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

There’s no shortage of fear these days. Fear of the economy. Inflation. War. Disease. Cultural upheaval. Personal uncertainty. The list seems endless—and if we’re honest, it doesn’t take much for our hearts to feel unsettled.

We shouldn’t be careless or ignore reality. But neither are we called to live captive to fear. Psalm 23 reminds us why.

In verse 4, David paints a vivid picture of the Good Shepherd leading His sheep through “the valley of the shadow of death.” Ray Stedman describes it as a narrow gorge at evening, where long shadows stretch across the trail. In Hebrew, it carries the idea of deep darkness. For sheep—timid and defenseless—that kind of setting would be terrifying.

But they are not alone. The shepherd is with them.

That is the difference-maker. The comfort of the sheep is not found in the absence of danger, but in the presence of the shepherd. “I will fear no evil,” David writes—not because evil doesn’t exist, but because the Shepherd walks beside him.

The same is true for us.

We all face valleys. Some are deeply personal—health concerns, strained relationships, financial pressure, uncertain futures. The question is not whether shadows will fall across our path. The question is whether we will trust the One who leads us through them.

Are there fears in your life that have grown larger than your faith?

We grow in courage not by denying fear, but by anchoring ourselves to God’s promises. And here is one worth holding onto:

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10