A SHEPHERD LOOKS AT PSALM 23 #7

 A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 #7

Through the valley of the Shadow of Death

                 

YEA THOUGH I WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY

OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH ....

     FROM A SHEPHERD'S point of view this statement marks 

the halfway stage in the Psalm. It is as though up to this point the

sheep has been boasting to its unfortunate neighbor across the

fence about the excellent care it received from its owner on the

"home" ranch throughout the winter and spring.

     Now it turns to address the shepherd directly. The personal

pronouns "I" and "Thou" enter the conversation. It becomes a most

intimate discourse of deep affection.

     This is natural and normal. The long treks into the high

country with their summer range begin here. Left behind are the

neglected sheep on the other side of the fence. Their owner knows

nothing of the hill country - the mountain meadows to which these

sheep will be led. Their summer will be spent in the close

companionship and solitary care of the good shepherd.

     Both in Palestine and on our western sheep ranches, this

division of the year is common practice. Most of the efficient

sheepmen endeavor to take their flocks onto distant summer ranges

during summer. This often entails long "drives." The sheep move

along slowly, feeding as they go, gradually working their way up

the mountains behind the receding snow. By late summer they are

well up on the remote alpine meadows above timberline.

     With the approach of autumn, early snow settles on the

highest ridges, relentlessly forcing the flock to withdraw back

down to lower elevations. Finally, toward the end of the year as

fall passes, the sheep are driven home to the ranch headquarters

where they will spend the winter. It is this segment of the

yearly operations that is described in the last half of the poem.

     During this time the flock is entirely alone with the shepherd. 

They are in intimate contact with him and under his most personal 

attention day and night. That is why these last verses are couched 

in such intimate first-person language. And it is well to remember 

that all of this is done against a dramatic background of wild 

mountains, rushing rivers, alpine meadows and high rangelands.

     David, the psalmist, of course knew this type of terrain first hand. 

When Samuel was sent of God to anoint him king over Israel, he was 

not at home with his brothers on the "home" ranch.

     Instead he was high up on the hills tending his father's flock.

They had to send for him to come home. It is no wonder he could

write so clearly and concisely of the relationship between a sheep 

and its owner.

     He knew from firsthand experience about all the difficulties

and dangers, as well as the delights, of the treks into high country. 

Again and again he had gone up into the summer range with his 

sheep. He knew this wild but wonderful country like the palm of 

his own strong hand. Never did he take his flock where he had not 

already been before. Always he had gone ahead to look over the 

country with care.

     All the dangers of rampaging rivers in flood; avalanches;

rock slides; poisonous plants; the ravages of predators that raid

the flock or the awesome storms of sleet and hail and snow were

familiar to him. He had handled his sheep and managed them with

care under all these adverse conditions. Nothing took him by

surprise. He was fully prepared to safeguard his flock and tend

them with skill under every circumstance.

     All of this is brought out in the beautiful simplicity of

the last verses. Here is a grandeur, a quietness, an assurance

that sets the soul at rest. "I will not fear, for thou art with

me ..." - with me in every situation, in every dark trial, in

every dismal disappointment, in every distressing dilemma.

     In the Christian life we often speak of wanting "to move

onto higher ground with God." How we long to live above the

lowlands of life. We want to get beyond the common crowd, to

enter a more intimate walk with God. We speak of mountaintop

experiences and we envy those who have ascended the heights 

and entered into this more sublime sort of life.

     Often we get an erroneous idea about how this takes place.

It is as though we imagined we could be "air lifted" onto higher

ground. On the rough trail of the Christian life this is not so.

As with ordinary sheep management; so with God's people, 

one only gains higher ground by climbing up through the valleys.

     Every mountain has its valleys. Its sides are scarred by deep 

ravines and gulches and draws. And the best route to the top

is always along these valleys.

     Any sheepman familiar with the high country knows this. 

He leads his flock gently, but persistently up the paths that wind

through the dark valleys. It should be noticed that the verse

states, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of

death." It does not say I die there, or stop there - but rather

"I walk through." ..... 

     I was keenly aware of this consolation when my wife went to 

"higher ground." For two years we had walked through the dark

valley of death watching her beautiful body being destroyed by

cancer. As death approached I sat by her bed, her hand in mine.

