Psalms 23 I will fear no evil

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. Psalms 23:4 BSB Today's Verse In Context: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalms 23:1‭-‬6 BSB https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.23.1-6.BSB Today's Devotional From YouVersion Is: A God of Comfort In ancient Israel, the rod and staff of a shepherd protected and guided the sheep, and even reminded the sheep that the shepherd was there. Familiar with this, King David, a shepherd at one time, used the metaphor in Psalm 23:4 to convey this truth: God was his protector and guide.  King David faced death many times and had enemies bent on killing him. He also dealt with his own sin issues and personal mistakes. But in the midst of all this, he repeatedly turned his attention to the faithfulness of God and to the assurances of God.  Where did he find these assurances?  King David would have been a student of the Hebrew Scripture, the Torah—the first five books in our Bibles.  To a Hebrew, the Torah wasn’t just a story about God, it was the very Word of God. It was authority, promise, and guide. It was this Word that David based his life—and his psalms—upon. David could write about God’s character because: 1. He knew the Word of God. 2. He experienced the faithfulness and goodness of God based on that word. We, too, have this—and more. We have the revealed Word of God from the ancient prophets in the Old Testament, the words of Jesus while on earth, and the revealed words of Jesus through the apostles and authors of the New Testament. In other words, we have what David had: 1. We have the Word of God. 2. We can experience the faithfulness and goodness of God based on that word.  Read what Jesus said to His disciples: I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.  John 16:33 ESV Like David, we don’t have anything to fear, because God is near—and He is our comfort. Knowing Scripture helps us confidently believe that God is and will be a faithful protector, guide, and presence to those who love Him. So today, determine to discover more of God's Word. It is in this source of truth that you will better know He who is the Good Shepherd. Today's Prayer Is: A Prayer for Guidance & Protection God, You are the foundation upon which I build my life. You are my source of protection and strength. You fight for me, protect me, and lead me through hard times. With You, I am never alone or abandoned. Thank You for being my source of strength and salvation. Thank You for crushing the devil’s schemes and guiding me closer to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Have A Blessed Day: ‘May the Lord bless you and keep you; may the Lord cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord lift up His countenance toward you and give you peace.’ Numbers 6:24‭-‬26 BSB https://bible.com/bible/3034/num.6.24-26.BSB