"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me" (Psalm 23:4). If the Spirit of grace has given us a lively fear (worship, trust, confidence) in the Lord, we need not be in fear of anything or anybody. The verse suggests several things.
1. The sheep, protected and lead by the Shepherd, is said to "walk." Trusting the blessed Redeemer and Sovereign, he walks. No need to quicken the pace as though anxious about what lies ahead, and no need to stand still as though fearful to continue on. The sheep trusts the Shepherd to safely lead the flock. He knows the way and directs the believer's steps by His providence, and so we walk.
2. The sheep is said to "walk through..." He doesn't remain in this valley but passes through to the other side. Certainly there will be valleys in this life, of that there can be no doubt, but the promise to the sheep is that we will "walk through." The Lord our Redeemer said, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee: and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee" (Isaiah 43:2).
3. The sheep is said to "walk through the valley." A valley indicates a low place with hills on either side from which our enemies would harm us. There is no denying that the sheep of the Shepherd have many adversaries, and yet, though the opposition be great, the sheep will "walk through." "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper" (Isaiah 54:17). "No evil shall befall thee" (Psalm 91:10).
4. The sheep is said to "walk through the valley of the shadow of death." For the sheep, death as to its substance has been destroyed by the Savior Who mortally wounded it when He died on the cross as our Substitute. Christ said, "I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Death is, therefore, only a shadow to the sheep and a shadow cannot harm us. A shadow cannot destroy us. A shadow cannot kill us. It is said that when a honey bee stings, it leaves its stinger in its victim and no longer has any power to do harm. The curse of God's law, death, sunk its stinger into the heart of the Son of God. But Christ arose, and His victory over the grave meant the death of death for all the sheep. You who are the sheep of the Shepherd, hear this word of victory: death is a conquered foe! "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55)
5. The sheep is said to "walk through the valley of the shadow of death" without fear of evil because "Thou art with me." Here is the only explanation for not being afraid of evil, the abiding presence of the Shepherd. "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5). "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen" (Matthew 28:20). The sheep need not fear death, for death will be to us no death at all, but a blessed sleep. It will be a deliverance from all sin, pain, care, sorrow, and misery. It will be the very entry into eternal rest, joy and delight. The death of this body will mean an instantaneous passage into the immediate presence of the Son of God.
6. The sheep is said to be comforted by the Shepherd's "rod and staff." With this staff the sheep is guided and well protected. How reassuring to know that Christ, our sovereign Shepherd, will defend His flock and lead us safely and gently "through the valley of the shadow of death," and into "the house of the LORD" where we will dwell "forever."