadow and the rocks provide them with hiding places from which to pounce. [2]
But the sheep are not afraid when walking through a canyon, even a very dark one, and Psalm 23 explains how this is possible. The sheep are with their shepherd and knows that they can trust in his care. His presence gives the sheep the courage to keep on walking.
It’s no coincidence that David has moved from talking about God, to talking directly to him. He says, “You are with me.” In the spring and summer months, shepherds and sheep might travel all through the countryside looking for good pastures. The Shepherd lived with his sheep and would never be far from them. He would walk alongside them, a constant and steady presence. The same is true of us. Our Shepherd is always with us and will never abandon us to walk through dark valleys alone.
One of my children struggled for years to sleep in her own room. As a little girl, her active imagination found monsters in every shadow or noise. She was afraid of being alone and I wanted her to know that she could trust that God was with her. Together we learned a song that put Isaiah 41:10 to music, “Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be afraid. I am your God I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you in my righteous right hand.” She was never alone.
Like shadow monsters in a child’s bedroom, there are times in life when fear exaggerates a threat. We can worry about all kinds of things that will never happen, or wouldn’t be so bad even if they did. Yet, there are also times when the threat is real. The predators lurking in the valley’s shadow do strike. Whether it is disaster, disease, violence, or some other kind of malevolence, the existence of evil becomes more than abstract worry. For a time, it becomes our reality. But it is never our complete reality. While the darkness is real, we know that Jesus overcomes the darkness and he will never leave us.
Our Shepherd is always there to strengthen us, help us, and hold us up. We can trust in his sovereign goodness and mercy. Like Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers, we can announce that what might have been meant for evil can be used by God for good. Even COVID-19.
What’s more, in times of suffering, we can experience God’s presence even more keenly when we’re in the dark. No matter the earthly outcome of our walk through the darkest valley, we can trust the one who conquered the grave, and who is leading us to dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Are you walking through a dark valley? How are you dealing with fear and anxiety these days? How can Psalm 23 help?
[1] Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973), 128.
[2] John Goldingay, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 1–41, ed. Tremper Longman III, vol. 1 (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006), 350.
Pray
Sit in silence before the Lord for a minute. When your mind starts to wander simply say, “here I am, Lord.” Then ask the Spirit to help you sort through your current worries and fears. Invite him to shine a light into your dark valley and reveal that he is right there with you.