Psalm 23 · a question people ask
Is "the valley of the shadow of death" about dying?
The psalm says, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me" (23:4). The shadow of death is one Hebrew word, tsalmavet. Brown-Driver-Briggs gives it as "death-shadow, deep shadow", and Strong's as "shade of death, i.e. the grave (figuratively, calamity)" (tap shadow of death). Scripture uses the word of more than one darkness. Job uses it of the place he will go: "the land of darkness and of the shadow of death" (Job 10:21). Psalm 107 uses it of prisoners who "cried to the LORD in their trouble" (Psalm 107:13): "He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains" (Psalm 107:14). Psalm 44 uses it of the people's own suffering: "though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death" (Psalm 44:19). Psalm 23 doesn't say which darkness its valley is. It says the psalmist walks through it, and why he won't fear: "for you are with me" (23:4). So the verse can be read of dying, or of any deep darkness, and its words allow both.
The verses
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
“before I go where I will not return from, to the land of darkness and of the shadow of death;”
“Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke away their chains.”
“though you have crushed us in the haunt of jackals, and covered us with the shadow of death.”