What is shadow of valley of death?

Answer 1

The puritans used to call this time in a Christian's life as the "dark night of the soul." It is a time when the believer is unable to sense the presence of God in his life. There can be much spiritual confusion and a sense that one has been isolated from others and that God has hidden His face from the believer. It is a very dark time. A good example of this found in Scriptures is Psalm 88. Notice how the Psalm ends...there is no rejoicing in the LORD. Yet, one can see that the Psalmist does see God as the God of His Salvation.

Psalm 88 : Song, a Psalm of the sons of Korah; for the Chief Musician; set to Mahalath Leannoth. Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.

O Jehovah, the God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.

2 Let my prayer enter into thy presence; Incline thine ear unto my cry.

3 For my soul is full of troubles, And my life draweth nigh unto Sheol.

4 I am reckoned with them that go down into the pit; I am as a man that hath no help,

5 Cast off among the dead, Like the slain that lie in the grave, Whom thou rememberest no more, And they are cut off from thy hand.

6 Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, In dark places, in the deeps.

7 Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, And thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah

8 Thou hast put mine acquaintance far from me; Thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and I cannot come forth.

9 Mine eye wasteth away by reason of affliction: I have called daily upon thee, O Jehovah; I have spread forth my hands unto thee.

10 Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall they that are decreased arise and praise thee? Selah

1 Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or thy faithfulness in Destruction?

12 Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? And thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But unto thee, O Jehovah, have I cried; And in the morning shall my prayer come before thee.

14 Jehovah, why castest thou off my soul? Why hidest thou thy face from me?

15 I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up: While I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.

16 Thy fierce wrath is gone over me; Thy terrors have cut me off.

17 They came round about me like water all the day long; They compassed me about together.

18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me, And mine acquaintance into darkness.

John Bunyan speaks of this time in his Pilgrims Progress.

The 2nd stanza of On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand states. "When darkness veils his lovely face" gives reference to it.

Answer 2

The valley of the shadow of death is a metaphor for the trials we face.