Psalm 23 verse 4: "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 staff, they comfort me."

Mr. C. William Nichols in his book, Day by Day through the Psalms, wrote that at the center of our existence is God. And the most important thing God wants us to know is that our God is with us. With us! This realization, that God is with us - closer than hands and feet, nearer than thinking and breathing, is the point of transition in the psalm, as it is in life. We may face the rigors of passing through valleys of fear and darkness; we may be confronted by evils that threaten us. But when they are filtered through the realization that "you are with me", those demons lose their threat.

For a fresh understanding of this psalm, try ending each line with the phrase "because God is with me." Every cherished joy described in the psalm results from that one exhilarating realization: I shall not want...I fear no evil...my cup overflows...I shall dwell in the house of the Lord...because God is with me.

Reverend Henry and Richard Blackaby in their book Experiencing God Day-by-Day wrote that as a child of God you are never alone! Your Shepherd is with you at all times. You never have to call Him into your situation. You never have to wonder where He is. You never have to fear that if things become too difficult, He will abandon you. He goes before you; He walks beside you; He comes behind you. He protects you securely. Just as He sees every sparrow and knows every hair on your head, so His gaze is constantly upon you (Luke 12:6-7). He comforts you with His strong presence in times of sorrow and grief. He leads you through the valley of the shadow of death. It is during those times that you experience His love and compassion in a deeper dimension than you ever have before.

W.Y Fullerton, D.D. wrote in the book ,Streams in the Desert, "When we go into the valley of the shadow of death we come so near Him that we look into His face and say, not "He is with me" - that is too formal, too far away -but "Thou art with me."

I will close with what Phillips Brooks wrote in the book, Streams in the Desert, "Do not pray for easy times. Pray to be stronger! Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."
 

Luther McCollum