Though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil – Psalm 23:4
In this psalm, we see God as the good shepherd. It is a beautiful, metaphorical picture of God as a gentle, caring, protective presence, and this is how we should understand our Creator.
But a shepherd’s job is not only to lead his sheep to safe and peaceful pastures, but to keep them away from danger. He protects them from harm, and he provides nourishment and refreshment as they journey through life.
The speaker here sees God as a shepherd who is both gentle and protective, and who also nourishes his flock by providing them with spiritual food and drink through his word. As a result, the speaker is not only able to live in a world of peace and calm, but also to face the hard journeys that life inevitably brings.
As the author of A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, pastor and author Phillip Keller illuminates this poem in a way that makes it more applicable to us in our everyday lives. He explains how this psalm reflects the experience of David, a man who grew up as a shepherd and was later a king.
This psalm is a poem of trust, a prayer of confidence that God will provide for the psalmist as they face life’s hardships. It is a psalm of faith, and as such is one of the most beautiful, evocative, and moving psalms in the Bible.
