Completely Safe
The comfort found in the everyday tools of the shepherd.
“…you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4b
When we read this verse, I think we tend to overlook the last part, as if it were just there to round out the poem, with very little real bearing on our lives. I do this, anyway, whether or not the general population does. However, David wrote these phrases very intentionally. There are valuable truths here for the taking, if we will slow down enough to find them.
First, what are these tools carried by the shepherd—his rod and his staff? In short, the rod was a club worn at a shepherd’s belt, while the staff was more of a walking stick that also doubled as a weapon when needed.1 The shepherd’s rod was a weapon, ready at his waist at all times, used to defend against wild animals and other predators. This was his primary offensive weapon for protecting his sheep from both animal and human enemies. It was often a large piece of wood with bits of iron embedded into one end. Something like this is only comforting if you are under its protection; it is something to be feared if you come up against it! Yet this is exactly why the sheep can be comforted by knowing that their shepherd always keeps a fearsome rod within easy reach. The shepherd may be gentle and lowly, but he is no weakling. He is always ready to defend against anyone who tries to snatch them away from him. The rod serves to both defeat enemies and protect the sheep, and Jesus, our Good Shepherd, does both of these things for us.
“We should never mistake the tenderness of our shepherd for weakness, or his care for us for carelessness about all that threatens us.”
—David Gibson2
Christ is fully aware of and in sovereign control of all that would come against His people, the sheep of His pasture.3 Our Shepherd knows us and laid down His life for us to give us abundant life.4 He breaks the wicked with a rod of iron,5 but those who belong to Him are held fast for eternity, and no one can snatch them out of His hand.6
The psalmist next mentions the shepherd’s staff. This tool was not for defense against outward enemies; instead, it protected against the foolishness of the sheep themselves. We desperately need this, don’t we? We need our faithful and wise Shepherd to reach out His staff to direct us and pull us in when we stray from the paths of righteousness. Sometimes our most discouraging enemy is the foolishness and weakness of our own flesh. We are prone to wander, and our gracious and merciful Shepherd pulls us back to Himself again and again with careful and gentle guidance, correction, and discipline.
The rod and the staff of our Shepherd bring us comfort because we know we are completely safe with Him. We are protected when the enemy attacks. Ultimately, we already have victory because it has been secured for us in Christ. But even as the enemy attacks us day to day here on earth, we can stand firm with confidence that he will not win, for our good and strong Shepherd fights for us. We are also safe from ourselves. No matter how far we stray, how much we doubt, how deep we sink into unbelief, there is One who remains faithful.7 He disciplines those He loves in order to grow them in holiness and righteousness,8 and oh, how He loves His people. His rod and staff comfort us because they demonstrate His fierce protection and relentless care. He will not let us go.
John H. Walton, Victor H. Matthews, & Mark W. Chavalas, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), page 524.
David Gibson, The Lord of Psalm 23 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2023), page 93.
Psalm 100:3
John 10:10-15
Psalm 2:9
John 10:27-28
2 Timothy 2:13
Hebrews 12:6-11