Why Do Men Reject The Bible?
Voltaire was an 18th century French philosopher who was consumed with hatred for the Christian religion and for the Bible. He once said, “If we would destroy the Christian religion, we must first of all destroy man’s belief in the Bible.” From the beginning of time Satan’s war against God has centered its arsenal upon God’s Word, for all that men may know about God must be revealed by God Himself. In our present day, Satan’s strategy has not changed. The modern combatants of Christianity still follow this same path. The satanic assault of our day is still bent on the destruction of men’s faith in the Word of God.
Charles Darwin popularized the theory of evolution with his book Origin of Species. It might fascinate you to know that Darwin was not a scientist. Most of his formulations about evolution were penned upon his five year voyage around the world on a ship called the H.M.S. Beagle. In his 1887 autobiography, Darwin revealed some of the attitudes which I believe are at the heart of his advancement of evolution. Modern science has come to accept these refutable claims as “good science”. However, I believe Darwin was motivated by a hatred for God and His Word, more than he was motivated by a love for science.
Darwin wrote, “I had gradually come by this time to see the Old Testament, from its manifestly false history of the world, with the Tower of Babel, the rain-bow as a sign,…and from its attributing to God the feelings of a revengeful tyrant, was no more to be trusted than the sacred books of the Hindu’s, or the beliefs of any barbarian…” He went on to write, “I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so, the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother, and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished.” In light of this, Darwin described the teaching of eternal punishment as “a damnable doctrine”.
This reveals much about the opponents of the Bible: they refuse to accept what it says, so they must attack what it says. If the Bible can be relegated to the common place of literature or antiquarian writings, then it is no more than the musings of mad men, containing nothing of eternal value. If they are going to eradicate the idea of accountability to God, then they must eradicate the Bible that God wrote.
It has been well said that “Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.” To this I echo Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “Aye, there’s the rub”. From the common atheist to the theological liberal, those who attack and call into question the Word of God do not do so because of their desire to know the truth, but because they have seen the truth of God’s Word, and its light has manifested both their error and their evil!
Showing posts with label Devotional Blog David Smallwood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Devotional Blog David Smallwood. Show all posts
9/11 Through Psalm 23
Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me
Psalm 23:4, “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
Oh the peaceful consolation that comes from a personal consideration of the psalmist’s claim! In these precious words, we see David experiencing and enjoying a glorious calm of spirit and rest of soul! The sweet serenity that is conveyed here is based upon the understanding that the Great Shepherd is not only the source of all provision, but also of all protection! This, we have clearly seen in the picture and principle conveyed by looking at the significance of the Shepherd’s “rod”. However, the “comfort” which characterizes the praise of the psalmist is not solely based upon the divine defense found in the “rod”, but it is also based upon an understanding and application of the Shepherd’s “staff”, for he declares, “thy rod and thy staff THEY comfort me”! You see, though the “rod” and “staff” are dynamically different in the roles that they play in shepherding, they are essentially equal in the relaying of consolation to David’s soul!
As we have already seen, the “rod” and “staff” were indispensable instruments to the daily doings of the shepherd. And because it is so, every shepherd would carefully choose and craft each of these tools to suit them personally. The “staff”, like the “rod”, was developed from the wood of a sapling. It was made by cutting off the young tree above the base and the roots. The shepherd would then carve the wood into a long shaft, and he would bend the still pliable wood into a crook at one end of the shaft. After shaping the crook, the shepherd would tie the design firmly in place, and then, the wood was allowed to harden so that the “staff” would permanently hold its shape.
As was the case with the “rod”, the shepherd’s “staff” was also shaped specifically to fulfill its particular purpose. And, as different as these two instruments are in their design, so too, they are dissimilar in their individual function. While the “rod” was used primarily to defend the sheep from those predators and enemies which would seek make prey of them, the “staff” was used mainly in caring for the sheep themselves. The crook of the “staff” was used to draw out a sheep that had become caught in a bramble bush, or to lift up a sheep that may have fallen off a cliff on to a lower ledge. The shepherd would do this by maneuvering the crook under the front legs of the sheep and around its body so as to lift or pull them to safety. As well, the pointed tip of the “staff” was often used to firmly nudge the side of the sheep that was beginning to stray from the flock.
Perhaps the most extreme and severe usage of the “staff” was reserved for the sheep that were habitually or perpetually straying from the flock. In these cases, the shepherd would use the long straight shaft on the back of the “staff” inflict a hard blow to the front legs of the sheep. This hard strike was intended to break the front legs, in order to prevent the sheep from being able to stray again for some time. However, after meting out such a measure of punishment, the shepherd would then set the broken bones, bind up the legs in splints, and then carry the sheep until such a time as the sheep could stand on its own again.
Oh how very accurately this presents the tender care of our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ! Indeed, He is ever using His spiritual “staff” to withhold us from our wanderings! Our wonderful Lord is always keeping watch over His feeble flock, seeking to protect us, not only from those enemies that lurk without, but also from the foolishness that dwells within! Again and again we have seen and said that sheep are not only stubborn creatures, but they are stupid as well. And could there be a more dangerous and potentially destructive combination than these? In our stubbornness, we persist in our inclinations toward independent living, and in our stupidity, we convince ourselves that our confidence in the flesh is well founded. And yet, even while we persist in such a prideful pathway, the gentle voice of the Great Shepherd calls out to our self-confident souls saying, “Without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Do you see the prevailing point that is conveyed by the message of our Great Shepherd’s “staff”? While the “rod” illustrates our dependence on Christ’s care as a defense against our foes, the “staff” illustrates our need for His deliverance from the impulses and desires of own flesh!
Oh how very vile is the flesh and it’s perverse passions! In fact, Paul defined the depth of this problem when he declared, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18). Not only this, but he was also inspired of the Holy Spirit to define the dangerous potential that is found by putting faith in the flesh. He wrote to the believers of Galatia, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (Galatians 5:19-21). In fact, so serious is the situation with our flesh, that Paul warns the people of Philippi that we are to “have no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3)
Oh how woeful the warning, and yet, how wonderful the wisdom! We must be willing to acknowledge the fact that the possibility for perversity exists within each of us, and specifically, within our flesh! You see, though the believer has been given a new nature, having been made a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ, and though we are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10) by the new birth, yet still, we have the internal urges of our old nature with which to contend. Though Christ has, by His precious blood, made us “free from sin” to “become servants to God” (Romans 6:22) and “servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:18), yet still, we must daily contend with the corrupt desires of our foolish flesh, a flesh which ever “lusteth against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17). But even though we are fighting these perverse passions that lie within us, there is hope. In other words, we do not have to succumb to the sinful sensations of the flesh!
You see, at the moment that one takes Christ, by faith, to be his Saviour, God gives the precious Holy Spirit to “abide” with us and within us “forever” (John 14:16). It is this gracious gift which provides us with that power which is needed to persist and prevail in the walk and warfare of the Christian life! This is why Paul admonishes the believers of Galatia, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and YE SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.” (Galatians 5:16) In other words, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is the source of power, by which we are able to live the Christian life! Philippians 2:13 says, “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU both TO WILL and TO DO his good pleasure.” It is interesting that the word “worketh” comes from the Greek word (energeo), from which we also get the English word energize. Thus, God is ever operating within the believer in order to energize and enable us to desire and to do that which pleases Him!
Some might say, “I am not sure that I can overcome the wicked whims of my flesh!” And yet, Paul declared, “I can do all things through Christ WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME.” (Philippians 4:13) Others might say, “I don’t think I can win this war that is raging within me!” And yet, the Word of God assures us that God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US” (Ephesians 3:20). Rest in His promise, dear friend, and rely on His power! Though we cannot conquer our own flesh, though every effort to overcome by our own strength is futile, yet Christ “hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness”, and He has done so by “his divine power” (2 Peter 1:3)! And what is the source of that strength and power which He has given? It is none other than the indwelling Spirit of God, for Christ promised, “Ye shall RECEIVE POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8)!
Ah, but what of those who do not “walk in the Spirit”? What is to be the fate of those who stubbornly refuse to appropriate the power of the indwelling Holy Ghost, and instead, stray from the flock at the compulsions of their flesh? Even for these, God has made provision! You see, when we, like a defiant sheep, insist upon going our own way, God, in His great pity and compassion brings the chastening blow of His “staff” upon our souls so that our will might be broken. This is a painful but purposeful process! In fact, Hebrews 12:11 affirms this truth: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless AFTERWARD it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Just as the earthly shepherd chastens the wandering and wayward sheep of his flock, so too, our Heavenly Shepherd chastens us when we choose to stubbornly stray from His fold!
Oh how beautiful and blessed is the picture and promise that is seen in the “staff”! You see, the word “staff” translates from the Hebrew word (mish’eneh). The word means support, and it can be used to speak of support of every kind. In fact, the root of the word is the Hebrew word (mish’en), which translates “stay” in the King James Bible. For instance, in 2 Samuel 22:19 and Psalm 18:18, it translates, “But the Lord was my STAY.” Do you see the point dear friend? For all of our illustrations and suppositions, the ultimate message of the Shepherd’s “staff” is that Christ Himself is the supply of every support needed for His people! He is the source of our strength; He is the provider of that power by which we are able to conquer our fleshly self-will!
Think of it dear friend! We need not be defeated or destroyed by the passions of the flesh, for Christ has given us all that we need to walk in victory! Christ is “the true vine” (John 15:1) which supplieth every need within, so that we might be fruitful! God the Father is “the husbandman” (John 15:1) which provideth every need without, so that we might be faithful! Oh the completeness of the care which we have in our Great Shepherd! Fear not the lurking foes about you, for His “rod” is your defense! Fear not the lusting flesh within you, for His “staff” is your deliverance! Whether because of that purging which is wrought upon us, or because of that power which worketh within us, we need not despair, for we may lift up our voice with Paul and proclaim, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)!
Psalm 23:4, “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."
Oh the peaceful consolation that comes from a personal consideration of the psalmist’s claim! In these precious words, we see David experiencing and enjoying a glorious calm of spirit and rest of soul! The sweet serenity that is conveyed here is based upon the understanding that the Great Shepherd is not only the source of all provision, but also of all protection! This, we have clearly seen in the picture and principle conveyed by looking at the significance of the Shepherd’s “rod”. However, the “comfort” which characterizes the praise of the psalmist is not solely based upon the divine defense found in the “rod”, but it is also based upon an understanding and application of the Shepherd’s “staff”, for he declares, “thy rod and thy staff THEY comfort me”! You see, though the “rod” and “staff” are dynamically different in the roles that they play in shepherding, they are essentially equal in the relaying of consolation to David’s soul!
As we have already seen, the “rod” and “staff” were indispensable instruments to the daily doings of the shepherd. And because it is so, every shepherd would carefully choose and craft each of these tools to suit them personally. The “staff”, like the “rod”, was developed from the wood of a sapling. It was made by cutting off the young tree above the base and the roots. The shepherd would then carve the wood into a long shaft, and he would bend the still pliable wood into a crook at one end of the shaft. After shaping the crook, the shepherd would tie the design firmly in place, and then, the wood was allowed to harden so that the “staff” would permanently hold its shape.
As was the case with the “rod”, the shepherd’s “staff” was also shaped specifically to fulfill its particular purpose. And, as different as these two instruments are in their design, so too, they are dissimilar in their individual function. While the “rod” was used primarily to defend the sheep from those predators and enemies which would seek make prey of them, the “staff” was used mainly in caring for the sheep themselves. The crook of the “staff” was used to draw out a sheep that had become caught in a bramble bush, or to lift up a sheep that may have fallen off a cliff on to a lower ledge. The shepherd would do this by maneuvering the crook under the front legs of the sheep and around its body so as to lift or pull them to safety. As well, the pointed tip of the “staff” was often used to firmly nudge the side of the sheep that was beginning to stray from the flock.
Perhaps the most extreme and severe usage of the “staff” was reserved for the sheep that were habitually or perpetually straying from the flock. In these cases, the shepherd would use the long straight shaft on the back of the “staff” inflict a hard blow to the front legs of the sheep. This hard strike was intended to break the front legs, in order to prevent the sheep from being able to stray again for some time. However, after meting out such a measure of punishment, the shepherd would then set the broken bones, bind up the legs in splints, and then carry the sheep until such a time as the sheep could stand on its own again.
Oh how very accurately this presents the tender care of our Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ! Indeed, He is ever using His spiritual “staff” to withhold us from our wanderings! Our wonderful Lord is always keeping watch over His feeble flock, seeking to protect us, not only from those enemies that lurk without, but also from the foolishness that dwells within! Again and again we have seen and said that sheep are not only stubborn creatures, but they are stupid as well. And could there be a more dangerous and potentially destructive combination than these? In our stubbornness, we persist in our inclinations toward independent living, and in our stupidity, we convince ourselves that our confidence in the flesh is well founded. And yet, even while we persist in such a prideful pathway, the gentle voice of the Great Shepherd calls out to our self-confident souls saying, “Without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) Do you see the prevailing point that is conveyed by the message of our Great Shepherd’s “staff”? While the “rod” illustrates our dependence on Christ’s care as a defense against our foes, the “staff” illustrates our need for His deliverance from the impulses and desires of own flesh!
Oh how very vile is the flesh and it’s perverse passions! In fact, Paul defined the depth of this problem when he declared, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18). Not only this, but he was also inspired of the Holy Spirit to define the dangerous potential that is found by putting faith in the flesh. He wrote to the believers of Galatia, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like” (Galatians 5:19-21). In fact, so serious is the situation with our flesh, that Paul warns the people of Philippi that we are to “have no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3)
Oh how woeful the warning, and yet, how wonderful the wisdom! We must be willing to acknowledge the fact that the possibility for perversity exists within each of us, and specifically, within our flesh! You see, though the believer has been given a new nature, having been made a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17) in Christ, and though we are “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10) by the new birth, yet still, we have the internal urges of our old nature with which to contend. Though Christ has, by His precious blood, made us “free from sin” to “become servants to God” (Romans 6:22) and “servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:18), yet still, we must daily contend with the corrupt desires of our foolish flesh, a flesh which ever “lusteth against the Spirit” (Galatians 5:17). But even though we are fighting these perverse passions that lie within us, there is hope. In other words, we do not have to succumb to the sinful sensations of the flesh!
You see, at the moment that one takes Christ, by faith, to be his Saviour, God gives the precious Holy Spirit to “abide” with us and within us “forever” (John 14:16). It is this gracious gift which provides us with that power which is needed to persist and prevail in the walk and warfare of the Christian life! This is why Paul admonishes the believers of Galatia, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and YE SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST OF THE FLESH.” (Galatians 5:16) In other words, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is the source of power, by which we are able to live the Christian life! Philippians 2:13 says, “For IT IS GOD WHICH WORKETH IN YOU both TO WILL and TO DO his good pleasure.” It is interesting that the word “worketh” comes from the Greek word (energeo), from which we also get the English word energize. Thus, God is ever operating within the believer in order to energize and enable us to desire and to do that which pleases Him!
Some might say, “I am not sure that I can overcome the wicked whims of my flesh!” And yet, Paul declared, “I can do all things through Christ WHICH STRENGTHENETH ME.” (Philippians 4:13) Others might say, “I don’t think I can win this war that is raging within me!” And yet, the Word of God assures us that God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, ACCORDING TO THE POWER THAT WORKETH IN US” (Ephesians 3:20). Rest in His promise, dear friend, and rely on His power! Though we cannot conquer our own flesh, though every effort to overcome by our own strength is futile, yet Christ “hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness”, and He has done so by “his divine power” (2 Peter 1:3)! And what is the source of that strength and power which He has given? It is none other than the indwelling Spirit of God, for Christ promised, “Ye shall RECEIVE POWER, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8)!
Ah, but what of those who do not “walk in the Spirit”? What is to be the fate of those who stubbornly refuse to appropriate the power of the indwelling Holy Ghost, and instead, stray from the flock at the compulsions of their flesh? Even for these, God has made provision! You see, when we, like a defiant sheep, insist upon going our own way, God, in His great pity and compassion brings the chastening blow of His “staff” upon our souls so that our will might be broken. This is a painful but purposeful process! In fact, Hebrews 12:11 affirms this truth: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless AFTERWARD it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” Just as the earthly shepherd chastens the wandering and wayward sheep of his flock, so too, our Heavenly Shepherd chastens us when we choose to stubbornly stray from His fold!
Oh how beautiful and blessed is the picture and promise that is seen in the “staff”! You see, the word “staff” translates from the Hebrew word (mish’eneh). The word means support, and it can be used to speak of support of every kind. In fact, the root of the word is the Hebrew word (mish’en), which translates “stay” in the King James Bible. For instance, in 2 Samuel 22:19 and Psalm 18:18, it translates, “But the Lord was my STAY.” Do you see the point dear friend? For all of our illustrations and suppositions, the ultimate message of the Shepherd’s “staff” is that Christ Himself is the supply of every support needed for His people! He is the source of our strength; He is the provider of that power by which we are able to conquer our fleshly self-will!
Think of it dear friend! We need not be defeated or destroyed by the passions of the flesh, for Christ has given us all that we need to walk in victory! Christ is “the true vine” (John 15:1) which supplieth every need within, so that we might be fruitful! God the Father is “the husbandman” (John 15:1) which provideth every need without, so that we might be faithful! Oh the completeness of the care which we have in our Great Shepherd! Fear not the lurking foes about you, for His “rod” is your defense! Fear not the lusting flesh within you, for His “staff” is your deliverance! Whether because of that purging which is wrought upon us, or because of that power which worketh within us, we need not despair, for we may lift up our voice with Paul and proclaim, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57)!
8/30 Through Psalm 23
Thy Rod and Thy Staff They Comfort Me
Psalm 23:4, “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”
It’s an unusual phrase for many of us, but it’s one of great significance! In David’s day, the “rod” and “staff” were common components of the attire worn by shepherds, and thus, for the psalmist, it was quite natural to speak of these instruments when penning “The Shepherd Psalm”. But in this context, what makes this phrase so striking is the fact that the psalmist is not merely describing a middle-eastern shepherd; instead, he is speaking of and focusing upon the Master Shepherd, Jesus Christ. The “sheep of his pasture” are not common animals or literal sheep, but rather, they are “His people” (Psalm 100:3). The “pasture” in which He feeds us and the “paths” upon which He leads us are all spiritual symbolisms which convey the measure of His wonderful provisions for us. And so it is with the “rod” and “staff” as well, for they too are symbolic of the spiritual workings of Christ, our Great Shepherd, in our daily Christian life and experience. So the question is how are they so?
