Psalms 23 · Verse 4

Psalms 23:4

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.

Psalms 23:4, King James Version

Psalms 23:4 in other translations

BSB	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.
WEB	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.
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.
YLT	Also--when I walk in a valley of death-shade, I fear no evil, for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff--they comfort me.
DARBY	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.
BBE	Yes, though I go through the valley of deep shade, I will have no fear of evil; for you are with me, your rod and your support are my comfort.
Webster	Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shades of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

What does Psalms 23:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

4. In the darkest and most trying hour God is near. the valley of the shadow of death--is a ravine overhung by high precipitous cliffs, filled with dense forests, and well calculated to inspire dread to the timid, and afford a covert to beasts of prey. While expressive of any great danger or cause of terror, it does not exclude the greatest of all, to which it is most popularly applied, and which its terms suggest. thy rod and thy staff--are symbols of a shepherd's office. By them he guides his sheep.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death - The reference is still to the shepherd. Though I, as one of the flock, should walk through the most dismal valley, in the dead of the night, exposed to pitfalls, precipices, devouring beasts, etc., I should fear no evil under the guidance and protection of such a Shepherd. He knows all the passes, dangerous defiles, hidden pits, and abrupt precipices in the way; and he will guide me around, about, and through them. See the phrase shadow of death explained on Mat 4:16 (note). "Thof I ward well and imang tha, that nouther has knowyng of God, ne luf or in myddis of this lyf, that es schadow of ded; for it es blak for myrkenes of syn; and it ledes til dede and il men, imang qwam gude men wones: - I sal nout drede il, pryve nor apert; for thu ert with me in my hert, qwar I fele thu so, that eftir the schadow of dede, I be with the in thi vera lyf." - Old Psalter. For thou art with me - He who has his God for a companion need fear no danger; for he can neither mistake his way, nor be injured. Thy rod and thy staff - שבטך shibtecha, thy scepter, rod, ensign of a tribe, staff of office; for so שבט shebet signifies in Scripture. And thy staff, ומשענתך umishantecha, thy prop or support. The former may signify the shepherd's crook; the latter, some sort of rest or support, similar to our camp stool, which the shepherds might carry with them as an occasional seat, when the earth was too wet to be sat on with safety. With the rod or crook the shepherd could defend his sheep, and with it lay hold of their horns or legs to pull them out of thickets, boys, pits, or waters. We are not to suppose that by the rod correction is meant: there is no idea of this kind either in the text, or in the original word; nor has it this meaning in any part of Scripture. Besides, correction and chastisement do not comfort; they are not, at least for the present, joyous, but grievous; nor can any person look forward to them with comfort. They abuse the text who paraphrase rod correction, etc. The other term שען shaan signifies support, something to rest on, as a staff, crutch, stave, or the like. The Chaldee translates thus: "Even though I should walk in captivity, in the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear evil. Seeing thy Word (מימרך meymerach, thy personal Word) is my Assistant or Support; thy right word and thy law console me." Here we find that the Word, מימר meymar, is distinguished from any thing spoken, and even from the law itself. I cannot withhold the paraphrase of the old Psalter though it considers the rod as signifying correction: "Sothly I sal drede na nylle; for thy wande, that es thi lyght disciplyne, that chasties me as thi son: and thi staf, that es thi stalworth help, that I lene me til, and haldes me uppe; thai have comforthed me; lerand (learning, teaching) me qwat I suld do; and haldand my thaught in the, that es my comforth."

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Psalms 23:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

גַּ֤םgamalsoH1571

כִּֽי\־ki-forH3588

אֵלֵ֨ךְ'e.LekhI will goH1980

בְּגֵ֪יאbe.Gei'in a valley ofH1516

צַלְמָ֡וֶתtzal.Ma.vetdeep darknessH6757

לֹא\־lo'-notH3808

אִ֘ירָ֤א'i.Ra'I will fearH3372

רָ֗עRa'harmH7451

כִּי\־ki-forH3588

אַתָּ֥ה'a.TahyouH859

עִמָּדִ֑י'i.ma.Di[are] with meH5978

שִׁבְטְךָ֥shiv.te.Kharod yourH7626

וּ֝מִשְׁעַנְתֶּ֗ךָu.mish.'an.Te.khaand staff yourH4938

הֵ֣מָּהHe.mahtheyH1992

יְנַֽחֲמֻֽנִי\׃ye.Na.cha.Mu.nithey comfort meH5162

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Psalms 23:4

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Psalms 118:6
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
Psalms 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Isaiah 43:1-2
But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
Psalms 3:6
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.
Psalms 46:1-3
To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Luke 1:79
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
1 Corinthians 15:55-57
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Micah 7:14
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
Psalms 27:1-4
A Psalm of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
Acts 18:9-10
Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

through.
44:19; Job 3:5; 10:21,22; 24:17; Jer 2:6; Lu 1:79
I will.
3:6; 27:1-4; 46:1-3; 118:6; 138:7; Isa 41:10; 1Co 15:55-57
for thou.
14:5; 46:11; Isa 8:9,10; 43:1,2; Zec 8:23; Mt 1:23; 28:20
Ac 18:9,10; 2Ti 4:22
thy rod.
110:2; Mic 7:14; Zec 11:10,14

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Psalms 23:3
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Psalms 23:4
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.
Psalms 23:5
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Read all of Psalms 23

Psalms 23:4 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Aunque ande en valle de sombra de muerte, no temeré mal alguno; porque tú estarás conmigo: tu vara y tu cayado me infundirán aliento.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Même quand je marcherais par la vallée de l’ombre de la mort, je ne craindrai aucun mal; car tu es avec moi: ta houlette et ton bâton, ce sont eux qui me consolent.
German Elberfelder 1871	Auch wenn ich wanderte im Tale des Todesschattens, fürchte ich nichts Übles, denn du bist bei mir; dein Stecken und dein Stab, sie trösten mich.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Innocens manibus et mundo corde, qui non accepit in vano animam suam, nec juravit in dolo proximo suo: