Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (Psalm 23:4-5 KJV)
When I was a young boy (Brad) growing up, my dad helped me learn the 23rd Psalm by memory. We used the beautiful phrasing of the King James Version.
Psalm 23, although only six verses long, covers the whole realm of human experience, from the highs to the lows and back again. In Psalm 23:4-5, we see that God is with us through all of our troubles, even in the valley of the shadow of death, even in the presence of our enemies.
Can you see the Lord walking with you in your valleys of trouble? Can you see the Lord sitting with you at the table where your enemies are taunting you and trying to destroy you? These images are so vivid. God is always with us!
God wants us to rejoice in Him amid our troubles. The Lord, as our Shepherd, understands what we are going through and will be with us every step of the way, even through death itself. No trouble is too big for God. We can take refuge in knowing that He is always with us, no matter what we face.
“Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, but fruit is grown in the valleys.” - Billy Graham