PSALM 23:5–6 Pursued by Goodness and Mercy
READ: PSALM 23:5–6
v. 6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me.”
In Psalm 23:1–5 two word pictures are used to describe who the LORD is for his people. First, he is like a good shepherd who knows and loves his sheep and goes out with them every day, leading them to places where they can eat and drink, protecting them from danger. Second, God is like a welcoming host who prepares a table for his people with an abundance of delicious food and drink. There is joy in his presence! Both images point to an intimate relationship between God and his people. The LORD really cares for his people.
The last verse of Psalm 23 adds something special to this message: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” Please note the word “follow.” The psalmist says that God’s people do not just experience God’s goodness and mercy occasionally. It is not that every now and then we receive some of God’s blessings. The idea is rather that God is following us around with the intention of bestowing his blessings on us all the time. Wherever we go, we experience it again. Whenever we turn a corner, we bump into God’s grace. We cannot escape it!
This is a very encouraging message. When you acknowledge Jesus Christ to be your Shepherd (John 10:11), you will experience that the LORD God is always pursuing you with his goodness and loving-kindness. At times we may feel downcast and depressed but it won’t last forever for the Lord is always there, pursuing us with his love and mercy. Light will shine in the darkness!
What we believe is also experienced in reality. Many believers have testified at the end of their life on earth that the Lord’s goodness and mercy have indeed followed them all the time. One example is Jacob who said that God had been his Shepherd all his life (Gen. 48:15). Another is David who at the end of his life spoke about God’s everlasting covenant according to which the LORD had given him salvation and granted him every desire of his heart (2 Sam. 23:5).
As Christian believers, let us rejoice in the awesome privilege that our God is pursuing us with his goodness and mercy. This is reason for praise. “Serve him with gladness all your days and come to him with songs of praise” (Ps. 100:2).
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