Ps.23:6 – Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
Ps.23:6 – TPT – So why would I fear the future?
For your goodness and love pursue me all the days of my life.
The word for follow in this verse is radap, it literally means to chase after. So David is saying that the goodness of the Lord and the mercy of the Lord chase after you all of your days. So I may not be chasing after Him but He is certainly chasing after me. So what exactly is it about the Lord that He is chasing me down? First, it is the goodness of the Lord. Goodness is the very essence of who the Lord is, everything about Him is good. We see the goodness of the Lord on full display in the ministry of Jesus. The mercy of the Lord is God’s kindness on display interacting with His people. He loves His own with unswerving fervency, and pours His mercy on us day by day. Here is how Matthew Henry describes this passage.
“What he promises himself — goodness and mercy, all the streams of mercy flowing from the fountain, mercy that forgives, protects, sustains, and provides.
How it will be communicated: “It will follow me, as that water from the rock, Christ, followed the camp of Israel through the desert (1Co 10:4); it will follow me everywhere and in every condition of life. It will be available always.”
Its continuation: “it will follow me all my life long, even to the end,” for those whom God loves he loves to the end.
Its faithfulness: All the days of my life, as regularly as each day comes. It will be new every morning (La 3:22 – 23), like the manna that was given to the Israelites every day.
Its certainty: Surely it will. It is as certain as the promise of the God of truth can make it, and we know whom we have believed (2Ti 1:12).”
No wonder David followed hard after the Lord pouring out his worship day after day. He was enjoying the benefit of redemption, taking in God’s goodness and mercy displayed in Christ every time that he sang before the Lord. That brings us back to us. Sing your praise to the Lord, do it today. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and give Him praise. Goodness and mercy are following you today and every other day as well. What is my response? I will drink in goodness and mercy all my days and let others know that there is a fountain flowing out from our lives that will fully satisfy all that believe in Him.