As we stated, the “rod” and “staff” were an integral part of shepherding in David’s time. Because of their importance, the shepherds of that day would have taken the time to select and to shape each one of these instruments themselves. These “tools of the trade” were so vital that each piece must be carefully chosen and meticulously crafted in order to sufficiently serve their purpose in the shepherd’s work. As you look at the historical customs of David’s time, you will find that both the “rod” and the “staff” were fashioned by using the wood from a young sapling tree. The “rod”, in particular, was designed by taking the sapling up by the roots and then cutting away those roots from the broader base to leave a knob. Then, the shepherd would cut away the other end of the sapling to shorten the length of the “rod”. He would then begin to whittle the whole piece of wood down to an acceptable weight so that he could use it like a club.
Once the design of the shepherd’s “rod”, with its thick, rounded, knob-like end, and its shorter and slightly more bulky frame was completed, it was used mainly as a means of defending the flock from the many lurking predators, such as wolves, lions, bears, and even thieves and robbers, that were always about, seeking to make prey of the defenseless sheep. The “rod” was used as a weapon to fight against these foes and to stave off an attack against the flock. The shepherds of David’s time would also have been very proficient at throwing the “rod” at an intended target with great accuracy and swiftness. This method was used for things such as serpents, in order to kill them or frighten them away. But in each one of these things, we see a prevailing theme and a particular truth. To put it simply, the main objective served by the “rod” was to defend the sheep of the flock from every external enemy that was seeking an occasion to harm or devour the sheep.
Oh how very actual the analogy that is set before us by the teaching of this truth! Oh how very perfect the picture that the psalmist has painted with these words! You see, we, like literal sheep, are ever the hunted prey of Satan, who, “like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8)! We, as part of the fold of God, are ever the target of “The thief”, which Christ said, “cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10)! And we, like those helpless little lambs of the literal folds and literal pastures, are incompetent, incapable, and impotent to wield our own defense! What have we in our pathetic and powerless selves to provide ample protection against such a formidable foe? What inherent weapon is in our personal arsenal that would be a match for the one who has at his disposal the ability to use, “power, and signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9), and who, by these wicked weapons, “deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9)? Indeed, there is nothing that we can do in the power of our fragile flesh to defeat these, “principalities…powers…rulers of the darkness of this world…spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12)! In our own strength, we are utterly helpless, and if we lean on our own strength, we will be ultimately defeated!
Ah, but isn’t that exactly the point? You see, though the necessity of the shepherd’s “rod” illustrates the ever present dangers which are always about the sheep, yet still, David is able to say, “I have ‘comfort’, even ‘in the presence of mine enemies’!” How could the psalmist find such a sweet peace of mind, while ever present dangers were lurking in the shadows of “the valley”? How is it possible that his soul could find a solace though he knew that “principalities” and “powers” were seeking to “devour” him as a helpless sheep? How could he enjoy the calm of inward consolation while feeding from a “table” that was prepared for him “in the presence of…enemies”? The answer is simple, dear friend! He had found this complete consolation, this sweet solace, this peace of mind; because he knew he could implicitly trust the care of The Great Shepherd! Don’t you see it? It is not the pathetic power of self-reliance that he trusts, for he plainly asserts that his hope and help, his solace and strength, his peace and power, his defense and deliverance are solely and wholly found in Christ! “THY rod and THY staff THEY comfort me”, that’s the consolation of his claim!
And what of us beloved, what is the source of our solace? What is the claim of our consolation? Can we, like the psalmist, stand confidently in the face of our foes and say that in our Great Shepherd we have found “comfort”, even though these enemies seek our harm? Do we trust foolishly in the strength of our flesh to face the daily fight, or have we yet learned that without Christ we have no hope of survival? You see, whether we are wandering aimlessly about, or whether we be safely secured in the sheep-fold, we are always incapable of caring for ourselves! Our efforts in every endeavor are always impotent and ineffectual, but it is especially so when we face the subtleties of Satan! Against his deceptions, our faith in self is fully futile! Like sheep, we are both incompetent and incapable; we are absolutely insufficient and wholly inadequate to guide or guard our own lives against the tactics of the tempter! Apart from the Shepherd, we are utterly helpless and completely defenseless in ourselves to deal with the devil! And yet, though these things are true, we may still, like David, enjoy sweet consolation and “comfort” in the indwelling Christ! Our sweet peace is found in knowing that “Ye are of God, little children, and HAVE OVERCOME THEM: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD” (1 John 4:4)!
Oh that we might comprehend the fullness of our frailty and the magnitude of His might! For it is only by the “rod” of Christ’s strength that we have a defense against the dangers of the enemies that seek our destruction! David acknowledged this truth, even as those that sought to “trouble” him were “increased” (Psalm 3:1). He declared, “But though, O Lord, art a shield for me” (Psalm 3:3)! Oh that we might learn, with David, to find our hiding place in God! Oh that our hearts might completely grasp what it is to “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10)! It is not a greater self-confidence or a deeper self-reliance that we need, but rather, it is a total dependence on Christ, our Great Shepherd!
You see, though we may be insufficient for the fight, and though we may be powerless against the foe, yet we find in such frailty the ultimate source of that sweet consolation which compelled David to declare “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”! It is there, in the realization of the feebleness of our flesh, that we first begin to learn the true delight of depending on God; and it is there alone, at the end of all self-reliance, that we may truly begin to experience the essence of Christ’s claim that His “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)! Oh that we might flee that misguided faith which looks to self instead of the Shepherd! Oh that we might with Paul make this to be our personal plea, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but ours sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5)! May the declaration of our dependence, may our battle-cry in the conflict, may our song in the struggle ever be, “My defence is of God, which saveth the upright of heart” (Psalm 7:10)!
Psalm 23:4, “Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.”
It’s an unusual phrase for many of us, but it’s one of great significance! In David’s day, the “rod” and “staff” were common components of the attire worn by shepherds, and thus, for the psalmist, it was quite natural to speak of these instruments when penning “The Shepherd Psalm”. But in this context, what makes this phrase so striking is the fact that the psalmist is not merely describing a middle-eastern shepherd; instead, he is speaking of and focusing upon the Master Shepherd, Jesus Christ. The “sheep of his pasture” are not common animals or literal sheep, but rather, they are “His people” (Psalm 100:3). The “pasture” in which He feeds us and the “paths” upon which He leads us are all spiritual symbolisms which convey the measure of His wonderful provisions for us. And so it is with the “rod” and “staff” as well, for they too are symbolic of the spiritual workings of Christ, our Great Shepherd, in our daily Christian life and experience. So the question is how are they so?
As we stated, the “rod” and “staff” were an integral part of shepherding in David’s time. Because of their importance, the shepherds of that day would have taken the time to select and to shape each one of these instruments themselves. These “tools of the trade” were so vital that each piece must be carefully chosen and meticulously crafted in order to sufficiently serve their purpose in the shepherd’s work. As you look at the historical customs of David’s time, you will find that both the “rod” and the “staff” were fashioned by using the wood from a young sapling tree. The “rod”, in particular, was designed by taking the sapling up by the roots and then cutting away those roots from the broader base to leave a knob. Then, the shepherd would cut away the other end of the sapling to shorten the length of the “rod”. He would then begin to whittle the whole piece of wood down to an acceptable weight so that he could use it like a club.
Once the design of the shepherd’s “rod”, with its thick, rounded, knob-like end, and its shorter and slightly more bulky frame was completed, it was used mainly as a means of defending the flock from the many lurking predators, such as wolves, lions, bears, and even thieves and robbers, that were always about, seeking to make prey of the defenseless sheep. The “rod” was used as a weapon to fight against these foes and to stave off an attack against the flock. The shepherds of David’s time would also have been very proficient at throwing the “rod” at an intended target with great accuracy and swiftness. This method was used for things such as serpents, in order to kill them or frighten them away. But in each one of these things, we see a prevailing theme and a particular truth. To put it simply, the main objective served by the “rod” was to defend the sheep of the flock from every external enemy that was seeking an occasion to harm or devour the sheep.
Oh how very actual the analogy that is set before us by the teaching of this truth! Oh how very perfect the picture that the psalmist has painted with these words! You see, we, like literal sheep, are ever the hunted prey of Satan, who, “like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8)! We, as part of the fold of God, are ever the target of “The thief”, which Christ said, “cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10)! And we, like those helpless little lambs of the literal folds and literal pastures, are incompetent, incapable, and impotent to wield our own defense! What have we in our pathetic and powerless selves to provide ample protection against such a formidable foe? What inherent weapon is in our personal arsenal that would be a match for the one who has at his disposal the ability to use, “power, and signs, and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:9), and who, by these wicked weapons, “deceiveth the whole world” (Revelation 12:9)? Indeed, there is nothing that we can do in the power of our fragile flesh to defeat these, “principalities…powers…rulers of the darkness of this world…spiritual wickedness in high places” (Ephesians 6:12)! In our own strength, we are utterly helpless, and if we lean on our own strength, we will be ultimately defeated!
Ah, but isn’t that exactly the point? You see, though the necessity of the shepherd’s “rod” illustrates the ever present dangers which are always about the sheep, yet still, David is able to say, “I have ‘comfort’, even ‘in the presence of mine enemies’!” How could the psalmist find such a sweet peace of mind, while ever present dangers were lurking in the shadows of “the valley”? How is it possible that his soul could find a solace though he knew that “principalities” and “powers” were seeking to “devour” him as a helpless sheep? How could he enjoy the calm of inward consolation while feeding from a “table” that was prepared for him “in the presence of…enemies”? The answer is simple, dear friend! He had found this complete consolation, this sweet solace, this peace of mind; because he knew he could implicitly trust the care of The Great Shepherd! Don’t you see it? It is not the pathetic power of self-reliance that he trusts, for he plainly asserts that his hope and help, his solace and strength, his peace and power, his defense and deliverance are solely and wholly found in Christ! “THY rod and THY staff THEY comfort me”, that’s the consolation of his claim!
And what of us beloved, what is the source of our solace? What is the claim of our consolation? Can we, like the psalmist, stand confidently in the face of our foes and say that in our Great Shepherd we have found “comfort”, even though these enemies seek our harm? Do we trust foolishly in the strength of our flesh to face the daily fight, or have we yet learned that without Christ we have no hope of survival? You see, whether we are wandering aimlessly about, or whether we be safely secured in the sheep-fold, we are always incapable of caring for ourselves! Our efforts in every endeavor are always impotent and ineffectual, but it is especially so when we face the subtleties of Satan! Against his deceptions, our faith in self is fully futile! Like sheep, we are both incompetent and incapable; we are absolutely insufficient and wholly inadequate to guide or guard our own lives against the tactics of the tempter! Apart from the Shepherd, we are utterly helpless and completely defenseless in ourselves to deal with the devil! And yet, though these things are true, we may still, like David, enjoy sweet consolation and “comfort” in the indwelling Christ! Our sweet peace is found in knowing that “Ye are of God, little children, and HAVE OVERCOME THEM: because GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU, THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD” (1 John 4:4)!
Oh that we might comprehend the fullness of our frailty and the magnitude of His might! For it is only by the “rod” of Christ’s strength that we have a defense against the dangers of the enemies that seek our destruction! David acknowledged this truth, even as those that sought to “trouble” him were “increased” (Psalm 3:1). He declared, “But though, O Lord, art a shield for me” (Psalm 3:3)! Oh that we might learn, with David, to find our hiding place in God! Oh that our hearts might completely grasp what it is to “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10)! It is not a greater self-confidence or a deeper self-reliance that we need, but rather, it is a total dependence on Christ, our Great Shepherd!
You see, though we may be insufficient for the fight, and though we may be powerless against the foe, yet we find in such frailty the ultimate source of that sweet consolation which compelled David to declare “thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”! It is there, in the realization of the feebleness of our flesh, that we first begin to learn the true delight of depending on God; and it is there alone, at the end of all self-reliance, that we may truly begin to experience the essence of Christ’s claim that His “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9)! Oh that we might flee that misguided faith which looks to self instead of the Shepherd! Oh that we might with Paul make this to be our personal plea, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but ours sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:5)! May the declaration of our dependence, may our battle-cry in the conflict, may our song in the struggle ever be, “My defence is of God, which saveth the upright of heart” (Psalm 7:10)!
6/8 Through Psalm 23
Thou Art With Me
Psalm 23:4, “Thou art with me”.
Just four simple words, and yet, these words are the cornerstone of support for every comfort and claim which the psalmist declares in this text! His victory in “the valley”; his light while standing in “the shadow of death”; his fearlessness amid the frightfulness of “evil” that abounds around him, all of it is based upon one resounding certainty: “Thou art with me”! His confidence is not founded upon the sinking sands of self-reliance! Instead, David proclaims that his confidence, his comfort, and his consolation are centered upon the promise of the Great Shepherd being with him on the journey!
But David is not alone! It was the promise of God’s presence that brought confirmation to the covenant that He established with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for He said to Jacob, “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest” (Genesis 28:15)! It was this surety which brought a solace in the struggle for David, when he faced Goliath, for he said, “The Lord…he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37)! Furthermore, it was this ever present God that sustained the three Hebrew children from the consuming flames of Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, for Nebuchadnezzar cried out in astonishment, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, AND THEY HAVE NO HURT, and the form of the fourth is like THE SON OF GOD” (Daniel 3:25)!
What about you dear friend? Are you in the midst of the throws of a fiery trial? Do you find yourself tossed about by a storm on the sea of life? Is there a dark valley that you journey through right now? Have you tasted the pain of persecution or the affliction of adversity? Perhaps it is the leviathan of loneliness with which you wrestle! Do not despair weary one for “The Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9)! Do not think that the sustaining promise of His presence is exclusive to patriarchs and prophets, for it is not so! The comfort of the promise that God is never-distant and ever-present is yours to claim as well!
Oh the blessedness of the thought of the omnipresence of God! Think of the wonderful bearing this has upon our lives! It is sweet peace to realize the exceeding precious promise that He is always near! In fact, the awareness of this truth has been the refuge of rest to which many a distressed soul has fled in the storms of life! It was this certainty that enabled the psalmist to say, “I will fear no evil”, and it will do no less for you and me! Let us ever remember the assuring pledge which has been given to us by our blessed Lord, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5)! And because He has offered such an oath, then “WE MAY BOLDLY SAY, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I WILL NOT FEAR…’” (Hebrews 13:6)! Yes dear friend, God is everywhere; let this be A COMFORTING THOUGHT!
But there is more! You see, the knowledge of God’s omnipresence must not only be the cause of our comfort, but it must also awaken in us an awareness of our accountability to that very God for every choice we make, every path we walk, and every action we take. The realization that the Lord is with us, must not only have its positive effects, but it must also bring about a negative result as well. While on the one hand, the thought of a God that will “never leave…nor forsake” should compel us to press on in the pathway of His will; it should, at the same time, cause us to turn from the way of wickedness.
Child of God, are you walking in the way of the backslider? Do you find your steps carrying you farther and farther away from the will of God? Is there some secret sin to which you cling? If it be so, then let not the thought of God’s presence be a comfort to you in any wise! Instead, the knowledge that He is near should be your dread! If you are in sin, may the understanding of our Lord’s perpetual presence be a scourge upon your conscience, a plague for which repentance is the only cure! Be warned wayward one, “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, ‘Who seeth us? And who knoweth us?’” (Isaiah 29:15)
Oh how easy it is to play the hypocrite! You see, we live in a day in which deception has become the watchword for many people. Unfortunately, many professing believers are living secret lives. Far too many Christians are more concerned with what is perceived than they are with what is real. It is for this reason that we live in time in which duplicity has replaced sincerity, and honesty has been supplanted by hypocrisy. It is a time when men say to themselves, “God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” (Psalm 10:11) Don’t deceive yourself dear friend; it is not so, for God has warned us, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7)!
Let every one of us ponder this thought beloved, and may it find a lodging place in our soul! There is no place where man can be apart from Him! What is that action which has escaped his attention? There is nothing that can be kept secret from Him of whom it is declared, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Psalm 139:12)! In fact, Psalm 24:12 says, “If thou sayest, ‘Behold we knew it not’; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth he not know it? And shall he not render to every man according to his works?” Rest assured dear friend that there is nothing hidden from Him! God is everywhere; let this be A CONVICTING THOUGHT!
Oh the power of this tremendous truth! Knowing that God is with us provides the remedy for every ill! It provides a comfort for every weary soul, and it produces conviction upon every wicked heart! Remember the admonition that Solomon gave to his sons, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3)! If you are doing that which is “good”, this truth is a great blessing, but if you are walking in that which is “evil”, this truth is a great burden! Whether you are living in compliance with God’s will, or whether you are walking in rebellion against Him, remember this, “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13)!
But there is something else worthy of our attention in this phrase! Regardless of the ultimate effect this truth brings about when applied to the present circumstances of your life, you have to admit that there is something intriguing about the way that David presents this truth. In order to explain what I mean, let me point out a very obvious aspect of our text. As you read the 23rd Psalm, you will notice that there is a transition that takes place between verse 3 and verse 4. In the first three verses of this text, the psalmist has been speaking to us about the Shepherd, but in Psalm 23:4, David is no longer speaking about Him! Instead, he begins to speak directly to the Shepherd in this verse! You will notice that David does not say, “He is with me”, but rather, he declares “THOU art with me”!
This simple fact leads me to make a final plea concerning this truth: God is everywhere; let this be A COMPELLING THOUGHT! When David considered the nature of the Shepherd, it compelled him to look upward and offer his praise directly to the Shepherd, and we should do no less! Oh that we might follow this grand example of the psalmist! You see, whether we need comforting or convicting, we ought to be ever thankful that God's presence offers us exactly what we need! Thus, we should sing His praise as we cling to His promise, for He hath said, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20)! Dear friend, let this blessed promise be more than a doctrinal distinctive! Let the certainty of His closeness settle into your soul as more than just a theological talking point! Instead, let us lift up our voice with the psalmist to exalt the name of Him who is called Jehovah Shammah – “The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35)!