Gently we "passed" through the valley of death. Both of us were

quietly aware of Christ's presence. There was no fear just a going 

on to higher ground.

     For those of us who remain on earth, there is still a life

to live here and now. There are still valleys to walk through

during our remaining days. These need not be "dead end" streets.

The disappointments, the frustrations, the discouragements, the

dilemmas, the dark, difficult days, though they be shadowed

valleys, need not be disasters. They can be the road to higher

ground in our walk with God.

     After all, when we pause to think about it a moment, we must

realize that even our modern mountain highways follow the valleys

to reach the summit of the passes they traverse. Similarly the ways 

of God lead upward through the valleys of our lives.

     Again and again I remind myself, "O God, this seems terribly

tough, but I know for a fact that in the end it will prove to be

the easiest and gentlest way to get me onto higher ground." Then

when I thank Him for the difficult things, the dark days, I discover 

that He is there with me in my distress. At that point my panic, 

my fear, my misgivings give way to calm and quiet confidence 

in His care. Somehow, in a serene quiet way I am assured all will 

turn out well for my best because He is with me in the valley and 

things are under His control.

     To come to this conviction in the Christian life is to have

entered into an attitude of quiet acceptance of every adversity.

     It is to have moved onto higher ground with God. Knowing Him 

in this new and intimate manner makes life much more bearable than

before. 

     There is a second reason why sheep are taken to the

mountain/tops by way of the valleys. Not only is this the way 

of the gentlest grades, but also it is the well watered route. Here

one finds refreshing water all along the way. There are rivers,

streams, springs and quiet pools in the deep defiles.

     During the summer months long drives can be hot and

tiresome. The flocks experience intense thirst. How glad they 

are for the frequent watering places along the valley route where

they can be refreshed.

     I recall one year when an enormous flock of over 10,000

sheep was being taken through our country en route to their

summer range. The owners came asking permission to water their

sheep at the river that flowed by our ranch. Their thirsty flocks

literally ran to the water's edge to quench their burning thirst

under the blazing summer sun. Only in our valley was there water

for their parched flesh. How glad we were to share the water with

them.

     As Christians we will sooner or later discover that it is in

the valleys of our lives that we find refreshment from God

Himself. It is not until we have walked with Him through some

very deep troubles that we discover He can lead us to find our

refreshment in Him right there in the midst of our difficulty. We

are thrilled beyond words when there comes restoration to our

souls and spirits from His own gracious Spirit.

     During my wife's illness and after her death I could not get

over the strength, solace and serene outlook imparted to me

virtually hour after hour by the presence of God's gracious

Spirit.

     It was as if I was being repeatedly refreshed and restored

despite the most desperate circumstances all around me. Unless

one has actually gone through such an experience it may seem

difficult to believe. In fact there are those who claim they

could not face such a situation. But for the man or woman who

walks with God through these valleys, such real and actual

refreshment is available.

     The corollary to this is that only those who have been

through such dark valleys can console, comfort or encourage

others in similar situations. Often we pray or sing the hymn

requesting God to make us an inspiration to someone else. We

want, instinctively, to be a channel of blessing to other lives.

The simple fact is that just as water can only flow in a ditch or

channel or valley - so in the Christian's career, the life of God

can only flow in blessing through the valleys that have been

carved and cut into our own lives by excruciating experiences.

     For example, the one best able to comfort another in

bereavement is the person who himself has lost a loved one. The

one who can best minister to a broken heart is one who has known

a broken heart.

     Most of us do not want valleys in our lives. We shrink from

them with a sense of fear and foreboding. Yet in spite of our

worst misgivings God can bring great benefit and lasting

benediction to others through those valleys. Let us not always

try to avoid the dark things, the distressing days. They may well

prove to be the way of greatest refreshment to ourselves and

those around us.

     A third reason why the rancher chooses to take his flock

into the high country by way of the valleys is that this is

generally where the richest feed and best forage is to be found

along the route.

     The flock is moved along gently - they are not hurried.

There are lambs along which have never been this way before. 

The shepherd wants to be sure there will not only be water but 

also the best grazing available for the ewes and their lambs.

     Generally the choicest meadows are in these valleys along

the stream banks. Here the sheep can feed as they move toward 

the high country.

