DARK VALLEYS

Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff-they comfort me. — Psalm 23:4 (CSB)

Do you notice how David pens this first phrase? He does not say, “if I go through the darkest valley.” He writes, “when I go through the darkest valley.” The question is not whether we will go through a dark valley but when we will walk through one and how often. Life brings dark valleys.

Some say David wrote this psalm when he was young and a shepherd; however, as you read it, it seems evident that David is looking back and reflecting on his life. He is writing from the perspective of someone who has lived through dark valleys, and David walked through many. To be honest, David found himself in dark valleys for many reasons, sometimes because of his own sinful choices. However, regardless of the reason he found himself in a dark valley, he came to find one thing to be true: God is faithful. Too often we spend our time worrying about how we can try to avoid dark valleys, when we would be better served by getting to know the One who offers to guide us through these valleys. 

Some of you may be walking through a dark valley right now. Many of us memorized this as the “valley of the shadow of death.” That phrase is helpful because these dark valleys remind us of how frail we are. They give us a shadow of death and serve as a reminder of how short life is. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, David gives us insight into how we can walk through these valleys. While these valleys are difficult, we do not need to fear them. David is not saying that we should look forward to walking through them, but he is encouraging us that we can traverse them without fear. 

How can we walk through hard seasons of life without fear and anxiety? We can do so because the Lord is with us; He is our Shepherd. We don’t enter these valleys confident in our abilities. If you are walking in confidence in your own ability, you should be afraid. We are being compared to sheep, animals that do not have outstanding skills or self-defense mechanisms. Sheep are dependent creatures. Our confidence is not in our ability or skill but in our Shepherd. Just as He leads us to green pasture and quiet water, He is by our side when we are in dark and dangerous valleys. 

David reminds us that His rod and His staff are a comfort to us. What are His rod and staff? The rod is a short bat-like club that a shepherd would use to defend against would-be attackers. God protects His children. That does not mean life will be easy, but it does mean we can trust Him, and He will protect. There will be dangers in the valley, but we do not have to fear them. Through Jesus we can face them. The staff is a walking stick that looks like a cane with a hook end. The hook is used to guide the sheep. If a sheep is wandering and not paying attention to the voice of the shepherd, the shepherd will hook around its neck and lift the sheep’s head. Sheep are stubborn and strong when they are looking down. However, when a shepherd lifts the sheep’s head with his staff, they become much easier to guide. The Lord does this for us. There are times when we wander away, and He intervenes to lift our heads. When our heads are down and focused on this world and its temporal treasures, we can wander. At times like this, the Lord will raise our heads to bring our focus back onto Him; and in so doing, He leads us to the right paths. God’s rod and staff are not always comfortable, but they are always for our good. They are a comfort to us when we walk through the darkest valleys. 

As you read this you are either in a dark valley, or you will face one. Do not fear the valley; have faith in your Shepherd. Set your eyes on Him and walk forward without fear.

I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth. As You sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.— John 17:14-18