Thy Rod and Thy Staff
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4
The crooked-necked staff of the shepherd and the defending club or rod were emblems of the office. They reminded the sheep that the shepherd was there to rescue them and defend them against predators. They were not instruments of discipline for the sheep, not the “rod of correction” spoken of in Proverbs, and though the Scripture elsewhere plainly teaches us that we can find assurance and even comfort in the discipline of God (Hebrews 12:4–11), this is not the truth proclaimed in Psalm 23.
He counted the sheep with the rod. Leviticus 27:32 gives us the context, that sheep would come into a closure at night by passing under the rod of the shepherd. It was a reminder of acceptance and inclusion in the flock, and the grace of God in Christ is such an assurance for us. Christ said that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27), and the image is similar here. The assurance in our hearts comes by the Word of God and the voice of the Spirit that says we are His and He is ours.
He protected the sheep with the rod. In 1 Samuel 17:34–36 David recounted the typical duties of the shepherd in defending against predators — lions and bears. Our Lord also protects us, guarding our salvation, assuring that no one may snatch us from the Father’s hands (John 10:27–30). Even temptations and trials come into our lives by the permission of the Almighty (1 Cor. 10:13). He who watches over Israel neither slumbers or sleeps, and these same truths apply to the Church as well (Psalm 121:4). Paul wrote, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Tim 4:18).
He rescued the sheep with the staff. The crooked-necked staff allowed the shepherd to reach out and grasp a sheep out of danger, hooking the horns and drawing them to him. Whether caught in a rocky crevice, or trapped in mud and water, the shepherd could save and rescue the sheep. And the Lord does the same for us. Here the image is more about redemption from the sheep’s own folly, of choosing to go the wrong way, either out of stubborn rebellion or ignorance and inexperience — or a combination of both.
Isaiah wrote, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). He rescues us from our own sin. He has taken upon Himself the payment for our sins that we were properly due to pay. This is the wonder of grace. He often rescues us on this earth from us facing the full consequence of our sin, redeeming us from the pit of disaster. Surely we will stand before Him and give an account of our lives, and nothing shall be left uncovered, but, at the end, it is revealed to show the magnitude of His grace and how it covers us completely.
In the gospel there is not only mercy and forgiveness, but a righteousness is revealed: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed — a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Rom 1:17). We are covered with the righteousness of Christ, forgiven and cleansed and made pure.
Take heart that God in Christ has included those who believe in His flock, that He protects us against those who would steal us from His hand, and that He rescues us entirely from sin and evil.