Psalm 23:4, “Thou art with me”.
Just four simple words, and yet, these words are the cornerstone of support for every comfort and claim which the psalmist declares in this text! His victory in “the valley”; his light while standing in “the shadow of death”; his fearlessness amid the frightfulness of “evil” that abounds around him, all of it is based upon one resounding certainty: “Thou art with me”! His confidence is not founded upon the sinking sands of self-reliance! Instead, David proclaims that his confidence, his comfort, and his consolation are centered upon the promise of the Great Shepherd being with him on the journey!
But David is not alone! It was the promise of God’s presence that brought confirmation to the covenant that He established with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for He said to Jacob, “I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest” (Genesis 28:15)! It was this surety which brought a solace in the struggle for David, when he faced Goliath, for he said, “The Lord…he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37)! Furthermore, it was this ever present God that sustained the three Hebrew children from the consuming flames of Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, for Nebuchadnezzar cried out in astonishment, “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, AND THEY HAVE NO HURT, and the form of the fourth is like THE SON OF GOD” (Daniel 3:25)!
What about you dear friend? Are you in the midst of the throws of a fiery trial? Do you find yourself tossed about by a storm on the sea of life? Is there a dark valley that you journey through right now? Have you tasted the pain of persecution or the affliction of adversity? Perhaps it is the leviathan of loneliness with which you wrestle! Do not despair weary one for “The Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9)! Do not think that the sustaining promise of His presence is exclusive to patriarchs and prophets, for it is not so! The comfort of the promise that God is never-distant and ever-present is yours to claim as well!
Oh the blessedness of the thought of the omnipresence of God! Think of the wonderful bearing this has upon our lives! It is sweet peace to realize the exceeding precious promise that He is always near! In fact, the awareness of this truth has been the refuge of rest to which many a distressed soul has fled in the storms of life! It was this certainty that enabled the psalmist to say, “I will fear no evil”, and it will do no less for you and me! Let us ever remember the assuring pledge which has been given to us by our blessed Lord, “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5)! And because He has offered such an oath, then “WE MAY BOLDLY SAY, ‘The Lord is my helper, and I WILL NOT FEAR…’” (Hebrews 13:6)! Yes dear friend, God is everywhere; let this be A COMFORTING THOUGHT!
But there is more! You see, the knowledge of God’s omnipresence must not only be the cause of our comfort, but it must also awaken in us an awareness of our accountability to that very God for every choice we make, every path we walk, and every action we take. The realization that the Lord is with us, must not only have its positive effects, but it must also bring about a negative result as well. While on the one hand, the thought of a God that will “never leave…nor forsake” should compel us to press on in the pathway of His will; it should, at the same time, cause us to turn from the way of wickedness.
Child of God, are you walking in the way of the backslider? Do you find your steps carrying you farther and farther away from the will of God? Is there some secret sin to which you cling? If it be so, then let not the thought of God’s presence be a comfort to you in any wise! Instead, the knowledge that He is near should be your dread! If you are in sin, may the understanding of our Lord’s perpetual presence be a scourge upon your conscience, a plague for which repentance is the only cure! Be warned wayward one, “Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, ‘Who seeth us? And who knoweth us?’” (Isaiah 29:15)
Oh how easy it is to play the hypocrite! You see, we live in a day in which deception has become the watchword for many people. Unfortunately, many professing believers are living secret lives. Far too many Christians are more concerned with what is perceived than they are with what is real. It is for this reason that we live in time in which duplicity has replaced sincerity, and honesty has been supplanted by hypocrisy. It is a time when men say to themselves, “God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.” (Psalm 10:11) Don’t deceive yourself dear friend; it is not so, for God has warned us, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7)!
Let every one of us ponder this thought beloved, and may it find a lodging place in our soul! There is no place where man can be apart from Him! What is that action which has escaped his attention? There is nothing that can be kept secret from Him of whom it is declared, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee” (Psalm 139:12)! In fact, Psalm 24:12 says, “If thou sayest, ‘Behold we knew it not’; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth he not know it? And shall he not render to every man according to his works?” Rest assured dear friend that there is nothing hidden from Him! God is everywhere; let this be A CONVICTING THOUGHT!
Oh the power of this tremendous truth! Knowing that God is with us provides the remedy for every ill! It provides a comfort for every weary soul, and it produces conviction upon every wicked heart! Remember the admonition that Solomon gave to his sons, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3)! If you are doing that which is “good”, this truth is a great blessing, but if you are walking in that which is “evil”, this truth is a great burden! Whether you are living in compliance with God’s will, or whether you are walking in rebellion against Him, remember this, “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13)!
But there is something else worthy of our attention in this phrase! Regardless of the ultimate effect this truth brings about when applied to the present circumstances of your life, you have to admit that there is something intriguing about the way that David presents this truth. In order to explain what I mean, let me point out a very obvious aspect of our text. As you read the 23rd Psalm, you will notice that there is a transition that takes place between verse 3 and verse 4. In the first three verses of this text, the psalmist has been speaking to us about the Shepherd, but in Psalm 23:4, David is no longer speaking about Him! Instead, he begins to speak directly to the Shepherd in this verse! You will notice that David does not say, “He is with me”, but rather, he declares “THOU art with me”!
This simple fact leads me to make a final plea concerning this truth: God is everywhere; let this be A COMPELLING THOUGHT! When David considered the nature of the Shepherd, it compelled him to look upward and offer his praise directly to the Shepherd, and we should do no less! Oh that we might follow this grand example of the psalmist! You see, whether we need comforting or convicting, we ought to be ever thankful that God's presence offers us exactly what we need! Thus, we should sing His praise as we cling to His promise, for He hath said, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20)! Dear friend, let this blessed promise be more than a doctrinal distinctive! Let the certainty of His closeness settle into your soul as more than just a theological talking point! Instead, let us lift up our voice with the psalmist to exalt the name of Him who is called Jehovah Shammah – “The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35)!
6/7 Through Psalm 23
I Will Fear No Evil
Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil”.
Whenever I read these particular words of the psalmist, my heart is compelled to say, “Oh the boldness of such a declaration!” By boldness, I do not in any wise mean to suggest that the psalmist was being arrogant, for the context of this psalm clearly reveals that David was indeed aware of his total dependence upon the Great Shepherd. By boldness, I do not mean that the psalmist was being reckless, for it is clear that every step along the way of his journey was being guided by the sovereign supply of God’s presence and provision. By boldness, I am simply alluding to the fact that David possessed a confidence beyond the scope of the norm! This fact is borne out when we look at the situation which brought about this declaration.
Think, for a moment, about the circumstances in which the psalmist uttered these words. He is not standing upon the heights of the mountain peaks when he declares, “I will fear no evil”! He is not lying down in the lush grasses of the meadow nor sipping waters from the peaceful brook when he proclaims “I will not fear”! Neither is he resting safely in the sheepfold in the abode of the Shepherd when he makes this bold assertion. Instead, he is in the midst of the rugged place, he is passing through the dark vale, he is journeying along the narrow gorge while he proclaims, “I will fear no evil”! He stands in the very place where “evil” is closest, and yet, he is able to sound forth this confident cry! He enters knowingly into the valley, he stands confidently in the coldness of the shadowy gloom, and he looks boldly into the face of the dangers that lurk in the darkness to declare “I will fear no evil”!
How can this be? Where does one find such strength and courage? What is the source from which such fearless faith flows? In order to understand the measure of confidence that is on display in this statement, we need to establish an understanding of exactly what David means when he uses the term “evil”. The word “evil” comes from the Hebrew (ra’- masculine) or (ra’ah – feminine). Depending upon the particular contextual usage of the word, it can have several different connotations. For instance, when the word is used as an adjective, it typically refers to those actions, thoughts, or deeds which are ethically and morally wicked or bad.
As an example of this usage, the book of Proverbs makes reference to an immoral woman called, “the adulteress” (Proverbs 6:26). Solomon refers to her vile and wicked ways several times, and as he does, he calls her by several names. He calls her a “strange woman” (Proverbs 5:3; 5:20; 6:24; 20:16; 23:27; 27:13). He calls her a “whorish woman” (Proverbs 6:26). However, he also calls her an “evil woman” (Proverbs 6:24). In that particular context, you see the word “evil” being used to describe the morally corrupt and wicked ways which define the sinful lifestyle of this “adulteress”.
If this were the particular way in which the psalmist was using this word in our text, one might misunderstand the text altogether. If he were referencing “evil” in the since of practical wickedness and sin, it might seem that he is saying that he “will fear no evil” because he would never walk down an “evil” path, or he would never do any “evil” thing. But this is most certainly not the psalmist’s point! You see, all of us possess the capability, in our flesh, of falling prey to the lures of temptation. Every believer is susceptible to the potential of doing that which is “evil” in a practical sense. And, just in case you have convinced yourself that such things are not in the realm of possibility for your life, I would remind you of the warning Paul gave to the Church at Corinth: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) You see, in the case of practical “evil” and man’s capacity to indulge in such things, in that case, it would not be wise to say, “I will fear no evil”.
In issues of practical “evil”, we would do well to heed the admonition given by Paul to the Gentile believers at Rome in Romans 11:20-22. In that passage, Paul recounts to the church how the Jews had been cut off (but only for a season) because of their unbelief and sin. Yet, he also takes the occasion to warn the Roman people that they were also susceptible to wandering down such a path. Consider these words: “Well; because of unbelief they were cut off, and thou standest by faith. BE NOT HIGHMINDED, BUT FEAR: For if God spared not the natural branches, TAKE HEED lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but on thee, goodness, IF THOU CONTINUE IN HIS GOODNESS: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Do you see it friend? In the case of practical “evil”, in the case of their potential to fall, Paul clearly warns the believers at Rome to “fear” such a possibility. Thus, it becomes clear that the psalmist is not referring to practical wickedness or sin when he says, “I will fear no evil”.
So then, if our text does not refer to practical “evil”, what is David speaking of when he says, “I will fear no evil”? In the case of the 23rd Psalm, you will notice that the word “evil” is not used as an adjective. Instead, the word is used here in the noun form. While this word can refer to ethical or moral types of “evil” even when used in a noun form, in some cases, it can also refer to an injury, misery, adversity, or calamity that comes upon one’s life through various circumstances. In these instances, the word “evil” does not pertain to the issue of what is wicked as compared to what is righteous; instead, it pertains to what is painful versus what is pleasurable, or it deals with adversity, misery, and calamity, as opposed to comfort, delight, and calm.
This, for example, is the usage of the word “evil” in the plight of Job. After Job had lost all his earthly gain, after each of his children had perished, after his health began to fail him, Job’s wife looked upon his misery and said, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9)! Yet, from the midst of his sufferings and in the face of his adversity, Job looked at his wife and said, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive EVIL?” (Job 2:10) When Job said that they were receiving “evil” from God’s own hand, was he accusing God of doing wrong? Was Job indicting God with the charge of wickedness? Absolutely not! Job was simply revealing what adversity looks like from the perspective of those who are in the midst of its miseries!
This, I believe, is the meaning of the word “evil” in Psalm 23:4. When David declares, “I will fear no evil”, he is simply stating that he, by God’s grace, would not be afraid to face whatever hardship, whatever difficulty, whatever adversity awaited him in “the valley of the shadow of death”. Again, this was not arrogance on the part of the psalmist, but it was reliance! This was not a case of David being cocky, but instead, it was a case of him being confident in the ever present God! This is why he proclaims, “I will fear no evil: FOR Thou art with me”! Oh the power of that word “for”! Oh the clarity and revelation that it brings! The interjection of that one little word into the text reveals that David’s ability to say “I will fear no evil” was not based upon a misguided self-reliance. Such confidence was merely the result of having faith in God and having a fear of God!
I mentioned that the confidence which we see on display in the psalmist here is “beyond the scope of the norm”, but why is it so? How can David look into the gloom and darkness of adversity and calamity and say, “I am not afraid”? I am fully persuaded that the reason the psalmist had a faith that was beyond the normal is because his fear was set upon things which are beyond the temporal! In other words, David had set his fear upon the Sovereign instead of placing it upon the seasons and situations of life!
Think of what the Bible has to say about misplaced fear. 1 John 4:18 says, “…fear hath torment”. When we fear man rather than God or the creature instead of the Creator, or when we have greater reverence and awe for adversity than we do for the Almighty, it causes our hearts to be overwhelmed, and in turn, it causes our life and labors for God to be hindered. In fact, it is interesting to note that the word “torment” in 1 John 4:18 comes from the Greek word (kolasis). The word means to correct, to punish, or to penalize. The root of this word is (kolazo), which means to lop or prune, to put in check, to restrain or to curb. Think of what this means dear friend. Misplaced fear punishes us, but not in a positive sense!
When we fear things other than God, we have opened the door to the enemy! This misguided or misplaced fear can cause our work for God to be restrained or curbed! This is exactly the point of Paul’s admonition to the Church at Rome in Romans 8:15. Paul declares, “For ye have not received the spirit of BONDAGE again TO FEAR”. You see friend, fear that is set upon anything other than God brings the human heart into “bondage”; it holds us captive and restrains us from pressing on in our labors for the cause of Christ! Such fear becomes a dreadful taskmaster; cracking its whip upon our souls and forbidding us to give ourselves wholly to God’s will and work in our lives!
This, I believe, is what Paul was referring to when he admonished Timothy saying, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Note the term “sound mind”. It comes from the Greek word (sophronismos), which is derived from the Greek word (sophronizo). The word (sophronizo) carries the idea of restoring a man to his senses or of holding him to his duty. Thus, if misplaced fear is the opposite of having a “sound mind”, then those who are bound by such fear cannot think sensibly, nor can they act rationally concerning spiritual and eternal things. You see, while having a fear of God will keep a man ON the right road, having a fear of adversity or misery can keep a man FROM the right road!
Do you now see the source of David’s strength? Can you now recognize the cause of his confidence? When he proclaimed, “I will fear no evil”, it was not because of pride; it was because of perspective! David clearly acknowledges that “the valley of the shadow of death” is a place where “evil” is waiting to overtake and overwhelm. Yet, David refuses to succumb to such misery. He in very essence is saying, “I will not dread the dreadful place; I will not fear the fearful circumstance!” And why was it so? Such boldness was only realized because David had placed his awe, reverence, and fear upon God, and therefore he proclaims, “I will fear no evil: FOR THOU ART WITH ME”!
Oh that we might remember the clear admonition of Solomon to “FEAR GOD, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)! Oh that we might learn to set our awe and dread upon our Maker and Master! If we were to direct our fear upon Him, no fear of adversity could hold us, no dread of misery could hinder us, and no trepidation of trouble could stop us from pressing on and running well for Christ! When we fear the Eternal God rather than the “evil” that lurks in the shadows of “the valley”, when we stand in awe of Him above all else, then we will fully understand the peaceful promise of Proverbs 14:26, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge”! Then, and only then, will we be able to cry with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil”!
Psalm 23:4, “I will fear no evil”.
Whenever I read these particular words of the psalmist, my heart is compelled to say, “Oh the boldness of such a declaration!” By boldness, I do not in any wise mean to suggest that the psalmist was being arrogant, for the context of this psalm clearly reveals that David was indeed aware of his total dependence upon the Great Shepherd. By boldness, I do not mean that the psalmist was being reckless, for it is clear that every step along the way of his journey was being guided by the sovereign supply of God’s presence and provision. By boldness, I am simply alluding to the fact that David possessed a confidence beyond the scope of the norm! This fact is borne out when we look at the situation which brought about this declaration.
Think, for a moment, about the circumstances in which the psalmist uttered these words. He is not standing upon the heights of the mountain peaks when he declares, “I will fear no evil”! He is not lying down in the lush grasses of the meadow nor sipping waters from the peaceful brook when he proclaims “I will not fear”! Neither is he resting safely in the sheepfold in the abode of the Shepherd when he makes this bold assertion. Instead, he is in the midst of the rugged place, he is passing through the dark vale, he is journeying along the narrow gorge while he proclaims, “I will fear no evil”! He stands in the very place where “evil” is closest, and yet, he is able to sound forth this confident cry! He enters knowingly into the valley, he stands confidently in the coldness of the shadowy gloom, and he looks boldly into the face of the dangers that lurk in the darkness to declare “I will fear no evil”!
How can this be? Where does one find such strength and courage? What is the source from which such fearless faith flows? In order to understand the measure of confidence that is on display in this statement, we need to establish an understanding of exactly what David means when he uses the term “evil”. The word “evil” comes from the Hebrew (ra’- masculine) or (ra’ah – feminine). Depending upon the particular contextual usage of the word, it can have several different connotations. For instance, when the word is used as an adjective, it typically refers to those actions, thoughts, or deeds which are ethically and morally wicked or bad.
As an example of this usage, the book of Proverbs makes reference to an immoral woman called, “the adulteress” (Proverbs 6:26). Solomon refers to her vile and wicked ways several times, and as he does, he calls her by several names. He calls her a “strange woman” (Proverbs 5:3; 5:20; 6:24; 20:16; 23:27; 27:13). He calls her a “whorish woman” (Proverbs 6:26). However, he also calls her an “evil woman” (Proverbs 6:24). In that particular context, you see the word “evil” being used to describe the morally corrupt and wicked ways which define the sinful lifestyle of this “adulteress”.
If this were the particular way in which the psalmist was using this word in our text, one might misunderstand the text altogether. If he were referencing “evil” in the since of practical wickedness and sin, it might seem that he is saying that he “will fear no evil” because he would never walk down an “evil” path, or he would never do any “evil” thing. But this is most certainly not the psalmist’s point! You see, all of us possess the capability, in our flesh, of falling prey to the lures of temptation. Every believer is susceptible to the potential of doing that which is “evil” in a practical sense. And, just in case you have convinced yourself that such things are not in the realm of possibility for your life, I would remind you of the warning Paul gave to the Church at Corinth: “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) You see, in the case of practical “evil” and man’s capacity to indulge in such things, in that case, it would not be wise to say, “I will fear no evil”.
