There aren’t many passages of Scripture more quoted than the beautiful promise and prose of the 23rd Psalm. In six brief verses, King David envisions life with God as a loving Shepherd faithfully leading his sheep. From bountiful meadows beside quiet waters through valleys of darkness and uncertainty, hope prevails for the reader that, in the end, we will all come to see that, ‘Goodness and Mercy’ have been pursuing us every moment. Right in the heart of the psalm, there is a picture laden with hope for anyone presently going through a season of uncertainty or perceived lack:
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
I am indebted to the scholarship of Phillip Keller in his magnificent book, “A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm” for the following insights. In part one, we will look at the comfort awaiting us through the “Shepherd’s Rod.” Then, in part two, we will examine the comfort of the “Shepherd’s Staff.” Let’s go!
The Shepherd’s Rod:
The word translated, ‘rod’ in Psalm 23:4 is literally, ‘the shepherd’s club,’ or ‘scepter.’ Just like a king’s scepter, the rod was a symbol of authority and ownership. A shepherd-in-training would spend much time carefully selecting a strong wooden sapling which he would expertly carve into a sturdy club that would fit perfectly in his hand. The rod had three functions, all a great comfort to his sheep.
3 Ways the Shepherd’s Rod Comforts His Sheep:
The Rod protects sheep from infection, wounds, and disease.
A sheep’s thick wool coat provides great warmth in winter months, but unfortunately it also conceals any number of cuts, scrapes, or wounds from the naked eye. Sheep often ‘walk wounded,’ without passersby even noticing. What’s more, their lack of mobility leaves them defenseless against attack and unable to access or alert their shepherd of their need for help.
Because of this, ancient shepherds would periodically meet their sheep as they came out of the corral, standing at the gate to gently, but thoroughly examine each one, parting their fleece with the rod to get down to the level of their skin, searching every part to ensure their health, and to bring restorative care any place it was needed. Here, we can almost hear the words of the Psalmist pointing us to our Shepherd:
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24
Here’s the truth: some of us are ‘walking wounded,’ and nobody passing by can tell. We feel defenseless. We’ve run out of strategies to ‘fix’ it. We can’t reach the spot where our soul aches, and, like sheep, we often lack the ability to form the words to alert anyone for help. If that’s you, stop and breathe, because this is also true:
You have a GOOD Shepherd.
Right now, He stands at your gate, arms extended, to gently draw you near so He can search every part of your soul for wounds and infection so that the Holy Spirit, your Healer, can come. Sadly, many of us don’t see this as a ‘comfort.’ We don’t want to stop at the gate and meet his gaze. We feel ashamed and instead try to run past our soul’s checkpoint, attempting to drown out our wounds with distraction, entertainment, busyness, productivity, or stuff. But it’s leaving us sick. What could happen if we would be brave and simply stand before Him for as long as it takes to let Him access every part of our hearts? We’d find the comfort called ‘healing.’
Ask God: Where am I walking wounded? What pain, fear, or soul-ache am I carrying? What is the Shepherd desiring to do?
2. The Rod protects sheep from wandering.
When sheep would begin to wander, the shepherd would use his staff to gently lead them back. But sometimes, sheep can be stubborn and full-out run into danger, even leading others astray with them. Because of this, ancient shepherds spent hours in training to become experts at throwing their rod with great speed and accuracy. In some parts of the world, they even have rod throwing competitions!
When sheep would wander undeterred toward a poisonous bush, refusing to heed the shepherd’s warnings, he would throw the rod near the sheep, piercing the bush. When the sheep heard the rod whizz by, it alerted them to danger and they snapped out of it, returning back to the safety of the Shepherd.
Perhaps you’ve found yourself wandering from the intimacy of walking near God. You love the security of belonging to Jesus, but if you’re being honest, there are places you are making your own rules, taking your soul toward places He said not to go. Perhaps you are presently surrounded by unhealthy relationships, critical attitudes, poisonous comforts, wrong agreements, or bad habits that are stealing from God’s best for you. What could happen if we would would stop and hear His rod whizzing by, calling us back to His arms? We’d find the comfort called ‘home.’
Ask God: Where am I wandering from God’s best for me? How is the Good Shepherd trying to get my attention to bring me safely back to the flock?
3. The Rod protects the sheep from predators.
As they walked into new territory, the shepherd would lead the way, using the rod to scare off or kill any predator seeking to harm his beloved flock. Shepherds faced snakes, wolves, coyotes, lions, and even bears. If you’ve ever read the story of David and Goliath, you’ll recognize the young shepherd’s reply:
“David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.” 1 Samuel 17:34-35
Shepherds defend their sheep with their lives. I encourage you to read the above passage understanding the words of Paul in Ephesians about the predators we face:
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:12
Our enemy isn’t a bear or a lion. It also isn’t another person, no matter how badly they might be deceived. Our true enemy, Satan, is ruthless and cruel, and he prowls like a lion looking for someone to devour. He steals. He kills. And he destroys. And he does this through mindsets that set themselves up against the knowledge of God (2 Cor. 10:3-5).
I am not saying that all sadness, anxiety, etc. comes from the devil. We are fragile and complex beings in a broken world, and for a billion reasons, our bodies and souls get weary. I am saying, however, that the enemy is a narcissist and opportunist, desiring misfortune for our lives and he desires for these things to be the biggest thing we see in the road, so we’d fret over our circumstances instead of focusing on our Shepherd. What could happen if we would get honest about our fears and our burdens, our discouragements and our temptations? We’d find the comfort called ‘hope.’
Ask God: Is there anywhere I sense the enemy of my soul stealing from my peace, joy, hope, and fullness in Christ? Is there anywhere I need to repent? Where do I need the shepherd to come with a rod to put the enemy back in his place?
You, beloved sheep, have a good shepherd. And He alone possesses the authority to heal, to lead you home, and to fill you with hope. Take a few minutes today and let His comfort cover you!