And Gathers the Lambs in His Arms

“From this verse we see the Lord protect, discipline, guide, and love his sheep in such a way that we, as his beloved sheep, have nothing to fear in life.”

“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.” Psalm 23:4 (ESV)

Aside from John 3:16, Psalm 23 may be one of the most well-known passages of the Bible. The passage as a whole is rich in truth, and this verse is no different. First we see in the face of suffering, even while facing death itself, David (who is the writer of this Psalm, and who was himself also a shepherd) finds that the presence of God leads him to no longer fear the evil that is staring him in the face. Please note though, David does not say, God is with me so I’m not experiencing fear. Rather, he is saying that while he may be scared out of his mind due to his circumstances, he is not letting that fear control him. He is letting the presence of God control his emotions. It’s a small distinction with great implications for us.

The rod of a shepherd was used to fight off predators, and the staff of a shepherd was used for the correction and leading of their sheep. In fact, should there be a sheep that continually strays from the flock, the shepherd would use his staff to break the legs of the sheep so they could no longer wander. The shepherd would then carry the sheep on his shoulders until the sheep was healed and had learned to stay within the safety of the flock. What a picture this is of how the Lord disciplines His children in His great love for them.

From this verse we see the Lord protect, discipline, guide, and love His sheep in such a way that we, as His beloved sheep, have nothing to fear in life. In fact, in the face of extreme danger, we find comfort in our Shepherd’s constant presence.

Action Step:

• Read Isaiah 40:11 and Hebrews 12:6-7

Written by Michelle, mom of 1