In issues of practical “evil”, we would do well to heed the admonition given by Paul to the Gentile believers at Rome in Romans 11:20-22. In that passage, Paul recounts to the church how the Jews had been cut off (but only for a season) because of their unbelief and sin. Yet, he also takes the occasion to warn the Roman people that they were also susceptible to wandering down such a path. Consider these words: “Well; because of unbelief they were cut off, and thou standest by faith. BE NOT HIGHMINDED, BUT FEAR: For if God spared not the natural branches, TAKE HEED lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but on thee, goodness, IF THOU CONTINUE IN HIS GOODNESS: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Do you see it friend? In the case of practical “evil”, in the case of their potential to fall, Paul clearly warns the believers at Rome to “fear” such a possibility. Thus, it becomes clear that the psalmist is not referring to practical wickedness or sin when he says, “I will fear no evil”.
So then, if our text does not refer to practical “evil”, what is David speaking of when he says, “I will fear no evil”? In the case of the 23rd Psalm, you will notice that the word “evil” is not used as an adjective. Instead, the word is used here in the noun form. While this word can refer to ethical or moral types of “evil” even when used in a noun form, in some cases, it can also refer to an injury, misery, adversity, or calamity that comes upon one’s life through various circumstances. In these instances, the word “evil” does not pertain to the issue of what is wicked as compared to what is righteous; instead, it pertains to what is painful versus what is pleasurable, or it deals with adversity, misery, and calamity, as opposed to comfort, delight, and calm.
This, for example, is the usage of the word “evil” in the plight of Job. After Job had lost all his earthly gain, after each of his children had perished, after his health began to fail him, Job’s wife looked upon his misery and said, “Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9)! Yet, from the midst of his sufferings and in the face of his adversity, Job looked at his wife and said, “Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive EVIL?” (Job 2:10) When Job said that they were receiving “evil” from God’s own hand, was he accusing God of doing wrong? Was Job indicting God with the charge of wickedness? Absolutely not! Job was simply revealing what adversity looks like from the perspective of those who are in the midst of its miseries!
This, I believe, is the meaning of the word “evil” in Psalm 23:4. When David declares, “I will fear no evil”, he is simply stating that he, by God’s grace, would not be afraid to face whatever hardship, whatever difficulty, whatever adversity awaited him in “the valley of the shadow of death”. Again, this was not arrogance on the part of the psalmist, but it was reliance! This was not a case of David being cocky, but instead, it was a case of him being confident in the ever present God! This is why he proclaims, “I will fear no evil: FOR Thou art with me”! Oh the power of that word “for”! Oh the clarity and revelation that it brings! The interjection of that one little word into the text reveals that David’s ability to say “I will fear no evil” was not based upon a misguided self-reliance. Such confidence was merely the result of having faith in God and having a fear of God!
I mentioned that the confidence which we see on display in the psalmist here is “beyond the scope of the norm”, but why is it so? How can David look into the gloom and darkness of adversity and calamity and say, “I am not afraid”? I am fully persuaded that the reason the psalmist had a faith that was beyond the normal is because his fear was set upon things which are beyond the temporal! In other words, David had set his fear upon the Sovereign instead of placing it upon the seasons and situations of life!
Think of what the Bible has to say about misplaced fear. 1 John 4:18 says, “…fear hath torment”. When we fear man rather than God or the creature instead of the Creator, or when we have greater reverence and awe for adversity than we do for the Almighty, it causes our hearts to be overwhelmed, and in turn, it causes our life and labors for God to be hindered. In fact, it is interesting to note that the word “torment” in 1 John 4:18 comes from the Greek word (kolasis). The word means to correct, to punish, or to penalize. The root of this word is (kolazo), which means to lop or prune, to put in check, to restrain or to curb. Think of what this means dear friend. Misplaced fear punishes us, but not in a positive sense!
When we fear things other than God, we have opened the door to the enemy! This misguided or misplaced fear can cause our work for God to be restrained or curbed! This is exactly the point of Paul’s admonition to the Church at Rome in Romans 8:15. Paul declares, “For ye have not received the spirit of BONDAGE again TO FEAR”. You see friend, fear that is set upon anything other than God brings the human heart into “bondage”; it holds us captive and restrains us from pressing on in our labors for the cause of Christ! Such fear becomes a dreadful taskmaster; cracking its whip upon our souls and forbidding us to give ourselves wholly to God’s will and work in our lives!
This, I believe, is what Paul was referring to when he admonished Timothy saying, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7) Note the term “sound mind”. It comes from the Greek word (sophronismos), which is derived from the Greek word (sophronizo). The word (sophronizo) carries the idea of restoring a man to his senses or of holding him to his duty. Thus, if misplaced fear is the opposite of having a “sound mind”, then those who are bound by such fear cannot think sensibly, nor can they act rationally concerning spiritual and eternal things. You see, while having a fear of God will keep a man ON the right road, having a fear of adversity or misery can keep a man FROM the right road!
Do you now see the source of David’s strength? Can you now recognize the cause of his confidence? When he proclaimed, “I will fear no evil”, it was not because of pride; it was because of perspective! David clearly acknowledges that “the valley of the shadow of death” is a place where “evil” is waiting to overtake and overwhelm. Yet, David refuses to succumb to such misery. He in very essence is saying, “I will not dread the dreadful place; I will not fear the fearful circumstance!” And why was it so? Such boldness was only realized because David had placed his awe, reverence, and fear upon God, and therefore he proclaims, “I will fear no evil: FOR THOU ART WITH ME”!
Oh that we might remember the clear admonition of Solomon to “FEAR GOD, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)! Oh that we might learn to set our awe and dread upon our Maker and Master! If we were to direct our fear upon Him, no fear of adversity could hold us, no dread of misery could hinder us, and no trepidation of trouble could stop us from pressing on and running well for Christ! When we fear the Eternal God rather than the “evil” that lurks in the shadows of “the valley”, when we stand in awe of Him above all else, then we will fully understand the peaceful promise of Proverbs 14:26, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge”! Then, and only then, will we be able to cry with the psalmist, “I will fear no evil”!
5/29 Through Psalm 23
The Shadow of Death
Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”.
Oh the gloom and despair that seems to have settled upon the scene that is depicted here by the psalmist! In this portion of David’s discourse, we see what looks to be a depressing portrait being painted upon the canvas. Every word appears to be adding another brush stroke of black paint to a deepening shade of night. Yet, I believe that this part of the psalmist’s point. This divinely inspired phrase has been carefully chosen by the Holy Spirit to press upon us the distress, yea even the depression that so often accompanies that pathway which goes through “the valley”! You see, in this phrase we are not only compelled to come face to face with the reality of the “valley”, but we are also called upon to consider the darkness which is particular to that place, a darkness which is identified as “the shadow of death”!
The very words, “shadow of death”, are depressing words. They describe dreadful and dark surroundings, and at first glance, it would appear that such a narrative holds no promise of joy in any measure. In fact, when we view this scene through eyes of flesh, it seems that this low land of which the psalmist speaks possesses no means of hope for those who make their journeying there. So then, the question is this, how could one expect to find a message of help and encouragement while sitting under “the shadow of death”? How could any measure of peace be brought forth from the darkness described in these words? In order to answer these questions, let’s take a moment to consider this dreadful phrase in its greater context in Scripture.
The phrase “shadow of death” appears some twenty times in the Bible. It is found eighteen times in the Old Testament, and it is given twice in the New Testament. In every case in which it is used in the Old Testament, it translates from the compound Hebrew word (tsalmaveth). The two roots of this word are (tsale), which means shadow or shade, and (maveth), which means death, dying, or to die. Some have attempted to change the translation of this phrase to “the valley of deep darkness”, but the Hebrew word used here clearly affirms that “death” is indeed the source of the “shadow” that rests upon this “valley”! However, though death is the source of the shadow cast across this deep vale, the ultimate message of the psalmist is not one of literal dying or the actual day of his death.
Please don’t misunderstand, I am not suggesting that these words cannot be a source of comfort for those who have reached the end of life’s pathway, and are preparing to cross the threshold of death into eternity. Indeed, these words can be a means of peaceful calm to those who find themselves in that place. However, I do not believe literal death to be the focal point of the lesson that we glean from this statement here in Psalm 23:4. In order to prove this out, let’s take a moment and recall some of the things which we have already emphasized concerning “the valley” in general.
You will recall that when we read this phrase in light of the unfolding pattern of the 23rd Psalm, we see that the psalmist speaks of walking “THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death”, in order to reach the “table” (table lands or plains) which the Shepherd has prepared, so that the sheep might feed there. In other words, the valley is a transitional place. It is the necessary path that takes us from one place to another. One cannot reach the highest peaks of the grandest mountains without beginning the journey in the valleys which lie at their base.
Furthermore, when we read what is stated about the table lands which lie beyond “the valley”, the psalmist declares that the sheep feed there in “the presence of…enemies”. Dear friend, there will be no enemies to face on the other side of death. When we reach that sweet land of rest for which we long, that land where we will forever dwell with our Glorious Shepherd, the battles will be over, the victory will be realized, and all our enemies will be removed. It is this fact that makes it clear that David is not speaking of facing literal death. So then, if it is not literal death to which the psalmist refers, then what is the meaning of the phrase “the shadow of death”?
I mentioned that the phrase “shadow of death” appears twenty times in Scripture. In accordance with that, let me remind you that our text emphasizes the fact that the psalmist encountered “the shadow of death” while he was walking “through the valley” (Psalm 23:4). With that being said, I find it quite interesting that ten of the twenty times that the phrase “shadow of death” occurs in Scripture are found in The Book of Job.
Job was a man well acquainted with suffering and sorrow. He knew something of the valleys of this life. He lost everything that he owned in a day and went from a position of great wealth to that of abject poverty! The lives of his children were snuffed out in a moment! He also completely lost his health, and his marriage was teetering on the brink! To top it all off, his friends came to “comfort” him, and instead, they became his accusers! You see, Job literally found himself walking through the midst of the darkest hours of his life, and as he was in the very throws of “the valley”, he could sense the presence of “death” making its mark in that place! It was there in that place of darkness that Job began to speak of “the shadow of death”!
In The Book of Job, we find that Job used the phrase “shadow of death” in several different connotations, but it is most fascinating to read those instances in which he uses this phrase to refer to his own plight. I say this because, as we consider the references to the “shadow of death” being mentioned by a man who was actually in “the valley”, we will begin to gain some personal insight as to what David may have been speaking about when he talked of “the valley of the shadow of death”.
The first time we find Job using this phrase was in Job 3. There Job is so smitten with despair that he begins to express a disdain for his own birth. He says, “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, ‘There is a man child conceived’. Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Let darkness and THE SHADOW OF DEATH stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.” (Job 3:3-5) Here he pleads that “the shadow of death” might “stain” the day of his conception and birth. It is interesting to note that the word “stain” translates from the Hebrew word (ga’al). This particular word is most often translated “redeem” in our King James Bible. So then, Job is literally praying “God let ‘the shadow of death’ redeem me from my birth; let it buy me back from the misery and woe of this life.”
From these words of Job, we learn a very important perspective. In this case, the phrase “shadow of death” is used to describe a place in which death seems preferable! Perhaps this is what David is describing in Psalm 23:4. Perhaps he is stating that in the midst of life’s valleys there are some seasons, some circumstances in which death seems preferable to facing the sufferings and sorrows that await in that place. This indeed was the case with Job, and he is not alone in such a perspective.
In 2 Corinthians 1:8, the Apostle Paul describes the effect of the “trouble which came to us in Asia”. The oppression which he faced, the persecution which he endured, the pressure which he was under was so intense that he said, “We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that WE DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE”! The word “despaired” comes from the Greek word (exaporeomai), and it means to be utterly at a loss or to be utterly destitute of measures and void of all resources. In other words, Paul was saying that he found himself in a place in which he could find no strength or resources to go on living life!
When I examine this text, when I consider Paul’s utter despair, my frail flesh is immediately compelled to ask, “Why?” Why would God permit Paul to arrive at such a place? Why would he lead us in that same path as well? Yet, before my heart can devise the question, and before lips can utter it, God has already provided the answer. Consider what Paul goes on to say, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES, BUT IN GOD which raiseth from the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9)! You see dear friend, whether it be Paul, or whether we be the ones in the place of despair, our Lord is ultimately bringing us to that place where “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28)! This may well be one perspective to which the psalmist refers when he speaks of “the valley of the shadow of death”!
However, there may be something else meant by this phrase as well. When we go back to the story of Job, we find another instance in which he used the phrase “shadow of death” to refer to his situation. In Job 10:20-22, Job states, “Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and THE SHADOW OF DEATH; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of THE SHADOW OF DEATH, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.” In the context of this passage, Job continues to bemoan his birth, but in these verses, as he once again references “the shadow of death”, he seems to use the statement in a slightly different way.
You will notice that according to Job 10:20, Job poses this question to his friends: “Are not my days few?” Later in his statement, you will notice that he says, “…I go to the land whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death”. When you couple the entire statement together, it appears that Job believes that the day of his death is quickly approaching. From this, we see that “the valley” may not only be a place in which death seems preferable, but it may also be a place where death seems present!
Perhaps this is what David refers to when he speaks of “the valley of the shadow of death”! Maybe he is referring to those seasons of life in which death seems near; a time in which a man has come to realize his own mortality. Though this “valley” of which the psalmist speaks may not be the time and place of his actual death, it may be that in that place “death”, being near enough to cast its cold and frightening “shadow” upon his brow, seems to be an inevitable reality! Indeed, this could be another possibility for our text!
With all these things being stated, and with these possible meanings being realized, I want to draw your attention to one other usage of the phrase “shadow of death” in The Book of Job. In Job 12:2, Job is musing about what God may be doing in the midst of his plight, and in fact, he makes some very clear statements about what God is able to do. In this particular verse Job declares, “He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.” Think of this dear friend! God “discovereth deep things” in those places in which all we can see is “darkness”! He has the power to cause “the shadow of death” to be brought “out to light”!
There it is dear one! There is the hope in the midst of despair; there is the light in the midst of “darkness”! You see, God is able to reveal “deep things” or mysterious things to us in the dark hours of life! He is able to shine an illuminating light in our souls, even when death’s cold “shadow” rests upon us! In fact, think of it this way: there could be no possibility of a “shadow” unless there is also a light! When we are in the midst of "the valley", it is so easy to focus our attention upon that dark figure of “death” and the deep “shadow” being cast by its presence. But, for a moment, step back, look closer, and you will find a light shining in that place! Psalm 36:9 says, “For with thee is the fountain of life: and IN THY LIGHT SHALL WE SEE LIGHT”!
Oh dear friend, are you in the midst of that place where “the shadow of death” abides? Are you in a “valley” in which death seems to be present, or perhaps it even seems preferable? Do not despair weary one! Lift up your head, look more closely at the scene, for there, beyond the “shadow of death”, you will find the light of His countenance! This is why the psalmist was able to cry, “I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME”! Cry out to Him in that dark place beloved friend, and there, even in the midst of that dark vale, you will soon find the words of the psalmist to be true: “For thou wilt light my candle: THE LORD MY GOD WILL ENLIGHTEN MY DARKNESS” (Psalm 18:28)!
Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”.
Oh the gloom and despair that seems to have settled upon the scene that is depicted here by the psalmist! In this portion of David’s discourse, we see what looks to be a depressing portrait being painted upon the canvas. Every word appears to be adding another brush stroke of black paint to a deepening shade of night. Yet, I believe that this part of the psalmist’s point. This divinely inspired phrase has been carefully chosen by the Holy Spirit to press upon us the distress, yea even the depression that so often accompanies that pathway which goes through “the valley”! You see, in this phrase we are not only compelled to come face to face with the reality of the “valley”, but we are also called upon to consider the darkness which is particular to that place, a darkness which is identified as “the shadow of death”!
The very words, “shadow of death”, are depressing words. They describe dreadful and dark surroundings, and at first glance, it would appear that such a narrative holds no promise of joy in any measure. In fact, when we view this scene through eyes of flesh, it seems that this low land of which the psalmist speaks possesses no means of hope for those who make their journeying there. So then, the question is this, how could one expect to find a message of help and encouragement while sitting under “the shadow of death”? How could any measure of peace be brought forth from the darkness described in these words? In order to answer these questions, let’s take a moment to consider this dreadful phrase in its greater context in Scripture.
The phrase “shadow of death” appears some twenty times in the Bible. It is found eighteen times in the Old Testament, and it is given twice in the New Testament. In every case in which it is used in the Old Testament, it translates from the compound Hebrew word (tsalmaveth). The two roots of this word are (tsale), which means shadow or shade, and (maveth), which means death, dying, or to die. Some have attempted to change the translation of this phrase to “the valley of deep darkness”, but the Hebrew word used here clearly affirms that “death” is indeed the source of the “shadow” that rests upon this “valley”! However, though death is the source of the shadow cast across this deep vale, the ultimate message of the psalmist is not one of literal dying or the actual day of his death.
Please don’t misunderstand, I am not suggesting that these words cannot be a source of comfort for those who have reached the end of life’s pathway, and are preparing to cross the threshold of death into eternity. Indeed, these words can be a means of peaceful calm to those who find themselves in that place. However, I do not believe literal death to be the focal point of the lesson that we glean from this statement here in Psalm 23:4. In order to prove this out, let’s take a moment and recall some of the things which we have already emphasized concerning “the valley” in general.
You will recall that when we read this phrase in light of the unfolding pattern of the 23rd Psalm, we see that the psalmist speaks of walking “THROUGH the valley of the shadow of death”, in order to reach the “table” (table lands or plains) which the Shepherd has prepared, so that the sheep might feed there. In other words, the valley is a transitional place. It is the necessary path that takes us from one place to another. One cannot reach the highest peaks of the grandest mountains without beginning the journey in the valleys which lie at their base.
Furthermore, when we read what is stated about the table lands which lie beyond “the valley”, the psalmist declares that the sheep feed there in “the presence of…enemies”. Dear friend, there will be no enemies to face on the other side of death. When we reach that sweet land of rest for which we long, that land where we will forever dwell with our Glorious Shepherd, the battles will be over, the victory will be realized, and all our enemies will be removed. It is this fact that makes it clear that David is not speaking of facing literal death. So then, if it is not literal death to which the psalmist refers, then what is the meaning of the phrase “the shadow of death”?
I mentioned that the phrase “shadow of death” appears twenty times in Scripture. In accordance with that, let me remind you that our text emphasizes the fact that the psalmist encountered “the shadow of death” while he was walking “through the valley” (Psalm 23:4). With that being said, I find it quite interesting that ten of the twenty times that the phrase “shadow of death” occurs in Scripture are found in The Book of Job.
