Today’s reading is Psalm 27.
Do you remember the Valley of the Shadow of Death? That was definitely a dark picture. I can understand, however, how we might struggle to put legs on that metaphor. What might the Valley of Death’s Darkness look like in a more pragmatic picture? Look no further than Psalm 27. As David continues this series on the house of the Lord, we see his faith along the paths of righteousness. Look at how dark it is for him. Evildoers assail him to eat up his flesh. That’s a pretty brutal picture, but it makes a whole lot more sense if we see it as continuing the sheep metaphor from Psalm 23, doesn’t it? A bit more literally, he says, “Though an army encamp against me” and “war arise against me.” False witnesses had arisen against him breathing out violence. We can try, of course, to place this psalm at a particular moment in David’s reign, but whenever we place it, this picture helps us understand his dark valley and how he made it through. “The Lord is my light and my salvation.” “The Lord is the stronghold of my life.” Can you see how these statements call to mind both metaphors from Psalm 23? He is the light for the sheep in death’s dark valley. He is the stronghold in which the guest is hosted as enemies look on helpless. “Whom shall I fear?” David asks. Paul asks the same question on our behalf in Romans 8:31, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Then he goes on to explain that our certainty is far more sure than David’s: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). When we are in the valley as dark as death, we can remember that Jesus has already gone through that valley on our behalf. We can remember He came out on the other side. David had faith even before Jesus. How much more faith can we have in our Shepherd, knowing He has in fact already defeated our biggest enemies. Even if you can’t sense the light, know that to Jesus, your dark valley is as bright as the morning. He will lead you through it. Just keep doing what He says in His Word. You’ll make it. Not because you are amazing, but because our Lord and Shepherd is. Praise God!
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 27.
Some Links:
Click here to hear or read Edwin’s sermon on “The Dark Shadow of Psalm 23.”
Click here to be reminded of the Psalm 23 metaphor about the Shepherd.
Click here to be reminded of the Psalm 23 metaphor about the Host.
