Psalm 23 is by far one of my favorite chapters of the Bible; however, in the interest of honesty, my kids would say I say that a lot!
The Book of Psalms is found in the Old Testament, and it consists of 150 Psalms. It is thought to have been written by more than eight authors. The Psalms cover a wide range of topics, including worship and lament, thanksgiving, prophecy, and wisdom.
What Is the Context of Psalm 23?
Psalm 23 was written by King David, likely in and around 1,000 BC, and was originally penned in the Hebrew language.
Some people have called this Psalm "Dominus reget me," which means, “The Lord leads me,” which is aptly named from the first lines.
What I love about Psalm 23 is that King David has penned words that we can lean on no matter what season we find ourselves walking in or crawling through. Whether we are in need or plenty, lost or grieving, empty or full, these words can speak to us.
I also love the imagery he uses. He specifically takes moments from his own experience and life and explains God’s love for us. Psalm 23 gives us a beautiful explanation of God’s presence with us.
This last line is one I find myself quoting a lot. It is a wonderful thing to remind my soul on hard days when life seems grim and grey and no end seems to be in sight.
Verse 6 reads: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” There is a future promised to me, a future filled with hope.
Firstly, I think we should address what goodness and mercy are in this passage. James tells us that “every good and perfect gift comes from above,” which informs us that good things are only in our lives because God offers them to us as gifts; he is essentially giving to us what we do not deserve.
Mercy, however, is defined as the compassion or kindness God shows to us despite Him being in the position to punish us. Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve by lavishing upon us grace and forgiveness when we come to Him in repentance.
Throughout David’s life, he had many things that chased him: bears and lions while he tended his flocks, and then later, he would be chased by his family, including his own sons and King Saul. All of these posed a threat to David’s life.
1 Samuel 17 records David declaring he had killed both a lion and bear with his own hands to keep the sheep in his care safe. David was faithful in protecting the flock he was given by God to watch over.
My belief is that this season of shepherding would prepare David for a bigger flock to protect Israel. Luke 16:10 says this perfectly: “If you are faithful in the small things, you will be faithful in the larger ones.”
Will We Have Goodness and Love All of Our Days?
Everything in our lives, as Romans 8:28 puts it, is used by God or worked in by God to bring about goodness and His glory.
But after all those years, David finally stood in the palace as king, in the position God gave him, and is quoted to be “a man after God's own heart” (Acts 13:22).
How? I hear you ask, how did David manage to slay and win, dodge and duck to maintain his own life and become what God asked him to be?
Firstly, I would say that no matter who else came against David, and no matter how sincere or dangerous the threat was, David knew that there was still a greater pursuer who sought after his life.
Not to bring harm to him or to end his life, as the others intended, but to enrich it with grace and mercy, goodness, and with purpose and passion.
This great pursuer is God, the one who pursues all of humanity with a love that is unrivaled and unequal.
A love that will sacrifice for us, a love that will envelop us, a love that will take us from where we are now in dirty rags and place us in a holy place, call us righteous, and name us in His holy book.
To borrow the very words of David, this love would see our cups overflow, be a comfort in dark spaces, lead us to rest in green pastures, and ensure our hunger and thirst to always be quenched. David knew this love, and he knew that love offered him provision.
It offered him not only provision but also protection. This relationship with God, or Yahweh, offered him protection. Psalm 18 was also written by David, and we see him call God many specific things, including his Rock, fortress, shield, horn of salvation, and stronghold.
David knew God to be his deliverer and the one who would fight for him and with him. The fact that God was David’s rescuer redeemer, defender, and leader meant that David knew protection if he stayed within the path God laid out for him. It did not mean David led an easy life, but he led it with the full armies of the living God on his side.
When God chose David and Samuel anointed Him as king, David knew what some of us forget — God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55) and that God always completes what He starts (Philippians 1:6).
David knew that one day he would be king because God had declared it to be so, and he just needed to trust that the goodness and mercy that were following him and leading him would show him the way if he followed fully after the Lord.
This promise we are offered that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever, or in heaven, is an offer to those who love Jesus or who have accepted Him as their savior. I hope you know Jesus, and you, too, can declare that goodness and mercy follow you.
Salvation Can Be Yours
But friend, if you do not know Jesus and you find yourself intrigued by the love of God, may I encourage you today to go and find out all you can about him.
This everlasting life promised to us in John 3:16 really is worth living for, and I guarantee you, God can do more in your life than you ever thought possible.
Any local church will direct you to Jesus or pick up a bible, open it at Mark or John in the New Testament, and read of this great love that has been offered to us.
Salvation does not come for free, it costs, but thankfully, Jesus paid that price for us when he died on the cross, and he sealed your salvation when he rose from the grave and ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of God for all time.
For further reading:
How Is Goodness a Fruit of the Spirit?
What Is the Meaning of Psalm 23 and Why Is it Popular?
What Does the Imagery of ‘My Cup Runneth Over’ Mean in Psalm 23:5?
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