Sunday, October 3, 2004

Rev. Dr. Harold E Kidd

  Psalm 23   

"OUR CONSTANT COMPANIONS"  

""Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the House of the Lord for ever." (KJV)

It should come as no surprise that the final verse of this Psalm concludes on a high note of confidence and assurance. During his lifetime the Lord had led David through deep ravines, dark and dangerous valleys, barren hillsides; and in all situations, as his shepherd, the Lord has faithfully cared for David.

In verse 5 we saw David follow the Lord, not as one of his sheep, but as a guest to his tent, only to realize even greater blessing and full provision. In spite of surrounding turmoil, David ate in peace at the table with an endless supply of blessings. Anointed and with a full cup, David rejoiced in the goodness of his divine host.

Now the sixth verse, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever", is David's statement of faith that "He's got my whole world in his hands."  If I knew how to make it simpler, I would suggest to you that what David is saying in verse 6 as he looked back over his life is that the Lord always had his back.

Notice this verse begins in the English Translation with the adverb “surely”. In the Hebrew this would mean -- without a doubt, unquestionably; certainly. In other words, realizing that no life is a picture perfect rose garden, David is declaring that in spite of all life's circumstances, goodness and mercy are his constant companions. They are the Lord's twin angels of covering.

Now the verb that David used to describe this image of goodness and mercy following him sheds greater light on the text. It is the Hebrew verb radap; meaning to pursue or chase someone. We find this verb often used in Scripture in a battle context, with troops pursuing each other. David is saying the Lord's goodness and mercy is going to be like an army pursuing and chasing after him with blessings all the days of his life. He doesn't just bless you in your comings, but the Lord is able to bless you in your going as well.  Amen.

But also if the Lord is your shepherd, He's got your back covered. Amen. We don't have to worry about something sneaking up on us from out of our past -- past mistakes, past sins, past failures -- because goodness and mercy have got you covered. You remember the old westerns when the cowboys would try to hide their trail, cover their tracks? They would break off an old tree branch and dust the trail behind them to cover their tracks. Perhaps that’s why Paul declared in Romans 8:1, "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Well, that's what the Lord does! He knows how to cover our tracks with goodness and mercy.

When past events come up that have potential to harm us, the Lord's got us covered. If I should look behind me, fearing lest some enemy come upon me, the only two figures I will see will be the Lord's twin angels of goodness and mercy running after me, to pour me out a blessing.

The Lord can send a blessing out of your past that will catch you in your future. Some of you right now are reaping the blessings that the Lord gave to you through Mamma and Daddy 20-30 years ago.

Yes, Lord, David was "cognitively conscious" that goodness and mercy were always with him. In order for you and me to live in the 'real time' of his goodness and mercy, we have to practice thanking Him for goodness and mercy.  Being thankful ushers you into a cognitive consciousness that goodness and mercy are always behind you, running after you with blessings.

Let me see if I can put it another way. How many of us are truly aware of the fact that no matter what occurs in our lives we are being followed by goodness and mercy? Any one of us can speak this way when things are going well. If our health is excellent, if our income is stable, if our family is doing OK, it’s easier to believe, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."

But what about when your body begins to break down?  What do you say when you have to helplessly stand by and watch your life partner or friend die by slow degrees? What is our reaction?  Do we still believe we are living in the real time of God's blessing? When our job folds up and there is no money to pay the bills, what happens to our outlook on the Lord's goodness and mercy?

When the chips were down, and his life was far from a serene rose garden, David's testimony of faith was "Because of what he's already done, surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life".

In his book A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, author Phillip Keller writes, "In looking back over my life, I can see again and again Jesus' management of my life." Writes Keller, "There were events which at the time seemed like utter calamities; there were paths down which he led me that appeared like blind alleys; there were days He took me through which were black as night itself.  But in the end, goodness and mercy worked it out for my benefit and my well being.”  Amen.

As we ponder the words of this verse, may they help us to more deeply understand that because our lives are under the total management of Jesus, no difficulty can arise, no dilemma will emerge, no disaster or tragedy may descend upon us, without goodness and mercy blessing us out of the chaos.

But there's another insight into this verse. With all of this goodness and mercy following us; is there a way in which we can pass it on to others?

Sheep manure is the best fertilizer produced by domestic stock. When their manure is used as fertilizer it can transform barren land into a thriving pasture.  Because sheep are herbivores and will consume a wide variety of herbage, sheep eat all sorts of weeds and other undesirable plants that might invade a field.  In a few years a flock of well-managed sheep will clean up and restore a piece of bad land ravaged by weeds.

In ancient literature sheep were often referred to as "those of the golden hooves" because of their beneficial effect on the land. In other words, well-managed sheep leave behind them something worthwhile, productive, beautiful, and beneficial to both themselves and others. Where they had walked, there followed fertility and weed-free land. Where they had lived there remained beauty and abundance.

So there is a question coming out of this text. Do you and I leave a blessing behind us?  Where we've walked will there follow poverty and waste or fertility and growth? After we have gone on, will there remain ugliness or beauty, peace or chaos, unity or division?

Will I leave a trail of sadness or a trail of gladness behind me?  Will the memory that others have of us, will it remain precious by the sweetness of goodness and mercy, or will they choose to forget us altogether? Will I be remembered as a giver or a taker? Do I deposit a blessing behind me or am I a burden to others? Does my life bring joy or sorrow? Sometimes it is profitable for us to ask ourselves such simple questions as these. 

No matter where David's footsteps took him – Amen – the bush, the plains or the king's palace, there remained upon the nation of Israel the impact of David's love for God.  A man after God's own heart. He established the city of Jerusalem as the Holy City of God.  He brought the Ark of the Covenant to rest in Jerusalem.  He enlarged the geographical boundaries of Israel's empire.  He prepared God's people for the building of God's Temple.  He led God's people to their spiritual zenith in worship and obedience to God.  He codified the teachings of Moses in written form.  He wrote the Psalms.  Israel received many blessings through David's relationship with the Lord.  Hallelujah.

God had been so good to David, 'til David could not keep it unto himself. But surely, goodness and mercy did follow David all the days of his life.

Well, if we realize like David that the Lord has been mighty good to us, it will inspire us to live our lives in such a way that some goodness and mercy will flow from our life into the lives of others. Amen. We will want to leave something behind that blesses those who follow in our path.

                                   Use me, Lord, use me for Thy glory,

                                   Use me, Lord, help me tell love's story;

                                   O use me Lord, Use me, O lord, I pray.