KNOW THE SHEPHERD…KNOW NO FEAR

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

What an incredible scene. The day is ending and the shepherd is leading the sheep back to safety for the evening. As they go down through a narrow gorge the long shadows lie across the trail. In the Hebrew this is a "valley of deep shadows". The sheep, because they are so timid and defenseless, are frightened by their experience. But they trust the shepherd, and sense comfort. Their fears melt because the shepherd is with them.

Similar words are found in the New Testament -- "I will never leave you nor forsake you," (Hebrews13:5). Hence we can also say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do to me," (Hebrews13:6).
Have you ever felt scared? Alone? Abandoned? The circumstances of life can so often make us feel this way, but the truth of God’s Word is that He will not leave, He will not forsake. What comfort. His presence means that we also have His protection.

The Psalm goes on to say, "Your rod and staff comfort me." The rod was a club used to drive off wild animals. It was never used on the sheep but was a heavy instrument used to protect the sheep from marauding predators. The staff was a slender pole with a little crook on the end. It was used to aid the sheep. The crook could be hooked around the leg of a sheep to pull him from harm. Or it could be used as an instrument to direct, and occasionally to discipline the sheep, with taps on the side of the body.

One commentator that I ready said it this way: Understanding how the shepherd tends his sheep has helped me so much in understanding the character of God. When I go wandering away he doesn't say, "There goes that stupid sheep!” and -- WHAP! down comes that big club! No. His attitude is, "Well, there's one of my very own, wandering away again. How can I help him? How can I move in to bring him back into line? How can I comfort him, and supply what he needs?" He may have to discipline, but he always does it in love. He reproves, corrects, encourages, and instructs in righteousness, dealing with us firmly and gently.

The rod and staff are also used against the two greatest enemies we have to face. The rod is for the enemy without, Satan, who is working through the world system to destroy us. Jesus said, "He is a liar and a murderer." He's out to devour us, and so the Lord uses the club on him. But the other enemy is me, the enemy within. In the immortal words of Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." I know that. The shepherd's staff is used to chasten, and to subdue the enemy within. But the confidence he gives is that I have nothing to fear, either from the enemy without, or from the enemy within.