In Ps 23:6, David wrote, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life”.  

When David began the Psalm, he wrote, “The Lord is my shepherd”.  With the Lord as your shepherd, two of the things you get from him follow you. Goodness and mercy:

Are characteristics of God.  

Not only is God leading you, as your shepherd, he’s following you, as well.  You know this by his goodness and mercy, Ex 34:6.  And David said, “Surely”.  Paul called this “the sure mercies of David”, Acts 13:34.  You have them.  You can count on them. 

Goodness and mercy are necessities.  David wrote of his condition with the Lord as his shepherd, “I shall not want”.  You need the Lord’s goodness and you need the Lord’s mercy.  It’s the Lord’s goodness that leadteth thee to repentance, Rom 2:4.  And it’s the Lord’s mercy that keeps you in his grace.

Are your rearguard.  

David wrote, “Shall follow me”.  They follow you.  Roloff said that these are the Lord’s two sheep dogs.  The devil is on your tail.  The Lord’s goodness and his mercy are right behind you.  They keep you from being swallowed up by the devil who is trying to devour you, 1 Pet 5:8.  

The devil told God that Job feared God because the Lord had been so good to him, Job 1:10.  He said, “thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side”.  

The Lord has you covered on every side, front and rear.  Before you are green pastures, still waters, and paths of righteousness.  Behind you are goodness and the Lord’s mercy. 

Never fail.  

David wrote, “All the days of my life”.  Sometimes, before you is a dark valley.  Even then, the Lord is with you, and these two things follow you.  From the very beginning of your relationship with the Lord to the very end, he is good and merciful to us. Look what Jeremiah wrote in Lam 3:22-25. 

Conclusion: No matter how dire your circumstances are, no matter how discouraged you may become, don’t look at the circumstances and don’t react to your feelings.  Look in front of you at your Shepherd and behind you at his goodness and his mercy.  

To read and hear the prior sermon in this series, see My Cup Runneth Over. To read and hear the final sermon in this series, see Your Dwelling.