Job was a man well acquainted with suffering and sorrow. He knew something of the valleys of this life. He lost everything that he owned in a day and went from a position of great wealth to that of abject poverty! The lives of his children were snuffed out in a moment! He also completely lost his health, and his marriage was teetering on the brink! To top it all off, his friends came to “comfort” him, and instead, they became his accusers! You see, Job literally found himself walking through the midst of the darkest hours of his life, and as he was in the very throws of “the valley”, he could sense the presence of “death” making its mark in that place! It was there in that place of darkness that Job began to speak of “the shadow of death”!
In The Book of Job, we find that Job used the phrase “shadow of death” in several different connotations, but it is most fascinating to read those instances in which he uses this phrase to refer to his own plight. I say this because, as we consider the references to the “shadow of death” being mentioned by a man who was actually in “the valley”, we will begin to gain some personal insight as to what David may have been speaking about when he talked of “the valley of the shadow of death”.
The first time we find Job using this phrase was in Job 3. There Job is so smitten with despair that he begins to express a disdain for his own birth. He says, “Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, ‘There is a man child conceived’. Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it. Let darkness and THE SHADOW OF DEATH stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the blackness of the day terrify it.” (Job 3:3-5) Here he pleads that “the shadow of death” might “stain” the day of his conception and birth. It is interesting to note that the word “stain” translates from the Hebrew word (ga’al). This particular word is most often translated “redeem” in our King James Bible. So then, Job is literally praying “God let ‘the shadow of death’ redeem me from my birth; let it buy me back from the misery and woe of this life.”
From these words of Job, we learn a very important perspective. In this case, the phrase “shadow of death” is used to describe a place in which death seems preferable! Perhaps this is what David is describing in Psalm 23:4. Perhaps he is stating that in the midst of life’s valleys there are some seasons, some circumstances in which death seems preferable to facing the sufferings and sorrows that await in that place. This indeed was the case with Job, and he is not alone in such a perspective.
In 2 Corinthians 1:8, the Apostle Paul describes the effect of the “trouble which came to us in Asia”. The oppression which he faced, the persecution which he endured, the pressure which he was under was so intense that he said, “We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that WE DESPAIRED EVEN OF LIFE”! The word “despaired” comes from the Greek word (exaporeomai), and it means to be utterly at a loss or to be utterly destitute of measures and void of all resources. In other words, Paul was saying that he found himself in a place in which he could find no strength or resources to go on living life!
When I examine this text, when I consider Paul’s utter despair, my frail flesh is immediately compelled to ask, “Why?” Why would God permit Paul to arrive at such a place? Why would he lead us in that same path as well? Yet, before my heart can devise the question, and before lips can utter it, God has already provided the answer. Consider what Paul goes on to say, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, THAT WE SHOULD NOT TRUST IN OURSELVES, BUT IN GOD which raiseth from the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:9)! You see dear friend, whether it be Paul, or whether we be the ones in the place of despair, our Lord is ultimately bringing us to that place where “God may be all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28)! This may well be one perspective to which the psalmist refers when he speaks of “the valley of the shadow of death”!
However, there may be something else meant by this phrase as well. When we go back to the story of Job, we find another instance in which he used the phrase “shadow of death” to refer to his situation. In Job 10:20-22, Job states, “Are not my days few? Cease then, and let me alone, that I may take comfort a little, Before I go whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and THE SHADOW OF DEATH; A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of THE SHADOW OF DEATH, without any order, and where the light is as darkness.” In the context of this passage, Job continues to bemoan his birth, but in these verses, as he once again references “the shadow of death”, he seems to use the statement in a slightly different way.
You will notice that according to Job 10:20, Job poses this question to his friends: “Are not my days few?” Later in his statement, you will notice that he says, “…I go to the land whence I shall not return, even to the land of darkness and the shadow of death”. When you couple the entire statement together, it appears that Job believes that the day of his death is quickly approaching. From this, we see that “the valley” may not only be a place in which death seems preferable, but it may also be a place where death seems present!
Perhaps this is what David refers to when he speaks of “the valley of the shadow of death”! Maybe he is referring to those seasons of life in which death seems near; a time in which a man has come to realize his own mortality. Though this “valley” of which the psalmist speaks may not be the time and place of his actual death, it may be that in that place “death”, being near enough to cast its cold and frightening “shadow” upon his brow, seems to be an inevitable reality! Indeed, this could be another possibility for our text!
With all these things being stated, and with these possible meanings being realized, I want to draw your attention to one other usage of the phrase “shadow of death” in The Book of Job. In Job 12:2, Job is musing about what God may be doing in the midst of his plight, and in fact, he makes some very clear statements about what God is able to do. In this particular verse Job declares, “He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.” Think of this dear friend! God “discovereth deep things” in those places in which all we can see is “darkness”! He has the power to cause “the shadow of death” to be brought “out to light”!
There it is dear one! There is the hope in the midst of despair; there is the light in the midst of “darkness”! You see, God is able to reveal “deep things” or mysterious things to us in the dark hours of life! He is able to shine an illuminating light in our souls, even when death’s cold “shadow” rests upon us! In fact, think of it this way: there could be no possibility of a “shadow” unless there is also a light! When we are in the midst of "the valley", it is so easy to focus our attention upon that dark figure of “death” and the deep “shadow” being cast by its presence. But, for a moment, step back, look closer, and you will find a light shining in that place! Psalm 36:9 says, “For with thee is the fountain of life: and IN THY LIGHT SHALL WE SEE LIGHT”!
Oh dear friend, are you in the midst of that place where “the shadow of death” abides? Are you in a “valley” in which death seems to be present, or perhaps it even seems preferable? Do not despair weary one! Lift up your head, look more closely at the scene, for there, beyond the “shadow of death”, you will find the light of His countenance! This is why the psalmist was able to cry, “I will fear no evil, for THOU ART WITH ME”! Cry out to Him in that dark place beloved friend, and there, even in the midst of that dark vale, you will soon find the words of the psalmist to be true: “For thou wilt light my candle: THE LORD MY GOD WILL ENLIGHTEN MY DARKNESS” (Psalm 18:28)!
5/27 Through Psalm 23
The Valley
Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley”.
Oh the fear and dread that fills the human heart at the mere mention of “the valley”! The thought of facing a valley tends to evoke images of suffering, hardship, and affliction in our minds. When we contemplate the valleys of this life we typically have no thoughts of joy or bliss; instead, we find such a place to be depressing or even repulsive, and thus, we desire to avoid it. Even here, as the Holy Spirit inspires David to pen these divinely ordained words, He allows the personality of David - the man, to shine through in the phrase. God allows us to see “the valley” from a human perspective, even as He is unfolding divine principles.
Think about it. As you read the fullness of what David says here, you can almost see the darkness and sense the gloom which is lurking in the place that he is describing. I do not believe that David was afraid to tread in such a place, for he said, “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me”. But still, it is quite obvious that he does not face the prospect of having to “walk through the valley” with eager anticipation. In other words, I don’t believe that David had any delusions of grandeur concerning what “the valley” held in store for him or any one else that enters into that shadowy vale. For instance, why was it necessary for David to declare, “I will fear no evil” if there were no “evil” waiting in “the valley”? Indeed, “the valley” is a very dreadful place!
Let’s face it; nobody longs to walk the difficult path! No person in their right mind wants to spend their days in the low lands of this life! Nothing within us hungers to endure the dark shadows, the treacherous terrain, the ever-present dangers, and the possible hazards that always accompany the journey through such a rough and rugged place as “the valley”! However, though everything within us would cry out to God for the easy path, though our souls would beg for some other way to reach our destination, though we would plead with God not to direct our “paths” into that woeful way, yet we must understand that there is no other way! When we realize this, it will bring us at once to understand a very vital truth: The Valley is A NECESSARY Place!
It has been said that, “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials”! Without a doubt, this is one of the great lessons that we glean from this particular phrase in Psalm 23. When David says, “THOUGH I walk through the valley”, he is not suggesting that “the valley” is nothing more than a dreadful possibility; he is instead acknowledging that “the valley” is an unavoidable certainty! This is why Acts 14:22 says, “…that WE MUST through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
For a moment, let’s think about the backdrop against which God has set this scene. In the previous phrase, the psalmist declares that God “…leadeth me in the paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3). Then, upon making that statement, he begins the next phrase with a positive affirmation. Notice that in verse 4 we read, “YEA, though I walk through the valley”. The word “Yea” means “Yes”. When David uses this word, it is akin to adding an “Amen” to what he has just said. In other words, he begins by affirming that “the valley” is a part of those “paths of righteousness” in which God leads us! Then, in the midst of “the valley” scene, he acknowledges the presence of God when he says, “I will fear no evil: for THOU ART WITH ME”. The very fact that David finds comfort in such a claim is proof that he has not wandered away from God into this place as a straying sheep. Instead, these words are certain proof that David had followed God into “the valley”!
Remember what we have already established: the “paths of righteousness” in which God leads us are plural “paths”, and because they are so, they carry us down many varied and different courses. Thus, God often guides us through deep, dark, and dreadful places. While this may not be what we want, it is what He wants, and what we need! You see, though our heart longs for the pleasant places of life, and though we would always make our dwelling in the green fields and beside the calm of the still brook, and though we hunger to reach the heights of the table lands of life, yet it is impossible to reach those higher plains for which we long, unless we journey through these low places! If there were no deep valleys to endure, there would be no high mountain tops to enjoy!
Think about this for a moment dear friend! The mountains are made by valleys, and the valleys are made by mountains, and none of us could ever know the delights of the one, without facing the difficulties of the other! The heights of triumph are often made sweetest, when the depths of trials are most bitter. Perhaps this is what Paul was saying when he declared, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) William Penn put it this way, “No pain; no palm. No gall; no glory. No thorns; no throne. No cross; no crown.”
Oh how necessary are the valleys and the deep, narrow gorges of this life! Necessary, because God is seeking to conform us to “the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29)! You see, in Christ, we see a living example of the necessity of life’s valleys. In fact, 1 Peter 2:21 says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because CHRIST also SUFFERED for us, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS”. Think of what this means dear friend! The sufferings of Christ were not only necessary to bring us life, but they were also necessary to illustrate how we must live in this life!
Think about the statement that is made of Christ in Hebrews 5:8, “Though he were a Son, yet LEARNED HE obedience BY THE THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED”! Oh how this illustrates the great humility and ignominy of the God-man, Jesus Christ! You see, it was not necessary that He “learned…obedience” because of some reluctance within Him to submit to the Father’s will! Instead, this clearly reveals the extent to which our Great High Priest limited Himself! Christ, through His sufferings, “learned…obedience” experientially! Oh how great the measure to which the Son of God limited Himself and “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:6)! Oh how vast the humility of Him who “made himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7)! The Master was willing to become the servant; The King was willing to be made a pauper; The Sovereign Lord was willing to live as a subjected man! Thus, He was “leaving us an example”!
There are so many things which may be said of this profound statement of Hebrews 5:8, and most of these things are those which we do not have occasion to expound upon here. However, among the many truths that are gleaned in this blessed statement, there are two glorious truths which are conveyed that are relevant to our experiences in “the valley”. First, Christ illustrates to us that God uses “the valley” as a means to teach us. Christ’s sufferings were necessary, so that as He “learned…obedience”, though it was indeed in purely an experiential facet. But, none the less, He “learned…obedience”! And why was it so? He was “being made perfect” (Hebrews 5:9)! But how can this be? How could the precious, pure, and completely perfect Son of God be “made perfect”?
Please understand that this statement concerns no change in the person of Christ. Instead, it speaks of His being initiated or consecrated to execute the office of His priesthood! Just as the priests of “The Aaronic Order” in the Old Testament were consecrated to the work of their office through the sufferings of those beasts which were sacrificed at the ceremony of their consecration (Exodus 29:1-46), so Christ, who was “Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 5:10), was consecrated to execute His office through His own sufferings!
In illustrating this truth, I am not suggesting that those ends which are accomplished by our sufferings are equal or comparable to Christ’s, but rather, I mean to suggest that in Christ’s example we see the will of the Father being fulfilled. In this fact, we come to realize that our Heavenly Father permits the sufferings of this life’s valleys to teach and to accomplish certain things in our lives, which are in accordance with His will! This is exactly why 1 Peter 5:10 says, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER THAT YE HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”!
But there is one more thing to be gleaned from Christ’s example of suffering. You see, in Him we not only realize that God uses “the valley” to teach us, but we also see the measure to which the Father is to be obeyed, even in the midst of sufferings! Think of it friend! Christ was not merely “obedient” and submissive to the pleasure of His Father, but according to Philippians 2:8, He was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”! It was the pleasure of the Son to do the pleasure of the Father! Thus Jesus said, “I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29)! And when that “always” included “the death of the cross”, He willingly “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2)!
Meditate upon this dear friend! The Bible does not say that Christ “enjoyed the cross”; it says He “endured the cross”! He willingly embraced the agony, the shame, the sufferings of that vile instrument of death, and according to Hebrews 12:2, He did it “for the joy that was set before him”! You see, the joy was not in what He would experience on the cross, but instead, it was realized in what could only be procured through the cross!
So what was that “joy that was set before him”? In part, I believe it was the redemption of humanity, but in full, I am certain it was the “joy” of doing what pleased the Father! Remember the words of Christ in John 4:34, “My meat is to DO THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, and TO FINISH HIS WORK.” This is why, in the midst of Christ’s sufferings on the cross, and at the appointed hour of His death, He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30)! You see, in finding “joy” in the Father’s will and work, and in fulfilling that “joy” by a willingness to “endure the cross”, Christ has illustrated to us the full measure of devotion that we ought to have to God, even and especially in the midst of sufferings!
When we realize that “the valley of the shadow of death” is part of the “paths of righteousness” which He has purposed for our lives, and as we remember that these “paths” are necessary to bring forth glory from our lives “for His name’s sake”, it is then that we, like Christ, can “endure” the valleys of this life, knowing that there is a “joy” that has been “set before” the one who would “follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21)! And what is the necessary path of the one who would follow Christ and obtain such “joy”? He must be willing to “deny himself, and take up his cross” (Mark 8:34)!
Everything within us cries “NO” at such a thought! Such a pathway makes no sense to the logic of man; it does not fit within our paradigm! Far too often we are like Peter, who, upon realizing the sufferings that Christ was promising would come, took Jesus aside and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE” (Matthew 16:22)! Yet such thinking was not of God, for Christ rebuked Peter when He said, “Get thee behind me, SATAN: THOU ART AN OFFENSE UNTO ME: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matthew 16:23)!
Oh how often we follow the footsteps of Peter, rather than those of Christ! How often we listen to the whisperings of Satan convincing us that the cross is to be avoided at all cost! How often do we fail to see that “the valley” with all of its sufferings and dangers and crosses is necessary for God’s glory, and for our good! Yet, if we can be made to see that God’s purposes are fulfilled in “the valley”, and if we could but grasp that He has laid before us joyous things that can only be realized by journeying through that rugged path, then we would be able to heed the admonition of James 1:2 to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”! It is sweet consolation to know that when we “walk through the valley”; it is our faithful Shepherd that has lead us there! It is blessed peace to be assured that He uses such a difficult place to teach us such delightful truths!
But there is still more to be thankful for here? You see, though we may indeed find solace in knowing that the valley is a necessary place, there is another certainty in the psalmist’s words which is equally as comforting. Upon careful reading of the text, we also learn that: The Valley is A TEMPORARY Place! David declares, “Yea though I walk through the valley” (Psalm 23:4)! Do you see it? He says, “THROUGH the valley”! In this the psalmist realizes that his journeying in that place is temporary! The phrase affirms that “the valley” is not only a place in which God teaches us, but it is also a means by which God transitions us! In other words, the valleys of life are not intended to be places where we make a permanent abode!
You will notice in the pattern of Psalm 23 that the psalmist speaks of his “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” in verse 4, but then, as you leave reading verse 4 and begin looking into verse 5, you see what lies ahead. He says, “Thou preparest a table before me”! In this particular case, this “table” refers to the table lands to which shepherds lead their sheep in certain seasons. The text reveals that the Shepherd has already prepared that table land for the sheep, providing every safeguard, and acquainting Himself with every potential hazard there, so that He may bring His sheep to that higher plain in safety, and so that they may enjoy feeding in that place!
Do you realize what this means? The Shepherd has intentionally led His sheep into “the valley”! But He has not done so, because He intends to keep them there. Rather, it is only a means by which to get them to higher plains which He has prepared for them to enjoy! In other words, the necessary place is also a temporary place. The valleys in which God teaches us are also valleys in which He is transitioning us to place of blessings!
Is it not a glorious thought to know that God has gone before us to prepare “a table” at which we may feast? Is it not a blessed truth to realize that God’s valleys are both necessary and temporary places? Oh what help to be assured that we are only called to tread the darksome path for “a while” (1 Peter 5:10)! Oh what comfort we may find in knowing that we will only have to bear the “heaviness” and endure these “manifold temptations” which He has ordained, “for a season" (1 Peter 1:6)! And, though it may not seem so now, there will come a day when we will be able to declare with the psalmist, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:71)!
Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley”.
Oh the fear and dread that fills the human heart at the mere mention of “the valley”! The thought of facing a valley tends to evoke images of suffering, hardship, and affliction in our minds. When we contemplate the valleys of this life we typically have no thoughts of joy or bliss; instead, we find such a place to be depressing or even repulsive, and thus, we desire to avoid it. Even here, as the Holy Spirit inspires David to pen these divinely ordained words, He allows the personality of David - the man, to shine through in the phrase. God allows us to see “the valley” from a human perspective, even as He is unfolding divine principles.
Think about it. As you read the fullness of what David says here, you can almost see the darkness and sense the gloom which is lurking in the place that he is describing. I do not believe that David was afraid to tread in such a place, for he said, “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me”. But still, it is quite obvious that he does not face the prospect of having to “walk through the valley” with eager anticipation. In other words, I don’t believe that David had any delusions of grandeur concerning what “the valley” held in store for him or any one else that enters into that shadowy vale. For instance, why was it necessary for David to declare, “I will fear no evil” if there were no “evil” waiting in “the valley”? Indeed, “the valley” is a very dreadful place!
