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Most people know the 23rd Psalms from the Bible. 

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3     He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
    for his name's sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
    forever.[g

This Psalms are often quoted at times of disaster, a death, war, or deep sorrow.  We find comfort in the words that someone is with us in the shadows of our lives. The dark moments in life are easier to navigate when you are not alone.

When we are children, we are afraid of the dark, afraid of what can happen, and of the “bogeyman". Turning off all the lights to sleep has turned into a mission. Getting up to get water or going to the bathroom, when all the lights were already off, was no longer an option. 

Everything was scary. Any shadow became a monster, any noise frightened us. Getting a scare from someone in the dark was much more terrifying. Walking in the dark was much more dangerous, and in seconds we felt like actors in a thriller movie.

In the dark, we can’t quite understand, or even see, our surroundings, so we stumble, but when we turn the lights on, we know exactly what is in the surroundings. In the dark we fear, but somehow having someone with you brings us security.

Many believe the 23rd Psalm was written by David during the civil war caused by Absalom's uprising. Of course, David was devastated and brokenhearted. It may have been the dimmest period of his life and this is where he wrote the beautiful words, "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."  This psalm has been with me most of the summer. But the first few words are not the ones that speak to me the most. There are 26 words before and 26 words after but right in the middle are the words that speak to me the most and I think are at the heart of what David was trying to express in this Psalm.

In verse 4 it says this 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death; I will fear no evil, for you are with me. You are here, in the shadow of death, you are here.  In the presence of my enemies; you are here. I am not alone. What comfort it is to my heart to know that there is one who walks in beside me.  When I, like all dumb sheep, stray off course I know that Jesus my shepherd is there with me. He is the consent defender, guarding us from the beasts lurking in the darkness. When I am walking in a valley of sickness he is with me. When I walk through the Valley of grief he is with me. David understood that no matter what he was walking through that the Lord was with him.  

We often miss the simple truth about the valley of the shadow of death. In order for there to be a shadow, there also must be a light. Unexpected circumstances, heartbreak and trials take us from one place to another place in life in an instant. But no matter where we are in life, no matter what has happened, God is still there. No matter what shadow filled valley you are walking through He is there. For years I had this picture of crying out for help and the Lord running to rescue me. But this Psalm helped me understand that He does not have to run to me because no matter the valley I cry out from he is there with me. Cry out today and he will reach to rescue you. To make your path safe, to lead you to still water and green pastures. He is there