     Naturally these grassy glades are often on the floor of steep-

walled canyons and gulches. There may be towering cliffs

above them on either side. The valley floor itself may be in dark

shadow with the sun seldom reaching the bottom except for a few

hours around noon.

     The shepherd knows from past experience that predators like

coyotes, bears, wolves or cougars can take cover in these broken

cliffs and from their vantage point prey on his flock. He knows

these valleys can be subject to sudden storms and flash floods

that send walls of water rampaging down the slopes. There could

be rock slides, mud or snow avalanches and a dozen other natural

disasters that would destroy or injure his sheep. But in spite of

such hazards he also knows that this is still the best way to take 

his flock to the high country. He spares himself no pains or

trouble or time to keep an eye out for any danger that might 

develop.

     One of the most terrible threats is the sudden chilling

storms of sleet, rain and snow that can sweep down through the

valleys from the mountain peaks. If sheep become soaked and

chilled with a freezing rain, the exposure can kill them in a

very short time. They are thin-skinned creatures, easily

susceptible to colds, pneumonia and other respiratory

complications. I recall one storm I went through in the foothills

of the Rockies in early summer. The morning had been bright and

clear. Suddenly around noon enormous dark, black, forbidding

clouds began to sweep down over the hills from the north. 

     A chilling wind accompanied the approaching storm. The sky 

grew blacker by the hour. Suddenly in mid afternoon long streamers 

of rain and sleet began to sweep across the valley. I ran to take

shelter in a clump of stunted, wind-blown spruce. The rain soaked

me through. As it fell it cooled the whole country. The rain

turned to sleet, then to commingled snow and hail. In a short

time the whole mountain slope (in mid July) was white and

frozen. Ominous darkness shrouded the whole scene. The sheep

sensed the storm approaching. Perhaps the flock would have

perished if they had not raced away to find shelter in the steep

cliffs at the edge of the canyon.

     But in these valleys was where the grass grew best and it

was the route to the high country.

     Our Shepherd knows all of this when He leads us through the

valleys with Himself. He knows where we can find strength, and

sustenance and gentle grazing despite every threat of disaster

about us.

     It is a most reassuring and reenforcing experience to the

child of God to discover that there is, even in the dark valley,

a source of strength and courage to be found in God. It is when

he can look back over life and see how the Shepherd's hand has

guided and sustained him in the darkest hours that renewed faith

is engendered.

     I know of nothing which so stimulates my faith in my

heavenly Father as to look back and reflect on His faithfulness

to me in every crisis and every chilling circumstance of life.

Over and over He has proved His care and concern for my welfare.

Again and again I have been conscious of the Good Shepherd's

guidance through dark days and deep valleys.

     All of this multiplies my confidence in Christ. It is this

spiritual, as well as emotional and mental exposure to the storms

and adversities of life that puts stamina into my very being.

Because He has led me through without fear before, He can do it

again, and again, and again. In this knowledge fear fades and

tranquility of heart and mind takes its place.

     Let come what may. Storms may break about me, predators may

attack, the rivers of reverses may threaten to inundate me. But

because He is in the situation with me, I shall not fear.

     To live thus is to have taken some very long treks toward

the high country of holy, calm, healthy living with God. Only the

Christian who learns to live this way is able to encourage and

inspire the weaker ones around him. Too many of us are shaken up,

frightened and panicked by the storms of life. We claim to have

confidence in Christ but when the first dark shadows sweep over

us and the path we tread looks gloomy we go into a deep slump of

despair. Sometimes we just feel like lying down to die. This is

not as it should be.

     The person with a powerful confidence in Christ; the one who

has proved by past experience that God is with him in adversity;

the one who walks through life's dark valleys without fear, his

head held high, is the one who in turn is a tower of strength and

a source of inspiration to his companions.

     There are going to be some valleys in life for all of us. The Good 

Shepherd Himself assured us that "in this world ye shall have 

tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" 

(John 16:33).

     The basic question is not whether we have many or few

valleys. It is not whether those valleys are dark or merely dim

with shadows. The question is how do I react to them? How do 

I go through them? How do I cope with the calamities that come 

my way?

     With Christ I face them calmly.

     With His gracious Spirit to guide me I face them fearlessly.

I know of a surety that only through them can I possibly travel

on to higher ground with God. In this way not only shall I be

blessed, but in turn I will become a benediction to others around

me ho may live in fear.

                             .................

To be continued