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Written by: Michael A. Milton 11/9/2009 3:20 PM
Devotional Commentary on The Twenty Third Psalm The human authors of the Word of God often conclude their divinely inspired writing by sealing the words with doxology. And thus David, after giving the believer such hope and courage and assurance in the midst of trials and, indeed, throughout every season of life, explodes into an affirmation of faith that ought to be remembered and recited by every child of God: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalms 23:6). The "surely" points to the verity of what he is about to say. And what he says is that "goodness" and "mercy" shall follow him all of the days of his life. Now this is not just any goodness or any mercy but this is connected to the LORD (the covenant name YHWH is here employed) and to eternal life in His presence, that is, His house. The goodness of God towards David and towards each of us is evidenced in both His general love and His special love. He is good to us in life in that He gives us food and drink, children's laughter, and crisp autumn days. Every man must be bound on Judgment Day to thank God, if it were possible in the hearts of rebels, to praise God for His general love to us all. But the special love of God is His goodness to us. He is good in His Person and thus His goodness overflows from the attributes of the Lord to His own children. We know this through the promise to redeem us and to redeem this fallen world. He has sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to bring about that redemption. In our own lives, He has worked powerfully, mysteriously, as He did in David's life, to preserve us, protect us, and to present us to Himself as His dear children. He sent your parents to you to tell you of Jesus. This is His goodness. He sent a preacher to you. This is His special love, His goodness to you, dear friend. God is good, and thus goodness must logically overflow, but that it overflows into your life, child of God, is reason for you to thank Him and praise Him! David here speaks of that most famous word, God's "Hesed," that is, His mercy. The word is most often translated "steadfast love" in the English Standard Version (indeed, there are 191 instances of that phrase). The "Hesed" of God is God's "covenant love," the "unfailing love," the "stork-like" love of one who loves to death. This is the love that left divine prerogatives in order to come to earth, a King of Kings and Lord of Lords born to woman in a feed-trough. This is the love that sent God the Son to the cross in order to save His children. What wondrous love! And yet this love, this "hesed love" of God is what David claims. He claims it for himself, as you should for your life. And David seals the beauty of this whole Psalm with Hesed. And then, whether feast or famine, David is assured that this divine goodness and love will go on and on. Indeed, David will dwell in the "bayit" of God, His "royal court" forever. Thus the Psalmist who has led the lamps of the flock through dark, dangerous fields, and over ragged mountains, now looks to the Good Shepherd to lead him home. So, too, should you rest in the LORD of this Psalm, Jesus Christ. You too can seal your life, see how every sorrow is sanctified, how every circumstance is under the sovereign saving work of Jesus and will be used to get you home. Thinking of these things, I once wrote: When the wind and waves of life Drove my soul to find relief I was guided by the storm To find Jesus underneath. When the storms of life betray All the promises You’ve made I will cling to Calvary’s place I will trust Your Sovereign Grace. Though Your presence with me goes I seem to still be tossed and turned By an unseen enemy And I know I need to learn. And when life is finally o’er And I stand before You, Lord I’ll see the storms that stirred despair Were the winds that blew me there. When the storms of life betray All the promises You've made Let me cling to Calvary’s place Let me trust Your Sovereign Grace. David did. And through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, you too can know the power of the promises, the security of the Savior, and the blessings of being a well beloved lamb in the fold of the Good Shepherd.
The human authors of the Word of God often conclude their divinely inspired writing by sealing the words with doxology. And thus David, after giving the believer such hope and courage and assurance in the midst of trials and, indeed, throughout every season of life, explodes into an affirmation of faith that ought to be remembered and recited by every child of God:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalms 23:6).
The "surely" points to the verity of what he is about to say. And what he says is that "goodness" and "mercy" shall follow him all of the days of his life. Now this is not just any goodness or any mercy but this is connected to the LORD (the covenant name YHWH is here employed) and to eternal life in His presence, that is, His house. The goodness of God towards David and towards each of us is evidenced in both His general love and His special love. He is good to us in life in that He gives us food and drink, children's laughter, and crisp autumn days. Every man must be bound on Judgment Day to thank God, if it were possible in the hearts of rebels, to praise God for His general love to us all. But the special love of God is His goodness to us. He is good in His Person and thus His goodness overflows from the attributes of the Lord to His own children. We know this through the promise to redeem us and to redeem this fallen world. He has sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to bring about that redemption. In our own lives, He has worked powerfully, mysteriously, as He did in David's life, to preserve us, protect us, and to present us to Himself as His dear children. He sent your parents to you to tell you of Jesus. This is His goodness. He sent a preacher to you. This is His special love, His goodness to you, dear friend. God is good, and thus goodness must logically overflow, but that it overflows into your life, child of God, is reason for you to thank Him and praise Him! David here speaks of that most famous word, God's "Hesed," that is, His mercy. The word is most often translated "steadfast love" in the English Standard Version (indeed, there are 191 instances of that phrase). The "Hesed" of God is God's "covenant love," the "unfailing love," the "stork-like" love of one who loves to death. This is the love that left divine prerogatives in order to come to earth, a King of Kings and Lord of Lords born to woman in a feed-trough. This is the love that sent God the Son to the cross in order to save His children. What wondrous love! And yet this love, this "hesed love" of God is what David claims. He claims it for himself, as you should for your life. And David seals the beauty of this whole Psalm with Hesed. And then, whether feast or famine, David is assured that this divine goodness and love will go on and on. Indeed, David will dwell in the "bayit" of God, His "royal court" forever. Thus the Psalmist who has led the lamps of the flock through dark, dangerous fields, and over ragged mountains, now looks to the Good Shepherd to lead him home. So, too, should you rest in the LORD of this Psalm, Jesus Christ. You too can seal your life, see how every sorrow is sanctified, how every circumstance is under the sovereign saving work of Jesus and will be used to get you home. Thinking of these things, I once wrote:
When the wind and waves of life Drove my soul to find relief I was guided by the storm To find Jesus underneath. When the storms of life betray All the promises You’ve made I will cling to Calvary’s place I will trust Your Sovereign Grace. Though Your presence with me goes I seem to still be tossed and turned By an unseen enemy And I know I need to learn. And when life is finally o’er And I stand before You, Lord I’ll see the storms that stirred despair Were the winds that blew me there. When the storms of life betray All the promises You've made Let me cling to Calvary’s place Let me trust Your Sovereign Grace.
David did. And through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, you too can know the power of the promises, the security of the Savior, and the blessings of being a well beloved lamb in the fold of the Good Shepherd.
Copyright ©2009 Michael A. Milton
Read Mike's story about God's hand on his life and how God fulfills His promises to His children.
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