Psalm 23 is a passage that has made its way out of Christian and Jewish circles and into the popular culture at large. Its beauty and simplicity speak to the heart in metaphor and symbol. It is a poem, of course, and in an age that has little time for poetry, it is much needed. It speaks of shepherds and sheep, waters and paths, tables and cups. It is not despite the ordinary nature of the images but because they are ordinary that this poem speaks to the depths of souls. But in these troubled times, it is the line about the “valley of the shadow of death” that stands out most. David speaks not as one pontificating about the valley, but as one who writes the poem while walking through the valley. As we read God’s word this morning, may we find the green pastures and the still waters that the Lord desires to lead us toward.