“I Will Fear No Evil”

I wish we had a couple of more nights this week so that I could consider each portion of this Psalm. Since we do not, I will conclude the week by looking at David’s statement, “I will fear no evil.” That is the benefit of having a good shepherd. While there are many predators in the world, the shepherd has the strength to protect his flock. The sheep, therefore, can live without fear. Such is the case with us today. Yes, the world is, in many ways, a bad place. Evil seems to abound everywhere. Yet, because we have a great Shepherd, we do not have to fear. This is the consistent exhortation of scripture (Romans 8:15; 2 Timothy 1:7; 1 John 4:17-18). Let’s consider some of the words of David in Psalms twenty-three.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” On the way to green pastures and still waters, the shepherd might have to lead the sheep through dangerous territory. Why? Does the shepherd lead the sheep through life threatening territory because he gets careless and loses his way? No, of course not. He does so because sometimes that’s the only way to get to the green pastures. The scriptures teach that it is only through much tribulation that we can enter the kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22). Paul later told Timothy that “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Even Jesus implied in the parable of the sower that tribulation and persecution would come, and that sometimes it would come on account of the word (Matthew 13:21). However, regardless of how dangerous the world may become for us as Christians, we do not have to fear, and David tells us why.

“I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” If God is with us, does it matter who is against us? Paul tells us it does not (Romans 8:31). Joshua and Caleb knew that they could overcome the giants in Canaan and possess the land, not because the Israelites were a stronger people, but because the Lord was on their side. They told their faithless brethren, “Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us. Their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them” (Numbers 14:9). We face many giants in the world, but we don’t have to fear because we know our Shepherd will not leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Can we say with David that we will not fear because we know that the Lord is our Shepherd, and that He is with us? I hope we can.

What a blessing to be able to say, “The Lord is my Shepherd.” As Christians we know the Shepherd and He knows us. He calls us by name, and we know His voice (John 10:3).

“A famous actor was once the guest of honor at a social gathering where he received many requests to recite favorite excerpts from various literary works. An old preacher who happened to be there asked the actor to recite the twenty-third Psalm. The actor agreed on the condition that the preacher would also recite it. The actor’s recitation was beautifully intoned with great dramatic emphasis for which he received lengthy applause. The preacher’s voice was rough and broken from many years of preaching, and his delivery was anything but polished. But when he finished there was not a dry eye in the room. When someone asked the actor what made the difference, he replied “I know the psalm, but he knows the Shepherd.”

With this Shepherd in our lives, we will never want, and we will never have to fear. We can be sure that goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives (Psalms 23:6).

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.