Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalms 23:6
I hope you have enjoyed this journey with me as we have looked at the root words of Psalms 23 to find the nuggets of revelation placed there. May you and I know the deep, deep love and affection, care and provision of our Good Shepherd.
Surely —
An affirming word with a primitive root meaning established, stable, accurate, and firm.[i] The statement beginning with this word is already settled. There are no further questions. It is confirmed to be true. It is only for us to believe and receive the statement. With this in mind, I must look at the following words and allow them to be accepted and sealed as core truths.
I can take God at His word. When I read the Bible, I must decide and choose to believe what it says about God and what it says about me. I must read remembering surely (it is established), He is good. “For all of God’s promises find their ‘yes’ of fulfillment in him. And as his ‘yes’ and our ‘amen’ ascend to God, we bring him glory” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Goodness —
In the original language, this is taken in the broadest sense. From the pleasure of taking in art or a lovely sunset to having favor on health and finances, it encompasses the fullness of life.[ii] It suggests I walk in every benefit available to me in Christ. I am fully satisfied in my emotions, finances, health, and relationships, and I stand in God’s favor.[iii]
Surely goodness. Let it sink in. Whatever life circumstance I find myself in, I must know the goodness of God in its fullest sense encompasses me. I can reach for the goodness of God in triumph and in tragedy.
And mercy —
According to two primitive roots, mercy, in this instance, carries the idea of a superior coming down to the level of an inferior in an attitude of generosity or favor.[iv] It is the picture of God Most High coming down to my level to show me His favor and kindness.[v]
There is another phrase in the primitive root that suggests this benevolent act of God is in response to prayer. As I considered this with the rest of the definitions I found, this scripture came to mind, “Therefore [Jesus] is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). It is not only based on my prayers that God is moved to bend down to my level, but Jesus continually prays and turns the Father’s gaze upon me. He is always motivated by His goodness for my good.
Mercy here also carries a connotation of adoration.[vi] This word, mercy, seems to be a two-way street—my praise and adoration toward God and His compassionate, loving benevolence toward me. Surely, this spiritual symbiosis is consistently available to me. Praise God!
Shall follow me—
The goodness and mercy of God follows me. This is not a picture of me strolling through the park with God meandering behind me. It is a picture of Him passionately pursuing and running after me, intending to protect, shelter, and assure me.[vii]
He is purposeful and intentional in His pursuit of me. He is not sitting high on a throne far away, waiting for me to find Him. He is actively pursuing me, so all I have to do is turn toward Him, and He is there, arms loaded to supply my every need with abundance.
All the days—
All is the complete substance of every moment of my existence, event, thought, physical, emotional, spiritual—all. All means all.[viii]
The word “day” comes from an unused root, meaning warm hours or hot days.[ix] It also means time, from one day to a lifetime.
God is an intimate God. He is intricately involved in the all of my life, meaning every possible aspect of it. My all includes my thoughts, feelings, emotions, physicality, and everything that makes up my all. For how much and how long? Every day for all of my days, my God pursues me with His abundance.
Of my life —
At the root of the word for life is breath, but it continues also with the theme of prosperity and health. Other definitions I find interesting are green vegetation, flowing fresh water, and the reviving of springtime.[x]
My life is not merely the days I have breath when God is in it. With God, my life includes growth, refreshing, and revival. I am fully maintained and sustained by the God who pursues me.
And I will dwell —
The primitive root suggests a sitting down or an abiding. There is also abiding; the thought associated with abiding is to be wed.[xi]
As I am inducted into this relationship with Him like a marriage, my abiding is also a belonging. I have gained the right to dwell and remain with Him because I said yes to Him. Nothing and no one can take this abiding away from me. I belong with my Beloved.
In the house —
The apparent use of the original word is house, but it can also be translated as family.
The primitive root adds a core of building, obtaining children, to make, or repair.[xii] It can be a house, a dwelling, or the abode of light and darkness with the idea of causing it to continue.[xiii]
I will dwell in the house, family, and abode of the light of God while I participate in building the kingdom as a living stone, causing it to continue (Matthew 16:18; 1 Peter 2:4). My dwelling has a purpose.
Of the LORD—
Jehovah or “the existing One.”[xiv] One primitive root means to breathe. He is the very breath that gives me breath. He is the self-existent One without whom there is no breath—no existence.
Forever—
Yes, it means a length of time, but a further investigation reveals something more. One definition speaks to the warm hours of the day. It is a forever that is pleasant, warm, and filled with light. It speaks to the hours the sun nurtures the earth, as the Son nurtures me. This is the forever I long to abide in.
It is established and confirmed that all the benefits of God and His compassionate favor and kindness pursue me ardently, perfectly, and totally all the days of my breath. He chases me with His abundance, and I will abide in the family of Jehovah and be inhabited by His Light in the warm hours of my eternity.
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[i] J. Strong, Strong’s Dictionaries, e-Sword Bible study software. e-sword.net.
[ii] ibid.
[iii] F. D. Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, The Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon, e-Sword.
[iv] ibid.
[v] Strong, Strong’s Dictionaries, e-Sword.
[vi] Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Lexicon, e-Sword.
[vii] ibid.
[viii] ibid.
[ix] Strong, Strong’s Dictionaries, e-Sword.
[x] Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Lexicon, e-Sword.
[xi] Strong, Strong’s Dictionaries, e-Sword.
[xii] ibid.
[xiii] Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Lexicon, e-Sword.
[xiv] Strong, Strong’s Dictionaries, e-Sword.