What does the staff in Psalm 23 stand for?

Answer 1

Both the "rod" and the "staff" are used in contrast to the evil all around us in life. They both refer to implements of "discipline" and/or "punishment"... in this case: God's laws which are intended to "train up" and "correct" us.

The "rod" is a "shebet"... "...(literally) a stick (for punishing, writing, fighting, ruling, walking, etc.)...". [Strong's Definitions]

The "staff" is "natteh"... "...a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chasting (figuratively, correction)...". [Strong's Definitions]

According to The Bible... we may take "comfort" in God's Word, which is designed to "rebuke, correct" and discipline us [II Tim.3:16-17] for the end purpose of "perfecting" our character, to become perfect Children of God.

"...Despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." (Heb.12:5-6)

The evil which is rampant in the world is not the path to the Lord's salvation -- but turning to His Word in obedience... being "exercised" by it... and growing in it in Godly character, which is the opposite of evil.

"...He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death [this satanic, evil world], I WILL FEAR NO EVIL: FOR THOU ART WITH ME..." (Ps.23:3-4).

"If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore THE WORLD HATETH YOU... If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." (John 15:19-20)

David often cried out to God in his Psalms about the evil in the world that surrounded him... pleading for God's comfort and protection from it. And it was his faith in God's laws... His Word... and the discipline thereof that sustained him and gave him the patience and strength to endure it. Just as it does for God's faithful today.

The "rod" and the "staff" aren't pleasant... but no discipline is at the time of its application. But, as the saying goes -- what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And enduring God's loving discipline and correction, which leads to Eternal Life, is infinitely better than suffering from the evils that come natural to the flesh, the wages of which is death.

David's "faith" was in his God and His Word. It gave him "hope," and "patience" to endure God's loving rebuke and correction. And it was comforting to him in the end.

"Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and IN THE COMFORT of the Holy Spirit, were multiplied." (Acts 9:31)

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and COMFORT OF THE SCRIPTURES might have hope." (Rom.15:4)

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of ALL COMFORT, who COMFORTS US IN ALL OUR TROUBLES, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation: if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer." (II Cor.1:3-6 NIV)

David knew he wasn't able to endure the "valley of the shadow of death" on his own terms. But the discipline of God [His rod and staff], which he had endured and was enduring in life, gave him his strength to pass through... and it comforted him on his journey.

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." (II Cor.1:8-9 NIV)

The "staff" of God is His loving discipline and correction that prepares us for the evil this world and its god has to dish out to God's Children... that "comforts" them and teaches them not to rely on themselves... but to place their faith and hope in the "jealous" and "wrathful" God who is their Father.

"I know, O LORD, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. Correct me, LORD, but only with justice -- not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing. Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name..." (Jer.10:23-25).

The correction of the Lord's "staff" gave David great comfort and the ability to edure the evil world around him.