Psalms 23:4 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death— Yea, though I should stray into the valley of the shadow of death; a valley overspread with the horrors of darkness and of death, being thickly shaded with trees, and infested by wild beasts. Dr. Delaney thinks this a noble reference to the dismal forests of Hareth. "Surely," says he, "the valley of such a forest, with all its gloomy horrors, inhabited only by bears, and lions, and tygers, whose dens are in the deepest shades, is, with infinite beauty, stiled the valley of the shadow of death. Thy rod, signifies 'thy protection, which will keep me, as a shepherd does his sheep with a crook, from straying from thee:' Thy staff, signifies 'thy defence, which will guard me from all mine enemies, as a shepherd with his staff defends the sheep from the wolves.'"