"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life"
Psalm 23:6
It feels like Psalm 23 is one of the most well-known chapters of the Bible. It is read in countless funerals, and sometimes we relate a portion of it to death, in general: "even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil..." (verse 4) But what's amazing is truly reading the context of this particular Psalm in its entirety. As I studied and re-read, I noticed a pattern of God's constant care for us:
His constant presence takes care of us in so many ways. He provides ("I shall not want" v.1) He makes me lie down ("in green pastures" v.2) He leads me ("besides still waters" v. 2) He restores my soul (v.3) He leads me ("in the paths of righteousness"v. 3) He is with me ("your rod and your staff, they comfort me" v. 4) He prepares a table before me ("in the presence of my enemies" v. 5) He anoints my head with oil (v. 5) He dwells with us forever (v. 6) And in verse 6, I am in awe of His promise to us: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." We live and die in the confidence of God's constant faithfulness to us. This should give us hope to live for. Goodness and mercy pursue us. They run us down. And it's not just one day, it's for the entirety of our lives.
As you reflect on the promise in Psalm 23:6—“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”—how can this promise of God’s relentless pursuit of you with goodness and mercy reshape the way you face the challenges, uncertainties, or even ordinary routines every day? In what specific area of your life right now do you need to trust that His goodness and mercy are actively pursuing you?
