On The Pursuit By Goodness

Psalm 23:1, 6 NIV  The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing…Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:6 NLT  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

“Goodness Of God” (Bethel Music)                                                                                     
Songwriters: Jason Ingram, Ed Cash, Brian Mark Johnson, Jenn Louise Johnson, Ben David Fielding

Observation

I suspect that King David spent many hours, days, years wondering and even questioning God’s methods of working out His plans and purposes (“What was God thinking when He…?!!”).  David was a teenage shepherd when he was anointed as king by the prophet Samuel.  Although he may not have understood what it all meant, that day was when God began David’s training – facing Goliath, being banished and hunted by Saul, hiding in the desert, living on the run, being forced out of his country, and fighting many, many battles. It was nearly 15 years between the time that he was anointed and his actual taking of the throne. God prepared David to be a man after God’s own heart by taking David “through the fire” so that, no matter what triumph or dark night he faced, he could sing of the goodness of God.  He could have written this one.  It is like so many other of his psalms.

I have always thought of the “follow” in Psalm 23:6 as a gentle, passive, strolling behind. I don’t know how or why I got that picture in my mind. Perhaps it was pictures of shepherds peacefully strolling along with sheep. I looked up the Hebrew word used for this “follow” in Strong’s Concordance; it is “radaph” and means “to pursue ardently, chase, aim eagerly to secure, pursue”. It is used sometimes in the Old Testament to describe the relentless pursuit by enemies and other times to describe how men should pursue God and holiness.  Just as David defended his sheep against lions and bears, Jesus defends us against all fearful attacks when we embrace His shepherding, let His goodness overtake us and “aim eagerly to secure” holiness.

Impact on Me

This creates an entirely different perspective for me on Psalm 23!  This is not just a psalm/song about the tranquil pasture and peace we can experience in Christ; it is also a psalm/song about the passionate advocacy and protection provided by our Shepherd both in that tranquil pasture and in fearful times of attack, danger, fire, trouble and uncertainty.  I am reminded of Jesus asleep in the wildly rocking boat! We need to stay calm in every circumstance because Jesus is with us in them all.

I have a new picture of my Good Shepherd chasing off the bears and lions that come to attack my body, soul and spirit in my darkest nights, those valleys filled with fear, doubt or death in the shadows, those threats against those I love.  I know His goodness and pray that my grandchildren and great grandchildren will know it too through being overtaken in their lives by His goodness.  My song shall ever be: “With my life laid down, I’m surrendered now; I give You everything.  Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me.  All my life You have been faithful and all my life You have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, I will sing of the goodness of God.”

Prayer

Lord, You are creator of all, in all and over all. You know all that is and will ever be. Knowing me as I do, I don’t really understand why You have taken me on, kept me as Your own, and embraced me in Your flock, but I rejoice in the fact You have and are faithful both to pursue me when I wander and watch over me when I rest in secure pasture. Help me to follow after You, surrendered to Your path and confident of Your presence and protection along the way. When my way seems insecure, help me to look to You rather than focus on the shadowy dangers in the current valley.  I pray my life will fulfill Your will and purpose for me. In Jesus’ name. Make it so