My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
This is the big one. This psalm has been studied, meditated on, inspected, investigated, perused, researched, examined, analyzed, sung, recited, and memorized more than any other psalm I can think of. At least in my lifetime.
But you know, I can’t find any verse of Psalm 23 in the New Testament. It is such a beautiful heartfelt psalm, I can’t think of the Lord and His apostles not dwelling on the intimacy the psalmist was expressing about His Lord.
Yet it isn’t in the New Testament – Amazing.
Nevertheless, although it is so wildly popular in our day and time, it would be good to consider it one more time. Read with me as we consider Psalm 23
Psalm 23:
1 – A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 – He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
3 – He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 – Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
5 – You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
I will not spend more than a few moments with you in this blog, and if you see fit to read the psalm one more time instead of my ruminations, I think you may have made the better decision.
Yet the last verse is where I want to settle.
You see, mercy and goodness have followed me all the days of my life. I have a life of unbounded blessings, and it is in spite of me and my pride, my obstinance and my stubborn will.
He has dealt bountifully toward me.
The goodness and mercy that follows me, could be understood as actually pursuing me, chasing me, actively running after me, almost to the point of harassment. The old Hebrew word translated as “follow” can be understood such.
And yet I seek out the bad, the sorry, the sad, and am unthankful, disrespectful and hating. My friends, the grace of God is seeking you and I. He is pursuing us, and we so often flee from the goodness and mercy of God Himself.
Oh for the day when our obstinate nature is released.
Brothers and sisters, be thankful. Turn around and pay attention to the good things that God provides. Do not dwell on the fears, dangers, suspicions, and lies that swirl about our feet. Look up and praise the One who is always seeking our best.
Surely goodness and mercy is chasing us. Let Him catch you!
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