Bible verse
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 · BSB
For three verses David talks about God: he leads me, he restores me. At verse 4 he stops talking about Him and starts talking to Him — "for You are with me." The shift happens exactly at the valley.
That is the psalm's argument in a piece of grammar. The nearness is not described from the green pastures; it gets close enough to address directly once the ground drops away.
"The valley of the shadow of death" is also more ordinary in Hebrew than in English — deep darkness, the kind you cannot see through. Not only a deathbed. Any stretch where you cannot see the far end.
The verses around it, from Psalm 23.
1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.
4 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.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
KJV
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.
ASV
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.
ERV
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.
We gather Scripture by what people are actually walking through. Psalm 23:4 is on this page.
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Scripture quotations are from the Berean Standard Bible, which is free of copyright restrictions for use on websites. Read the full Bible on Great Faith.