Kudos Not Necessary

David was not comforted in the valley of the shadow of death because he was surrounded by people patting him on the back and voting for him to be man of the year. At one point, his own son turned on him and tried to usurp the throne. David didn’t receive comfort in the bottom of the valley of the shadow of death because all of his wonderful elite friends and family were showering kudos and compliments on him, nor was it because all his bills were paid. He was comforted because the rod and staff (both used for guiding and defending) of the Shepherd was with him. That meant that David knew correction and he knew God‘s order. “Come on Shepherd, bring your rod and your staff. Just bring your presence, just bring your person, bring anything you need to bring with you for correction, for instruction, for edification.”