Some things in life are rather uncertain – maybe it will happen, and maybe it won’t. But other things are so definite they’re etched in stone – like someday we’re going to die.
The statistics on death are pretty high, you know. There’s a 100% mortality rate among humans. We all die eventually, right? It’s one of the certainties of life. So it’s very encouraging to read in the 23rd Psalm, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me…”
The connecting words, “Yea, though…” express an element of expectation. The first word actually has the idea of “also or even,” showing a connection with the previous verse. And the second word is a Hebrew conjunction meaning “as, or when.”
So the flow of the text from verse 3 to verse 4 is like this: “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Also, when I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me.” Now the point is this: In life we walk along the paths of righteousness, and when we come to the end of it all, He’s still there to guide us through our final experience. He leads us in life, and He’s also there with us when we go through the experience of death.
Do you ever stop to think about the fact that that is where your life is heading – toward death? Just like everyone before you, you’re going to hit the wall. You cannot stop it from happening. But you can prepare for that final experience by knowing the Shepherd, so that you too can say, “Also, when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
Say – you will die, you know. Better think about it – the Shepherd will be there with you if you’re one of His sheep.