Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me (Psalm 23:3). But what is the Rod of God? Most of my life I have heard preachers speak of the rod of God being His disciplining hand. However, to understand what David means, we must consider how the shepherd uses his rod. Only then can we know the comfort that the rod of God brings. For the shepherd, his tools in the days of David were the rod and the staff.
I learned a lot reading Philip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. He spoke of watching the children in Africa who were learning to be a shepherd practicing daily their skills at accurately throwing their rod. For you see, the rod had three major purposes. First to turn a wayward wandering sheep away from danger. Secondly, the rod is used to carefully exam the sheep. And finally, it is used to destroy a predator that desires to harm the sheep. The rod was never used to beat the sheep into submission. Rather, if the shepherd saw a sheep heading in a dangerous direction, he would hurl the rod through the air. Precisely the rod would land beside the sheep and cause him to turn to the right or left away from danger.
Also, the rod was used to carefully look beneath the wool, inspecting the sheep for blemishes and imperfections. Therein, he could ever so gently treat the blemishes and heal the wounds.
Also, with the rod, he would destroy the venomous snakes or other predators before they could harm the sheep. The Shepherd’s rod was his instrument to protect his sheep from harm, whether that be from the sheep’s own foolish self-will or from the predators desiring their demise.
So, what is the Rod of God?
The rod is the shepherd’s weapon of power, authority, and strength. The rod of God is His Word. Keller wrote it this way: The rod speaks, therefore, of the spoken Word, the expressed intent, the extended activity of God’s min and will in dealing with men. It implies the authority of divinity. It carries with it the convicting power and irrefutable impact of ‘Thus saith the Lord.” Just as for the sheep of David’s da, there was comfort and consolation in seeing the rod in the shepherd’s skillful hands, so in our day there is great assurance in our own hearts as we contemplate the power, veracity and potent authority vested in God’s Word. For, in fact, the Scriptures are His rod.” [1]
Living in a world so filled with voices and ideologies that would lead us astray, the Scripture is God’s truth to guide us. Whenever we face trials or would stray, His Word comes swiftly into our minds and heart to turn us back to safety. His word comforts us. David wrote, “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11). His Scriptures comfort and guide us that we might not stray into danger.
Examines our Hearts
His Word also examines our hearts. Just as the shepherd uses his rod to carefully pull back the wool, examining the skin for blemishes, so does God’s word examine our hearts for blemishes. This is a very intimate procedure between the shepherd and the sheep. In the same way, as we are alone with God studying His Word, the rod of God examines our hearts and minds. Much as David also wrote: Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting Psalm 139:23-24. Oh, that we might surrender to His rod searching, revealing the blemishes that we might be healed!
Protects us from the Evil One
Just as Christ’s offense against Satan when tempted in the desert, so is ours His word. When being told to put on the whole armor of God, our only offensive weapon is the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The Holy Spirit’s sword is the word of God. It is our offense against Satan’s lies and the attacks of sinful men and women.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).
The Comfort of the Rod of God
Therefore, the rod of God is there to comfort us and protect us. Have you read His word today?
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Previous Posts from series on Psalm 23
Fearless in the Darkest Valleys
How to Follow the Shepherd as He Leads
Have Your Soul Restored by God
How to Surrender as He Leadeth Beside Still Waters
When God Makes His Sheep to Lie Down. Why?
I Shall Not Want. What Can It Mean?
Do You Know and Trust the Good Shepherd?
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2018
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Footnotes and Credits
[1] Phillip Keller, A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23, in The Inspirational Writings of Phillip Keller, (New York, NY: Inspirational Press, 1993), 79.
Photo by Yosef Pregadio on Unsplash