An Exposition of Psalm 23 verse 4 詩篇 23 第 4 節的解釋 20230105

An Exposition of 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 your staff they comfort me.'

 

Don't you find it hard to understand how the beautiful picture from verse 1 to 3 seem to be overshadowed by this sudden change of tone in verse 4? 

 

In the circular motion of climbing the hills of life we may encounter moments of darkness. The psalmist says in his heart, 'I will not be conquered by fear'. Fear can cast its shadow but we who have been conquered by His love can no longer be overwhelmed by fear. For perfect love cast out all fear. For it is written 'Cast all your cares on Him,for He (our Shepherd) cares for us.'

 

We are not without Shepherd. For He is with us. 

His rod (correction) and his staff (direction) they show us the way. 

 

Notice that it say we walk through the valley, we don't 'stay' in the valley. So it is, that it is a momentary affliction like what Paul says in

 

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 ESV

For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

 

Though we may be walking in valley (that we see), we SEE our Shepherd (unseen in the natural), our eternal Savior, guiding us in the path of righteousness. 

 

His Presence that corrects and directs us, preventing us from fear and going astray, is our comfort and our reward. And we know we are never lonely and never alone. Amen.

 

詩篇 23 第 4 節的解釋

「即使我走過死蔭的幽谷，我也不怕遭害，因為你與我同在；你的杖和你的杖讓我感到安慰。」

 

難道你不覺得很難理解第1節到第3節的美麗畫面如何被第4節突然的語氣變化所掩蓋嗎？

 

在攀登生命之山的圓週運動中，我們可能會遇到黑暗的時刻。詩人在心裡說：「我不會被恐懼征服」。恐懼可以投下陰影，但被祂的愛所征服的我們不能再被恐懼所壓倒。為了完美的愛，消除所有的恐懼。因為經上寫著“將你所有的憂慮卸給他，因為他（我們的牧羊人）關心我們。”

 

我們並非沒有牧羊人。因為祂與我們同在。

他的杖（糾正）和他的杖（方向）為我們指明了道路。

 

請注意，它說我們步行穿過山谷，我們不會「停留」在山谷中。確實如此，這只是暫時的患難，就像保羅在書中所說的那樣

 

哥林多後書 4:17-18 ESV

因為這暫時至輕的苦楚，正在為我們預備無比重、永遠的榮耀，因為我們不是顧念看得見的事，而是顧念看不見的事。因為所見的事是暫時的，但所看不見的事卻是永恆的。

 

雖然我們可能行走在山谷（我們所看到的）中，但我們看到我們的牧羊人（在自然界中看不見），我們永恆的救世主，引導我們走上正義的道路。

 

祂的臨在糾正並引導我們，防止我們恐懼和誤入歧途，這是我們的安慰和獎賞。我們知道我們從不孤單，也從不孤單。阿門。