Goodness & Mercy

Psalm 23 cont’d:

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

I just listened to a song by BJ & Lisa Sullivan and at this point in the lyrics, she sings,

“Surely your goodness and mercy will chase me down…”

What this part of the psalm says to me is that even if I get up from the table and head right out into the darkness, the shepherd will run after me, tackle me, and carry me back to the table.

There are lots of reasons why we have trouble staying at the table, when the enemy is lurking in the shadows.  Some of us cannot believe that He is really good, and we’re afraid that the table set before us is going to be destroyed, so we leave out of fear.  Sometimes we’re broken when we arrive at the table, and we fall from our chair in a heap.  And others of us have been bitten by the wolves before, and we’re afraid they will devour us again.

I love the word “surely” here.

It’s a done deal.  His goodness and mercy are the legs underneath us when we’re weak, afraid, and torn.  They’re strong legs and they’re legs that will not buckle when he carries us back to the table, seats us at the feast, and invites us to linger as long as we like…all the days of our lives.

Listen to the song above and lay back and rest...