Let’s face it; nobody longs to walk the difficult path! No person in their right mind wants to spend their days in the low lands of this life! Nothing within us hungers to endure the dark shadows, the treacherous terrain, the ever-present dangers, and the possible hazards that always accompany the journey through such a rough and rugged place as “the valley”! However, though everything within us would cry out to God for the easy path, though our souls would beg for some other way to reach our destination, though we would plead with God not to direct our “paths” into that woeful way, yet we must understand that there is no other way! When we realize this, it will bring us at once to understand a very vital truth: The Valley is A NECESSARY Place!
It has been said that, “The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials”! Without a doubt, this is one of the great lessons that we glean from this particular phrase in Psalm 23. When David says, “THOUGH I walk through the valley”, he is not suggesting that “the valley” is nothing more than a dreadful possibility; he is instead acknowledging that “the valley” is an unavoidable certainty! This is why Acts 14:22 says, “…that WE MUST through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
For a moment, let’s think about the backdrop against which God has set this scene. In the previous phrase, the psalmist declares that God “…leadeth me in the paths of righteousness” (Psalm 23:3). Then, upon making that statement, he begins the next phrase with a positive affirmation. Notice that in verse 4 we read, “YEA, though I walk through the valley”. The word “Yea” means “Yes”. When David uses this word, it is akin to adding an “Amen” to what he has just said. In other words, he begins by affirming that “the valley” is a part of those “paths of righteousness” in which God leads us! Then, in the midst of “the valley” scene, he acknowledges the presence of God when he says, “I will fear no evil: for THOU ART WITH ME”. The very fact that David finds comfort in such a claim is proof that he has not wandered away from God into this place as a straying sheep. Instead, these words are certain proof that David had followed God into “the valley”!
Remember what we have already established: the “paths of righteousness” in which God leads us are plural “paths”, and because they are so, they carry us down many varied and different courses. Thus, God often guides us through deep, dark, and dreadful places. While this may not be what we want, it is what He wants, and what we need! You see, though our heart longs for the pleasant places of life, and though we would always make our dwelling in the green fields and beside the calm of the still brook, and though we hunger to reach the heights of the table lands of life, yet it is impossible to reach those higher plains for which we long, unless we journey through these low places! If there were no deep valleys to endure, there would be no high mountain tops to enjoy!
Think about this for a moment dear friend! The mountains are made by valleys, and the valleys are made by mountains, and none of us could ever know the delights of the one, without facing the difficulties of the other! The heights of triumph are often made sweetest, when the depths of trials are most bitter. Perhaps this is what Paul was saying when he declared, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) William Penn put it this way, “No pain; no palm. No gall; no glory. No thorns; no throne. No cross; no crown.”
Oh how necessary are the valleys and the deep, narrow gorges of this life! Necessary, because God is seeking to conform us to “the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29)! You see, in Christ, we see a living example of the necessity of life’s valleys. In fact, 1 Peter 2:21 says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because CHRIST also SUFFERED for us, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS”. Think of what this means dear friend! The sufferings of Christ were not only necessary to bring us life, but they were also necessary to illustrate how we must live in this life!
Think about the statement that is made of Christ in Hebrews 5:8, “Though he were a Son, yet LEARNED HE obedience BY THE THINGS WHICH HE SUFFERED”! Oh how this illustrates the great humility and ignominy of the God-man, Jesus Christ! You see, it was not necessary that He “learned…obedience” because of some reluctance within Him to submit to the Father’s will! Instead, this clearly reveals the extent to which our Great High Priest limited Himself! Christ, through His sufferings, “learned…obedience” experientially! Oh how great the measure to which the Son of God limited Himself and “thought it not robbery to be equal with God” (Philippians 2:6)! Oh how vast the humility of Him who “made himself of no reputation” (Philippians 2:7)! The Master was willing to become the servant; The King was willing to be made a pauper; The Sovereign Lord was willing to live as a subjected man! Thus, He was “leaving us an example”!
There are so many things which may be said of this profound statement of Hebrews 5:8, and most of these things are those which we do not have occasion to expound upon here. However, among the many truths that are gleaned in this blessed statement, there are two glorious truths which are conveyed that are relevant to our experiences in “the valley”. First, Christ illustrates to us that God uses “the valley” as a means to teach us. Christ’s sufferings were necessary, so that as He “learned…obedience”, though it was indeed in purely an experiential facet. But, none the less, He “learned…obedience”! And why was it so? He was “being made perfect” (Hebrews 5:9)! But how can this be? How could the precious, pure, and completely perfect Son of God be “made perfect”?
Please understand that this statement concerns no change in the person of Christ. Instead, it speaks of His being initiated or consecrated to execute the office of His priesthood! Just as the priests of “The Aaronic Order” in the Old Testament were consecrated to the work of their office through the sufferings of those beasts which were sacrificed at the ceremony of their consecration (Exodus 29:1-46), so Christ, who was “Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec” (Hebrews 5:10), was consecrated to execute His office through His own sufferings!
In illustrating this truth, I am not suggesting that those ends which are accomplished by our sufferings are equal or comparable to Christ’s, but rather, I mean to suggest that in Christ’s example we see the will of the Father being fulfilled. In this fact, we come to realize that our Heavenly Father permits the sufferings of this life’s valleys to teach and to accomplish certain things in our lives, which are in accordance with His will! This is exactly why 1 Peter 5:10 says, “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, AFTER THAT YE HAVE SUFFERED A WHILE, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you”!
But there is one more thing to be gleaned from Christ’s example of suffering. You see, in Him we not only realize that God uses “the valley” to teach us, but we also see the measure to which the Father is to be obeyed, even in the midst of sufferings! Think of it friend! Christ was not merely “obedient” and submissive to the pleasure of His Father, but according to Philippians 2:8, He was “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”! It was the pleasure of the Son to do the pleasure of the Father! Thus Jesus said, “I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29)! And when that “always” included “the death of the cross”, He willingly “endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2)!
Meditate upon this dear friend! The Bible does not say that Christ “enjoyed the cross”; it says He “endured the cross”! He willingly embraced the agony, the shame, the sufferings of that vile instrument of death, and according to Hebrews 12:2, He did it “for the joy that was set before him”! You see, the joy was not in what He would experience on the cross, but instead, it was realized in what could only be procured through the cross!
So what was that “joy that was set before him”? In part, I believe it was the redemption of humanity, but in full, I am certain it was the “joy” of doing what pleased the Father! Remember the words of Christ in John 4:34, “My meat is to DO THE WILL OF HIM THAT SENT ME, and TO FINISH HIS WORK.” This is why, in the midst of Christ’s sufferings on the cross, and at the appointed hour of His death, He cried, “It is finished” (John 19:30)! You see, in finding “joy” in the Father’s will and work, and in fulfilling that “joy” by a willingness to “endure the cross”, Christ has illustrated to us the full measure of devotion that we ought to have to God, even and especially in the midst of sufferings!
When we realize that “the valley of the shadow of death” is part of the “paths of righteousness” which He has purposed for our lives, and as we remember that these “paths” are necessary to bring forth glory from our lives “for His name’s sake”, it is then that we, like Christ, can “endure” the valleys of this life, knowing that there is a “joy” that has been “set before” the one who would “follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21)! And what is the necessary path of the one who would follow Christ and obtain such “joy”? He must be willing to “deny himself, and take up his cross” (Mark 8:34)!
Everything within us cries “NO” at such a thought! Such a pathway makes no sense to the logic of man; it does not fit within our paradigm! Far too often we are like Peter, who, upon realizing the sufferings that Christ was promising would come, took Jesus aside and said, “Be it far from thee, Lord: THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE” (Matthew 16:22)! Yet such thinking was not of God, for Christ rebuked Peter when He said, “Get thee behind me, SATAN: THOU ART AN OFFENSE UNTO ME: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men" (Matthew 16:23)!
Oh how often we follow the footsteps of Peter, rather than those of Christ! How often we listen to the whisperings of Satan convincing us that the cross is to be avoided at all cost! How often do we fail to see that “the valley” with all of its sufferings and dangers and crosses is necessary for God’s glory, and for our good! Yet, if we can be made to see that God’s purposes are fulfilled in “the valley”, and if we could but grasp that He has laid before us joyous things that can only be realized by journeying through that rugged path, then we would be able to heed the admonition of James 1:2 to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations”! It is sweet consolation to know that when we “walk through the valley”; it is our faithful Shepherd that has lead us there! It is blessed peace to be assured that He uses such a difficult place to teach us such delightful truths!
But there is still more to be thankful for here? You see, though we may indeed find solace in knowing that the valley is a necessary place, there is another certainty in the psalmist’s words which is equally as comforting. Upon careful reading of the text, we also learn that: The Valley is A TEMPORARY Place! David declares, “Yea though I walk through the valley” (Psalm 23:4)! Do you see it? He says, “THROUGH the valley”! In this the psalmist realizes that his journeying in that place is temporary! The phrase affirms that “the valley” is not only a place in which God teaches us, but it is also a means by which God transitions us! In other words, the valleys of life are not intended to be places where we make a permanent abode!
You will notice in the pattern of Psalm 23 that the psalmist speaks of his “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” in verse 4, but then, as you leave reading verse 4 and begin looking into verse 5, you see what lies ahead. He says, “Thou preparest a table before me”! In this particular case, this “table” refers to the table lands to which shepherds lead their sheep in certain seasons. The text reveals that the Shepherd has already prepared that table land for the sheep, providing every safeguard, and acquainting Himself with every potential hazard there, so that He may bring His sheep to that higher plain in safety, and so that they may enjoy feeding in that place!
Do you realize what this means? The Shepherd has intentionally led His sheep into “the valley”! But He has not done so, because He intends to keep them there. Rather, it is only a means by which to get them to higher plains which He has prepared for them to enjoy! In other words, the necessary place is also a temporary place. The valleys in which God teaches us are also valleys in which He is transitioning us to place of blessings!
Is it not a glorious thought to know that God has gone before us to prepare “a table” at which we may feast? Is it not a blessed truth to realize that God’s valleys are both necessary and temporary places? Oh what help to be assured that we are only called to tread the darksome path for “a while” (1 Peter 5:10)! Oh what comfort we may find in knowing that we will only have to bear the “heaviness” and endure these “manifold temptations” which He has ordained, “for a season" (1 Peter 1:6)! And, though it may not seem so now, there will come a day when we will be able to declare with the psalmist, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes” (Psalm 119:71)!
5/26 Through Psalm 23
For His Name's Sake
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Oh how often do we miss many of God’s golden nuggets because we pass over them too swiftly! How unfortunate that so many times we fail to see the full measure of import in the small things in Scripture! For instance, when we read the 23rd Psalm, and in particular, the phrase set before us here in verse 3, we often become so focused upon the leadings of the Shepherd and the “paths” which He has chosen for us and the “righteousness” which He has purposed to work in our lives, that we neglect the precious treasure contained in the closing words of this phrase!
“For his name’s sake”! Oh the precious gems that sparkle in these four simple words! These are not merely intended to be an adjunct to the truths expounded in Psalm 23:3, but instead, they are the apex, the zenith, the capstone of all that we have seen in this precious psalm thus far and also of all that we shall see in the verses that remain! You see, these words provide the answer to one of the most difficult questions that plagues the human heart; they speak to that one request which we so often long to pour out before God when we don’t understand His ways. This is the answer to the question “Why?” But not merely the “Why?” of the “paths of righteousness”, but also of the “pastures” and “waters”, of the “valley” and “table”, of the “rod”, the “staff”, and the “oil”! The grand and glorious purpose of it all is realized in this one simple refrain, it is all “for his name’s sake”!
Oh how clearly this fits into the whole scene of God’s masterpiece of creation! You see, God made all things “for his name’s sake”! Think about it! When you gaze into the skies and see the vast handiwork of God, to what end does it bring your heart? When you see the sun and moon suspended in space; when you see the beauty of the stars glittering like diamonds amid the black backdrop of the night, what are they saying to you? Psalm 19:1-3 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where there voice is not heard.” All these things which God has made are intended to “declare the glory of God”! In other words, He made them “for his name’s sake”!
Yes dear friend, there is not a place in this world where man can go, nor is there a kindred, tribe, or tongue among all the people of the earth to whom the wonders of the heavens aren’t declaring the glory of Him who “hath made all things” (Psalm 16:4), and who is “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3)! The God of all Creation has designed every facet of it all to bring Him glory and to magnify His name! In fact, the Bible even goes so far as to say that the creation reveals “his eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20). Therefore, God’s glory is the cry of all creation!
Think about it! When the psalmist pondered the magnitude of God’s masterpiece, he declared, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3) Oh how small man is indeed when compared to the wisdom and works of such a mighty and marvelous Creator! And yet, though the heavens caused David to feel so insignificant, still they magnified the grandeur of the God who made it all! This is why the psalmist goes on to say, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is THY NAME in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)
You see, this was the plan of the Creator for His creation from the very beginning! He designed it all so that the summer and winter, the rain and sunshine, the dew of the morning and the dark of the evening, the mountain peaks and the valleys, the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven would join together and harmonize in the anthem of the ages: “To God be the glory great things He hath done”! And this song of His creation shall one day give way to the song of the redeemed, for we too shall gather about the throne of the One that is the Maker and Master, the Sovereign and Sustainer of this universe, and we shall together lift our voices to cry “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, AND FOR THY PLEASURE THEY ARE AND WERE CREATED” (Revelation 4:11)! And what is this “pleasure”, this wish, and this desire of God in all that He hath made? It is all “for his name’s sake”!
But the words in our psalm abound with even more precious worth, for they not only fit into the general plan of God for His creation, but they also define the particular purpose of God concerning man! You see, man is the pinnacle of God’s creation, and just like all other things which He created, God has made man to bring glory to His name! Isaiah 43:7 reveals this in some measure, for it reads, “Even everyone that is called by my name: FOR I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” We were “made”, “formed”, and “created” by God for His glory!
So what does this mean for us specifically? What is the essential idea behind the phrase “for his name’s sake”? What does it really mean to give God “glory”? Let’s begin with the very basic concept of giving glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” The word “glory” comes from the Greek word (doxa), and it means thought or opinion; it relates to one’s view of or judgment about a thing. In other words, when I “do all to the glory of God”, I am to live in such a way that people have a right opinion, right thoughts, and a proper perspective of God!
But let’s take it a step further. First, we need to understand that it is impossible for an unregenerate sinner to give “glory to God” apart from having a relationship with Him. Remember that Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD”! According to the Bible, those who are unsaved are still “dead IN trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus said of the unbeliever, “IF YE BELIEVE NOT that I am he, ye shall DIE IN YOUR SINS." (John 8:24) Because the sinner is still “in trespasses and sins”, he cannot possibly give glory to God, for sin will always “come short of the glory of God”! Thus, salvation is the first necessary step to God getting glory from any man’s life!
However, not only is it true that the unsaved cannot give God glory, but it is also true that the believer that is “walking in darkness” and does not “have fellowship with him” (1 John 1:6) cannot give God glory. Notice that 1 John 1:6 does not use the word relationship, but “fellowship”. This is because nothing can undo the relationship that a believer has with God through Jesus Christ! We are eternally “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13), and we are “sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30)! However, sin can and does hinder our “fellowship” with God when it is not confessed (1 John 1:9).
This is why Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR ME”. How can one who is out of “fellowship” with God be giving others a right opinion and perspective of Him while they “walk in darkness”? You see, “God is light, and in him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL.” (1 John 1:5) This makes it impossible for the person who is walking “in darkness” (1 John 1:6) to give a right view of the One in whom is “no darkness at all”!
So here is what we can clearly see: to give God glory means to give others a right opinion about Him in “whatsoever ye do”! We also see that in order to do that, we must “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7)! Therefore, if any of us at present are walking “in darkness”, the only way back to a life that gives glory to God is to “confess our sins” (1 John 1:9)! This is exactly what Joshua expressed to Achan when he confronted him about the sin which Achan had both committed and concealed. He said, “My son, GIVE, I pray thee, GLORY to the Lord God of Israel, and MAKE CONFESSION UNTO HIM” (Joshua 7:19)! If you are not right with God, you can begin again to “give…glory to the Lord” when you “make confession unto him”.
And why, child of God, why is this so vital? I think the answer to this question is clearly revealed in 2 Corinthians 4. In that text Paul warns the Corinthian believers that, “our Gospel…is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3). You see, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the GLORIOUS GOSPEL of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) And notice that it is indeed “The Glorious Gospel”! It is interesting that the word “glorious” is from the same Greek word that is used in 1 Corinthians 10:31, where we are commanded to “do all to the glory of God.” So then, we must be carriers of this “Glorious Gospel” if God is going to be glorified!
This friend is the high calling we have been given! This is the ultimate purpose of God for His children! It is to glorify God in what we do; that we might “Declare his glory among the heathen” (Psalm 96:3) in what we say! This is why Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians that “God…hath shined in our hearts, TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD, in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) And to whom are we to give “the knowledge of the glory of God”? We are to give it unto “them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3)!
This is exactly why Paul was so abundantly careful to deliver the message of the “Glorious Gospel” in word, but at the same time, he was also careful not to hinder that message in his deeds. This explains why he said that he had “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This why he says, “For WE PREACH (In Word) not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, and ourselves your servants (In Deed) for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5)! Do you see it friend? Do you see why he was so careful in both arenas? What was it with which he was most concerned? It was the Glory of God! Thus, he says, “We preach” and we are “servants” for one reason: “FOR JESUS’ SAKE”!
There it is dear friend! There is the sum of the matter! All of God’s determined “paths”, all of His sovereign plans are “for his name’s sake”! It is “for his name’s sake” that “He leadeth me” and “He maketh me to lie down”! It is “for his name’s sake” that his “paths” direct me “through the valley of the shadow of death”! It is “for his name’s sake” that He “preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”! So important is His glory, so vital is the reputation of His name, that all that He does in us and through us and for us is ultimately “for his name’s sake”!
What a thrill that He has chosen to use “earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7) to shine forth “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God”! And why, according to 1 Corinthians 1:7, has He chosen such “foolish things” and such “weak things” as we? It is so that “the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7)! Oh that this truth might compel us to “exalt his NAME together” (Psalm 34:3)! Oh that we would deem it a privilege to be counted as “FOOLS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE” (1 Corinthians 4:10)! What joy is ours “have this treasure in earthen vessels”, that we might instruments which He can use “for his name’s sake”!
