In Psalm 23:4 we find these words, and they set up the context of the verses to come: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil.” Did you see the “even though / I will” in that famous verse? It’s amazing that the Good Shepherd walks with us right through the valley of the shadow of death. God is there with us through real hardship. He’s with us when a loved one gets sick. He’s with us when we bury someone we care for. He’s close when our heart is shattered. He’s close when we lose some sort of good thing we’d hoped for.
