Psalm 23: Walk With the ShepherdSample

Walk with Goodness and Mercy

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me. (Psalm 23:6a)

When I was a child, I observed my shadow closely. It changed depending on the position of the sun. It was always fun to see how my shadow made me look tall and disproportionate when the sun was lower in the sky. Whenever there was adequate light, I loved watching how my shadow followed me. It was always with me. Like my shadow, God’s goodness and mercy follow me and is always with me too.

David knew this truth. God’s goodness and mercy followed him all the days of his life. Goodness and mercy are two of God’s many attributes. The Hebrew word for mercy in this passage is hesed. Hesed is hard to translate, but it’s used to describe God’s steadfast, loyal love for his people. This is the word God used to proclaim his name before Moses: “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exod. 34:6). In Psalm 136, we are told to “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever” (v. 1). Like David, we can experience God’s constant hesed in our lives. What a beautiful picture of his love!

Do you believe this? God’s goodness and mercy will never leave you. God loves you with his steadfast, loyal love. May you be able to say confidently, as David did, that God’s goodness and mercy are always with you.

As you pray, thank God for his goodness and mercy.