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
Oh how often do we miss many of God’s golden nuggets because we pass over them too swiftly! How unfortunate that so many times we fail to see the full measure of import in the small things in Scripture! For instance, when we read the 23rd Psalm, and in particular, the phrase set before us here in verse 3, we often become so focused upon the leadings of the Shepherd and the “paths” which He has chosen for us and the “righteousness” which He has purposed to work in our lives, that we neglect the precious treasure contained in the closing words of this phrase!
“For his name’s sake”! Oh the precious gems that sparkle in these four simple words! These are not merely intended to be an adjunct to the truths expounded in Psalm 23:3, but instead, they are the apex, the zenith, the capstone of all that we have seen in this precious psalm thus far and also of all that we shall see in the verses that remain! You see, these words provide the answer to one of the most difficult questions that plagues the human heart; they speak to that one request which we so often long to pour out before God when we don’t understand His ways. This is the answer to the question “Why?” But not merely the “Why?” of the “paths of righteousness”, but also of the “pastures” and “waters”, of the “valley” and “table”, of the “rod”, the “staff”, and the “oil”! The grand and glorious purpose of it all is realized in this one simple refrain, it is all “for his name’s sake”!
Oh how clearly this fits into the whole scene of God’s masterpiece of creation! You see, God made all things “for his name’s sake”! Think about it! When you gaze into the skies and see the vast handiwork of God, to what end does it bring your heart? When you see the sun and moon suspended in space; when you see the beauty of the stars glittering like diamonds amid the black backdrop of the night, what are they saying to you? Psalm 19:1-3 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where there voice is not heard.” All these things which God has made are intended to “declare the glory of God”! In other words, He made them “for his name’s sake”!
Yes dear friend, there is not a place in this world where man can go, nor is there a kindred, tribe, or tongue among all the people of the earth to whom the wonders of the heavens aren’t declaring the glory of Him who “hath made all things” (Psalm 16:4), and who is “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3)! The God of all Creation has designed every facet of it all to bring Him glory and to magnify His name! In fact, the Bible even goes so far as to say that the creation reveals “his eternal power and Godhead” (Romans 1:20). Therefore, God’s glory is the cry of all creation!
Think about it! When the psalmist pondered the magnitude of God’s masterpiece, he declared, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8:3) Oh how small man is indeed when compared to the wisdom and works of such a mighty and marvelous Creator! And yet, though the heavens caused David to feel so insignificant, still they magnified the grandeur of the God who made it all! This is why the psalmist goes on to say, “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is THY NAME in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:9)
You see, this was the plan of the Creator for His creation from the very beginning! He designed it all so that the summer and winter, the rain and sunshine, the dew of the morning and the dark of the evening, the mountain peaks and the valleys, the sun, the moon, and all the host of heaven would join together and harmonize in the anthem of the ages: “To God be the glory great things He hath done”! And this song of His creation shall one day give way to the song of the redeemed, for we too shall gather about the throne of the One that is the Maker and Master, the Sovereign and Sustainer of this universe, and we shall together lift our voices to cry “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, AND FOR THY PLEASURE THEY ARE AND WERE CREATED” (Revelation 4:11)! And what is this “pleasure”, this wish, and this desire of God in all that He hath made? It is all “for his name’s sake”!
But the words in our psalm abound with even more precious worth, for they not only fit into the general plan of God for His creation, but they also define the particular purpose of God concerning man! You see, man is the pinnacle of God’s creation, and just like all other things which He created, God has made man to bring glory to His name! Isaiah 43:7 reveals this in some measure, for it reads, “Even everyone that is called by my name: FOR I HAVE CREATED HIM FOR MY GLORY, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” We were “made”, “formed”, and “created” by God for His glory!
So what does this mean for us specifically? What is the essential idea behind the phrase “for his name’s sake”? What does it really mean to give God “glory”? Let’s begin with the very basic concept of giving glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” The word “glory” comes from the Greek word (doxa), and it means thought or opinion; it relates to one’s view of or judgment about a thing. In other words, when I “do all to the glory of God”, I am to live in such a way that people have a right opinion, right thoughts, and a proper perspective of God!
But let’s take it a step further. First, we need to understand that it is impossible for an unregenerate sinner to give “glory to God” apart from having a relationship with Him. Remember that Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD”! According to the Bible, those who are unsaved are still “dead IN trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:2). Jesus said of the unbeliever, “IF YE BELIEVE NOT that I am he, ye shall DIE IN YOUR SINS." (John 8:24) Because the sinner is still “in trespasses and sins”, he cannot possibly give glory to God, for sin will always “come short of the glory of God”! Thus, salvation is the first necessary step to God getting glory from any man’s life!
However, not only is it true that the unsaved cannot give God glory, but it is also true that the believer that is “walking in darkness” and does not “have fellowship with him” (1 John 1:6) cannot give God glory. Notice that 1 John 1:6 does not use the word relationship, but “fellowship”. This is because nothing can undo the relationship that a believer has with God through Jesus Christ! We are eternally “sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13), and we are “sealed unto the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30)! However, sin can and does hinder our “fellowship” with God when it is not confessed (1 John 1:9).
This is why Psalm 66:18 says, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, THE LORD WILL NOT HEAR ME”. How can one who is out of “fellowship” with God be giving others a right opinion and perspective of Him while they “walk in darkness”? You see, “God is light, and in him is NO DARKNESS AT ALL.” (1 John 1:5) This makes it impossible for the person who is walking “in darkness” (1 John 1:6) to give a right view of the One in whom is “no darkness at all”!
So here is what we can clearly see: to give God glory means to give others a right opinion about Him in “whatsoever ye do”! We also see that in order to do that, we must “walk in the light, as he is in the light” (1 John 1:7)! Therefore, if any of us at present are walking “in darkness”, the only way back to a life that gives glory to God is to “confess our sins” (1 John 1:9)! This is exactly what Joshua expressed to Achan when he confronted him about the sin which Achan had both committed and concealed. He said, “My son, GIVE, I pray thee, GLORY to the Lord God of Israel, and MAKE CONFESSION UNTO HIM” (Joshua 7:19)! If you are not right with God, you can begin again to “give…glory to the Lord” when you “make confession unto him”.
And why, child of God, why is this so vital? I think the answer to this question is clearly revealed in 2 Corinthians 4. In that text Paul warns the Corinthian believers that, “our Gospel…is hid to them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3). You see, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the GLORIOUS GOSPEL of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) And notice that it is indeed “The Glorious Gospel”! It is interesting that the word “glorious” is from the same Greek word that is used in 1 Corinthians 10:31, where we are commanded to “do all to the glory of God.” So then, we must be carriers of this “Glorious Gospel” if God is going to be glorified!
This friend is the high calling we have been given! This is the ultimate purpose of God for His children! It is to glorify God in what we do; that we might “Declare his glory among the heathen” (Psalm 96:3) in what we say! This is why Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians that “God…hath shined in our hearts, TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD, in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) And to whom are we to give “the knowledge of the glory of God”? We are to give it unto “them that are lost” (2 Corinthians 4:3)!
This is exactly why Paul was so abundantly careful to deliver the message of the “Glorious Gospel” in word, but at the same time, he was also careful not to hinder that message in his deeds. This explains why he said that he had “renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the Word of God deceitfully” (2 Corinthians 4:2). This why he says, “For WE PREACH (In Word) not ourselves, but CHRIST JESUS THE LORD, and ourselves your servants (In Deed) for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:5)! Do you see it friend? Do you see why he was so careful in both arenas? What was it with which he was most concerned? It was the Glory of God! Thus, he says, “We preach” and we are “servants” for one reason: “FOR JESUS’ SAKE”!
There it is dear friend! There is the sum of the matter! All of God’s determined “paths”, all of His sovereign plans are “for his name’s sake”! It is “for his name’s sake” that “He leadeth me” and “He maketh me to lie down”! It is “for his name’s sake” that his “paths” direct me “through the valley of the shadow of death”! It is “for his name’s sake” that He “preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies”! So important is His glory, so vital is the reputation of His name, that all that He does in us and through us and for us is ultimately “for his name’s sake”!
What a thrill that He has chosen to use “earthen vessels” (2 Corinthians 4:7) to shine forth “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God”! And why, according to 1 Corinthians 1:7, has He chosen such “foolish things” and such “weak things” as we? It is so that “the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7)! Oh that this truth might compel us to “exalt his NAME together” (Psalm 34:3)! Oh that we would deem it a privilege to be counted as “FOOLS FOR CHRIST’S SAKE” (1 Corinthians 4:10)! What joy is ours “have this treasure in earthen vessels”, that we might instruments which He can use “for his name’s sake”!
5/25 Through Psalm 23
The Paths of Righteousness (Part 3)
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”.
Oh the magnitude of the love that compelled the cross-work of Jesus Christ! That God should punish His Son the “righteous servant” and that Christ should endure “the travail of his soul” so that the Father would be “satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11), this is both amazing love and amazing grace! Yet Christ’s death was not merely for the purpose of satisfying the Father; it was also to the intent of sanctifying mankind! Titus 2:14 says, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of good works.” Yes, Christ died to take those “who were dead IN trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and to make them “dead TO sins” (1 Peter 2:24)! As we have seen, this change of our standing before God from unrighteous to righteous is what we would call POSITIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
But what is the aim of positional righteousness? What is the purpose of God’s “imputing” His righteousness to our account? Obviously, it is to reconcile man to god. Certainly, it is to afford us the privilege of gaining eternal life. Assuredly, it is to open the door to Heaven, so that undeserving men might obtain an entrance by grace. But I believe there is even more! You see, God’s Word clearly reveals that the aim of the salvation that is wrought in Christ is not only to give us positional righteousness, but it is also to work in us a PRACTICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Think about it dear friend! Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross, His shed blood, His death, His burial, His resurrection, all of it was to the end of changing the STATE of man, as well as his standing! The Bible is replete with passages that confirm this truth. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “And that he died for all, that THEY WHICH LIVE SHOULD not henceforth LIVE unto themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again.” Romans 6:6 says it this way, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.” Then, in 1 Peter 4:2 we read, “That HE no longer SHOULD LIVE THE REST OF HIS TIME in the flesh to the lusts of men, but TO THE WILL OF GOD.” This practical change in how a man lives is God’s design for all those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ!
You see, there is only one thing, one term, one word that summarizes each of these concepts. There is but one truth that reveals what it means to “live…unto him”, to “not serve sin”, to “live the rest of his time in the flesh…to the will of God”, and that truth, that term, that word is RIGHTEOUSNESS. There it is friend! It has been clearly and plainly spoken for us! It is apparent that Christ not only died to bring us positional or IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, but He also died to work in us a practical or IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is why 1 Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins (Positional), should live unto righteousness (Practical): by whose stripes ye were healed.”
At this point, it is important to remind ourselves that these two truths are inextricably linked. The one is part of the other, or maybe we should say, the one is realized by the other. Through salvation, God has justified us by imputing His righteousness to our account through Christ. That justification, that imputing of righteousness, that changing of our standing and position is an immediate and completed work! But practical righteousness, though it is definite, is not immediate. In other words, it is realized in time.
This is exactly the point of Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”! It is quite evident that this verse is speaking of the practical rather than the positional. Don’t misunderstand! We have examined the positional because the practical cannot be experienced apart from that, but this verse is ultimately dealing with God’s desire to bring forth practical righteousness in the lives of His people, and that the “paths” in which He leads us are always to that end.
As we said, positional righteousness is an immediate, full, and final work that is accomplished at the moment an individual trusts Christ and is saved! But what we are reading here in Psalm 23:3 is not immediate. Instead, the psalmist is speaking of a progressive path that unfolds through out “all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6). Remember that the words “He leadeth me” in our text clearly indicate this truth. I would remind you that this phrase is in the imperfect in Hebrew; which, in this case, deals with an incomplete or repetitive action. In other words, it reminds us that God is ever leading us in these “paths of righteousness”. To put it simply, God has divinely determined our course, and in sovereignty, He has selected our paths in order to work in us and impart through us this practical righteousness.
Think about it for a moment! We have established that these “paths” are plural to remind us that God’s leadings carry us across many varied terrains and trails, through many different seasons and situations in order to accomplish “his purpose” (Romans 8:28) in our lives. And what is “his purpose”? Romans 8:29 says that it is, “to be conformed to the image of his Son”. You see, God has determined that every believer will be “conformed” to the “image” of Jesus, or, in other words, that we will “be like him” (1 John 3:2)! But what does it mean to be like Him? Does it mean that will shall some day achieve the status of Divinity and be equal to God? Absolutely not! So what does it mean?
According to Scripture, there are two ways in which we shall be like Christ. First of all, we shall be like Him in body. Philippians 3:21 says, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY”. We can be confident that one day, we shall have a glorified body, just as Christ! But then there is a second way in which we will be like Him; namely, that we shall be like Him in purity or righteousness. I believe that this is what God’s Word is speaking of in 2 Peter 1:4 when it says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these YE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Both in body and in purity, God has determined to fashion us in the likeness of Christ.
Oh what a blessed promise this is for the people of God! Oh the hope that we have in Christ , that one day God’s “purpose” to which He has “predestinated” us will be realized in full! Praise His name that “we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) And, as John goes on to tell, this promise is the “hope” (1 John 3:3) of those who are in Christ! Yet what is fascinating is that he goes on to show us the effect that this “hope” will have upon the child of God. 1 John 3:3 says, “And EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE in him PURIFIETH HIMSELF, even as he is pure.” You see, though the fullness of this conformity to Christ will not be completed until we reach Heaven, still God shows us that the working of that conformity has already commenced here on earth.
Consider that the word “purifieth” comes from the Greek word (hagnizo). The root of the word is (hagnos) which means pure or chaste, and the word (hagnizo) carries the idea of cleansing one’s self. In other words, those who have within them the “hope” of Christ-likeness are seeking to cleanse themselves in a practical sense here and now. They want to become more and more like Jesus presently.
It is also fascinating to note that the word “purifieth” is given in the indicative mood. The indicative is used to render statements of fact. This means that when God says, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself”, He is not speaking of what a believer could do, for then He would have rendered the statement in the subjunctive mood. As well, He is not speaking of what a believer should do, for then He would have rendered the statement in the imperative mood. Instead, He is speaking of what a true believer WILL do!
Think of what this means dear friend! Our faithful shepherd has made every provision necessary for us to walk in righteousness! He has supplied every necessary means to enable us to be like Christ! As 2 Peter 1:3 puts it, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness". Think about it! He has promised that He “worketh IN you both to will and to do his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)! And this He does indeed, by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit!
Then, here in our text, He has also promised that externally He is ever leading us in those “paths of righteousness”! And to what end? That we may not only know “the glory of the Lord”, but that we may be “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18)! You see, He is presently and persistently leading us in those “paths” that will cultivate Christ-likeness and help us to walk in His righteousness! Thus, "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness"!
Praise be unto God for the imputed righteousness that has justified me in His sight; and thanks be unto Him for the imparted righteousness that sanctifies me day by day; and Glory be to His name for the Christ who made it all possible! Though our standing be righteous, we have nothing in which to boast, for Christ alone hath “made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)! If our state be righteous, we have no personal grounds upon which to glory, for Jesus only is “The Author and FINISHER of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2)! Whether we speak of positional righteousness or practical, one thing is clear, it is all of Him! Such truth compels me to cry aloud with Paul, “But God forbid that I should glory, SAVE IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14)!
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”.
Oh the magnitude of the love that compelled the cross-work of Jesus Christ! That God should punish His Son the “righteous servant” and that Christ should endure “the travail of his soul” so that the Father would be “satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11), this is both amazing love and amazing grace! Yet Christ’s death was not merely for the purpose of satisfying the Father; it was also to the intent of sanctifying mankind! Titus 2:14 says, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and PURIFY UNTO HIMSELF A PECULIAR PEOPLE, zealous of good works.” Yes, Christ died to take those “who were dead IN trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1), and to make them “dead TO sins” (1 Peter 2:24)! As we have seen, this change of our standing before God from unrighteous to righteous is what we would call POSITIONAL RIGHTEOUSNESS.
But what is the aim of positional righteousness? What is the purpose of God’s “imputing” His righteousness to our account? Obviously, it is to reconcile man to god. Certainly, it is to afford us the privilege of gaining eternal life. Assuredly, it is to open the door to Heaven, so that undeserving men might obtain an entrance by grace. But I believe there is even more! You see, God’s Word clearly reveals that the aim of the salvation that is wrought in Christ is not only to give us positional righteousness, but it is also to work in us a PRACTICAL RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Think about it dear friend! Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross, His shed blood, His death, His burial, His resurrection, all of it was to the end of changing the STATE of man, as well as his standing! The Bible is replete with passages that confirm this truth. 2 Corinthians 5:15 says, “And that he died for all, that THEY WHICH LIVE SHOULD not henceforth LIVE unto themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again.” Romans 6:6 says it this way, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN.” Then, in 1 Peter 4:2 we read, “That HE no longer SHOULD LIVE THE REST OF HIS TIME in the flesh to the lusts of men, but TO THE WILL OF GOD.” This practical change in how a man lives is God’s design for all those who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ!
You see, there is only one thing, one term, one word that summarizes each of these concepts. There is but one truth that reveals what it means to “live…unto him”, to “not serve sin”, to “live the rest of his time in the flesh…to the will of God”, and that truth, that term, that word is RIGHTEOUSNESS. There it is friend! It has been clearly and plainly spoken for us! It is apparent that Christ not only died to bring us positional or IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS, but He also died to work in us a practical or IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS. This is why 1 Peter 2:24 says, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins (Positional), should live unto righteousness (Practical): by whose stripes ye were healed.”
At this point, it is important to remind ourselves that these two truths are inextricably linked. The one is part of the other, or maybe we should say, the one is realized by the other. Through salvation, God has justified us by imputing His righteousness to our account through Christ. That justification, that imputing of righteousness, that changing of our standing and position is an immediate and completed work! But practical righteousness, though it is definite, is not immediate. In other words, it is realized in time.
This is exactly the point of Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”! It is quite evident that this verse is speaking of the practical rather than the positional. Don’t misunderstand! We have examined the positional because the practical cannot be experienced apart from that, but this verse is ultimately dealing with God’s desire to bring forth practical righteousness in the lives of His people, and that the “paths” in which He leads us are always to that end.
As we said, positional righteousness is an immediate, full, and final work that is accomplished at the moment an individual trusts Christ and is saved! But what we are reading here in Psalm 23:3 is not immediate. Instead, the psalmist is speaking of a progressive path that unfolds through out “all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:6). Remember that the words “He leadeth me” in our text clearly indicate this truth. I would remind you that this phrase is in the imperfect in Hebrew; which, in this case, deals with an incomplete or repetitive action. In other words, it reminds us that God is ever leading us in these “paths of righteousness”. To put it simply, God has divinely determined our course, and in sovereignty, He has selected our paths in order to work in us and impart through us this practical righteousness.
Think about it for a moment! We have established that these “paths” are plural to remind us that God’s leadings carry us across many varied terrains and trails, through many different seasons and situations in order to accomplish “his purpose” (Romans 8:28) in our lives. And what is “his purpose”? Romans 8:29 says that it is, “to be conformed to the image of his Son”. You see, God has determined that every believer will be “conformed” to the “image” of Jesus, or, in other words, that we will “be like him” (1 John 3:2)! But what does it mean to be like Him? Does it mean that will shall some day achieve the status of Divinity and be equal to God? Absolutely not! So what does it mean?
According to Scripture, there are two ways in which we shall be like Christ. First of all, we shall be like Him in body. Philippians 3:21 says, “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be FASHIONED LIKE UNTO HIS GLORIOUS BODY”. We can be confident that one day, we shall have a glorified body, just as Christ! But then there is a second way in which we will be like Him; namely, that we shall be like Him in purity or righteousness. I believe that this is what God’s Word is speaking of in 2 Peter 1:4 when it says, “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these YE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Both in body and in purity, God has determined to fashion us in the likeness of Christ.
Oh what a blessed promise this is for the people of God! Oh the hope that we have in Christ , that one day God’s “purpose” to which He has “predestinated” us will be realized in full! Praise His name that “we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2) And, as John goes on to tell, this promise is the “hope” (1 John 3:3) of those who are in Christ! Yet what is fascinating is that he goes on to show us the effect that this “hope” will have upon the child of God. 1 John 3:3 says, “And EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE in him PURIFIETH HIMSELF, even as he is pure.” You see, though the fullness of this conformity to Christ will not be completed until we reach Heaven, still God shows us that the working of that conformity has already commenced here on earth.
Consider that the word “purifieth” comes from the Greek word (hagnizo). The root of the word is (hagnos) which means pure or chaste, and the word (hagnizo) carries the idea of cleansing one’s self. In other words, those who have within them the “hope” of Christ-likeness are seeking to cleanse themselves in a practical sense here and now. They want to become more and more like Jesus presently.
It is also fascinating to note that the word “purifieth” is given in the indicative mood. The indicative is used to render statements of fact. This means that when God says, “Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself”, He is not speaking of what a believer could do, for then He would have rendered the statement in the subjunctive mood. As well, He is not speaking of what a believer should do, for then He would have rendered the statement in the imperative mood. Instead, He is speaking of what a true believer WILL do!
Think of what this means dear friend! Our faithful shepherd has made every provision necessary for us to walk in righteousness! He has supplied every necessary means to enable us to be like Christ! As 2 Peter 1:3 puts it, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness". Think about it! He has promised that He “worketh IN you both to will and to do his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13)! And this He does indeed, by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit!
Then, here in our text, He has also promised that externally He is ever leading us in those “paths of righteousness”! And to what end? That we may not only know “the glory of the Lord”, but that we may be “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18)! You see, He is presently and persistently leading us in those “paths” that will cultivate Christ-likeness and help us to walk in His righteousness! Thus, "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness"!
Praise be unto God for the imputed righteousness that has justified me in His sight; and thanks be unto Him for the imparted righteousness that sanctifies me day by day; and Glory be to His name for the Christ who made it all possible! Though our standing be righteous, we have nothing in which to boast, for Christ alone hath “made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:6)! If our state be righteous, we have no personal grounds upon which to glory, for Jesus only is “The Author and FINISHER of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2)! Whether we speak of positional righteousness or practical, one thing is clear, it is all of Him! Such truth compels me to cry aloud with Paul, “But God forbid that I should glory, SAVE IN THE CROSS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14)!
5/23 Through Psalm 23
The Paths of Righteousness (Part 2)
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”.
Oh how precious is the promise of this blessed phrase! What peace and joy and solace we have in the wisdom of our Great Shepherd! Oh the rest that we find when we realize that He has chosen the way which we must take, and when we realize that we may follow Him all the way, knowing that “He leadeth me in the paths”! But there is more! You see, God not only shows us that these “paths” are PROVIDENTIALLY DETERMINED PATHS, but He also reveals that these are SPIRITUALLY DISTINCTIVE PATHS. Notice that they are called “the paths OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”! But why are they so? What is this “righteousness” to which He refers?
I believe that there may be two possibilities to consider in this phrase. First of all, it may be that these “paths of righteousness” are identified as such because of “Who” is leading us! You will note that the Hebrew word for “righteousness” that is used here is transliterated (tsedeq); and it is a word used for rightness or justice in all things ethical, judicial, professional, or even verbal. Perhaps it is used in this particular context to refer to the righteous judgments and the just purposes of our God in His leadings, for as we have already seen, that is indeed a great and comforting truth revealed to us in this statement. Therefore, the “paths of righteousness” may refer to the “paths” themselves being right, because they are determined by God.
However, with that being said, I personally believe that the second possibility is most likely the true and ultimate reason for these “paths” being called “the paths of righteousness”. You see, I believe that the primary interpretation of this phrase rests not upon “Who” is leading us, though that is most certainly an important thing. I believe that in this particular phrase, the psalmist’s words concern “Why” our Lord leads us in these “paths”! In other words, this phrase illustrates that God’s leadings are to accomplish the divine goal of working His righteousness in our lives!
In the Bible, we see that the righteousness of God defined and understood in Him! Apart from God, there is no righteousness. Psalm 145:17 says, “The Lord IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS WAYS, and holy IN ALL HIS WORKS.” Notice that the psalmist says that God “is righteous”. This means that righteousness is a part of the Divine nature. Thus, it is revealed, understood, and defined in God Himself. However, though God alone is righteous, we also see that God’s Word reveals that His design and desire is to display that righteousness in and through His people.
But there is a problem that must be addressed, and that is that there is not a one of us that is inherently right and just! Romans 3:10 says, “There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, no, NOT ONE”. Ecclesiastes 7:20 puts it this way, “For there is NOT A JUST MAN UPON EARTH, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” No man can claim to be good! Not one of us can profess that we are just! We are “conceived” in sin, and we are “shapen in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5)! Because we are conceived in sin, we are sinners by nature, and because we are sinners by nature, we are born sinning against God! Psalm 58:3 says, “The wicked are estranged from the womb: THEY GO ASTRAY AS SOON AS THEY BE BORN, speaking lies.” Think about it friend! Not one of us has ever been taught how to sin. We were given no instruction concerning how to lie, hate, cheat or steal. Instead, we were born with a natural instinct and bent to do such things, because we are wicked creatures!
But the problem is even worse! You see, Scripture not only reveals that man is wicked and has nothing righteous within him by nature, but it further reveals our plight, in that we cannot make ourselves righteous by attempting to perform “righteous works”. In fact, Isaiah 64:6 declares, “But we all are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. In other words, every attempt of man to be righteous apart from God is “filthy”!
Consider how Job stated this truth in Job 14:4, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” Remember the words that Paul spoke to Titus in Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us”. In other words, mankind can neither be righteous of ourselves, nor can we become righteous by our works! This is why Ephesians 2:8 says, “…and that NOT OF YOURSELVES”; and it is why Ephesians 2:9 says that salvation is “NOT OF WORKS”! So then, this leads us to an important question, how does God work His righteousness into our lives?
In order to wrap our arms around this truth, we must remember that in Scripture there are two different facets of righteousness as it relates to man: one is POSITIONAL, and the other is PRACTICAL. These are not exclusive doctrines, but rather, they are inextricably linked together. The one cannot be realized without the other! You see, there can be no practical righteousness until and unless we have first received the positional righteousness that is offered in Christ. So let’s start at the starting gate; let’s begin at the beginning. If we ever hope to understand the practical, we must first lay hold of the concept of the positional.
When we speak of positional righteousness we are speaking of the believer’s standing before God in Christ through the work of salvation. You see, it is through the shed blood of God’s Son and His finished work upon the cross and His bodily resurrection three days later that a man can be able to stand before God the Father as a just, holy, and righteous man. This is what the Bible calls “justification” (Romans 4:25 & Romans 5:16-18). This justifying work of God is accomplished by what we would call IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS! In other words, the righteousness of God must be “imputed” to man by faith in the finished cross-work of Christ!
But what exactly does it mean to have righteousness “imputed”? I believe we can answer this question through the story of Abraham's faith. James 2:23 says, “Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was IMPUTED unto him for righteousness”. Notice the word “imputed” is used in this text. Then in Galatians 3:6 it translates this way, “Even as Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was ACCOUNTED to him for righteousness.” The two key words “imputed” and “accounted” translate from the same Greek word. When we put the two texts together we see that to impute means to place to one’s account. In other words, when an individual, by faith, believes or trusts the finished work of Christ upon the cross for their salvation, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to their account!
This is what Romans 4:5 is speaking of when it says, “But to him that WORKETH NOT, but BELIEVETH ON HIM that justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Romans 3:22 assures us that “the righteousness of God” is available “unto all”, and that it is placed “upon all them that believe” and who have been saved “by faith of Jesus Christ”. This is the exact point of the hymn-writer, John W. Peterson, when he wrote,
Born of the Spirit with life from above
Into God’s family divine;
Justified fully through Calvary’s love,
O, WHAT A STANDING IS MINE!
That is the very essence of imputed righteousness; that God can take a vile and wretched sinner, and, through justification, He can change his standing to that of a righteous man!
However, this work of imputing righteousness to the account of unrighteous men is only made possible through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. This is why 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “For he (God the Father) hath made him (God the Son) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.” There is nothing I can do to accomplish such a thing! I owed a debt to God that I could not pay, and all my attempts to do so were “as filthy rags”! But praise be to God, for He “sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10)! This simply means that Christ made the payment in full and satisfied my debt to God! Because of his finished work, “Surely, shall one say, IN THE LORD I HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS and strength” (Isaiah 45:24)!
Thank God for His imputed righteousness, for apart from this truth, mankind would have no hope of gaining an entrance into God’s Heaven! We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Know ye not that the unrighteous, shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” Yet God the Father made a way through the great exchange, by giving His Son to take our place! Praise His dear name that “Christ also hath ONCE suffered for sins, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD” (1 Peter 3:18)! Thank God that I can cry with the hymn-writer of old:
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever Living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to him,
He’ll never cast me out.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
IT IS ENOUGH THAT JESUS DIED,
AND THAT HE DIED FOR ME!
Psalm 23:3, “He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness”.
Oh how precious is the promise of this blessed phrase! What peace and joy and solace we have in the wisdom of our Great Shepherd! Oh the rest that we find when we realize that He has chosen the way which we must take, and when we realize that we may follow Him all the way, knowing that “He leadeth me in the paths”! But there is more! You see, God not only shows us that these “paths” are PROVIDENTIALLY DETERMINED PATHS, but He also reveals that these are SPIRITUALLY DISTINCTIVE PATHS. Notice that they are called “the paths OF RIGHTEOUSNESS”! But why are they so? What is this “righteousness” to which He refers?
I believe that there may be two possibilities to consider in this phrase. First of all, it may be that these “paths of righteousness” are identified as such because of “Who” is leading us! You will note that the Hebrew word for “righteousness” that is used here is transliterated (tsedeq); and it is a word used for rightness or justice in all things ethical, judicial, professional, or even verbal. Perhaps it is used in this particular context to refer to the righteous judgments and the just purposes of our God in His leadings, for as we have already seen, that is indeed a great and comforting truth revealed to us in this statement. Therefore, the “paths of righteousness” may refer to the “paths” themselves being right, because they are determined by God.
However, with that being said, I personally believe that the second possibility is most likely the true and ultimate reason for these “paths” being called “the paths of righteousness”. You see, I believe that the primary interpretation of this phrase rests not upon “Who” is leading us, though that is most certainly an important thing. I believe that in this particular phrase, the psalmist’s words concern “Why” our Lord leads us in these “paths”! In other words, this phrase illustrates that God’s leadings are to accomplish the divine goal of working His righteousness in our lives!
In the Bible, we see that the righteousness of God defined and understood in Him! Apart from God, there is no righteousness. Psalm 145:17 says, “The Lord IS RIGHTEOUS IN ALL HIS WAYS, and holy IN ALL HIS WORKS.” Notice that the psalmist says that God “is righteous”. This means that righteousness is a part of the Divine nature. Thus, it is revealed, understood, and defined in God Himself. However, though God alone is righteous, we also see that God’s Word reveals that His design and desire is to display that righteousness in and through His people.
But there is a problem that must be addressed, and that is that there is not a one of us that is inherently right and just! Romans 3:10 says, “There is NONE RIGHTEOUS, no, NOT ONE”. Ecclesiastes 7:20 puts it this way, “For there is NOT A JUST MAN UPON EARTH, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” No man can claim to be good! Not one of us can profess that we are just! We are “conceived” in sin, and we are “shapen in iniquity” (Psalm 51:5)! Because we are conceived in sin, we are sinners by nature, and because we are sinners by nature, we are born sinning against God! Psalm 58:3 says, “The wicked are estranged from the womb: THEY GO ASTRAY AS SOON AS THEY BE BORN, speaking lies.” Think about it friend! Not one of us has ever been taught how to sin. We were given no instruction concerning how to lie, hate, cheat or steal. Instead, we were born with a natural instinct and bent to do such things, because we are wicked creatures!
But the problem is even worse! You see, Scripture not only reveals that man is wicked and has nothing righteous within him by nature, but it further reveals our plight, in that we cannot make ourselves righteous by attempting to perform “righteous works”. In fact, Isaiah 64:6 declares, “But we all are as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags”. In other words, every attempt of man to be righteous apart from God is “filthy”!
Consider how Job stated this truth in Job 14:4, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.” Remember the words that Paul spoke to Titus in Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us”. In other words, mankind can neither be righteous of ourselves, nor can we become righteous by our works! This is why Ephesians 2:8 says, “…and that NOT OF YOURSELVES”; and it is why Ephesians 2:9 says that salvation is “NOT OF WORKS”! So then, this leads us to an important question, how does God work His righteousness into our lives?
In order to wrap our arms around this truth, we must remember that in Scripture there are two different facets of righteousness as it relates to man: one is POSITIONAL, and the other is PRACTICAL. These are not exclusive doctrines, but rather, they are inextricably linked together. The one cannot be realized without the other! You see, there can be no practical righteousness until and unless we have first received the positional righteousness that is offered in Christ. So let’s start at the starting gate; let’s begin at the beginning. If we ever hope to understand the practical, we must first lay hold of the concept of the positional.
When we speak of positional righteousness we are speaking of the believer’s standing before God in Christ through the work of salvation. You see, it is through the shed blood of God’s Son and His finished work upon the cross and His bodily resurrection three days later that a man can be able to stand before God the Father as a just, holy, and righteous man. This is what the Bible calls “justification” (Romans 4:25 & Romans 5:16-18). This justifying work of God is accomplished by what we would call IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS! In other words, the righteousness of God must be “imputed” to man by faith in the finished cross-work of Christ!
But what exactly does it mean to have righteousness “imputed”? I believe we can answer this question through the story of Abraham's faith. James 2:23 says, “Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was IMPUTED unto him for righteousness”. Notice the word “imputed” is used in this text. Then in Galatians 3:6 it translates this way, “Even as Abraham BELIEVED God, and it was ACCOUNTED to him for righteousness.” The two key words “imputed” and “accounted” translate from the same Greek word. When we put the two texts together we see that to impute means to place to one’s account. In other words, when an individual, by faith, believes or trusts the finished work of Christ upon the cross for their salvation, God imputes the righteousness of Christ to their account!
This is what Romans 4:5 is speaking of when it says, “But to him that WORKETH NOT, but BELIEVETH ON HIM that justifieth the ungodly, HIS FAITH IS COUNTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Romans 3:22 assures us that “the righteousness of God” is available “unto all”, and that it is placed “upon all them that believe” and who have been saved “by faith of Jesus Christ”. This is the exact point of the hymn-writer, John W. Peterson, when he wrote,
Born of the Spirit with life from above
Into God’s family divine;
Justified fully through Calvary’s love,
O, WHAT A STANDING IS MINE!
That is the very essence of imputed righteousness; that God can take a vile and wretched sinner, and, through justification, He can change his standing to that of a righteous man!
However, this work of imputing righteousness to the account of unrighteous men is only made possible through the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ. This is why 2 Corinthians 5:21 declares, “For he (God the Father) hath made him (God the Son) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; THAT WE MIGHT BE MADE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN HIM.” There is nothing I can do to accomplish such a thing! I owed a debt to God that I could not pay, and all my attempts to do so were “as filthy rags”! But praise be to God, for He “sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10)! This simply means that Christ made the payment in full and satisfied my debt to God! Because of his finished work, “Surely, shall one say, IN THE LORD I HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS and strength” (Isaiah 45:24)!
Thank God for His imputed righteousness, for apart from this truth, mankind would have no hope of gaining an entrance into God’s Heaven! We are told in 1 Corinthians 6:9, “Know ye not that the unrighteous, shall not inherit the kingdom of God?” Yet God the Father made a way through the great exchange, by giving His Son to take our place! Praise His dear name that “Christ also hath ONCE suffered for sins, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD” (1 Peter 3:18)! Thank God that I can cry with the hymn-writer of old:
My faith has found a resting place,
Not in device or creed;
I trust the ever Living One,
His wounds for me shall plead.
Enough for me that Jesus saves,
This ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to him,
He’ll never cast me out.
I need no other argument,
I need no other plea,
IT IS ENOUGH THAT JESUS DIED,
AND THAT HE DIED FOR ME!
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