“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life” (vs. 6).
“Surely.” There is no word like this out there in the whole world; it only belongs to us believers. It underlies our entire path, putting a smile on our lips in the midst of trials and difficulties. Among the greater lessons learned in the path of faith is that of the Spirit of God giving us to say and sing “surely.” Nothing past, present or future can change this certainty to faith, nor is there anything that can dampen the assurance that it gives.
Goodness and mercy have been likened to the sheepdogs that the shepherd uses. When a sheep wanders away, the shepherd sends one out to drive it back to himself. Our Shepherd has two sheepdogs, and He uses them to bring us back to Himself. His sheepdogs are goodness and mercy, though they are often cloaked as trials and afflictions.
Our lives here, being tried in this place where sin is, are very precious to the Lord. He does not lump them up into a bundle. He divides our path into days, and He values and delights in every one of them. Soon, at His feet, we’ll review each one with Him. Each day of the path will afford new occasions of communion with Him in eternity (2 Cor. 4:1717For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2 Corinthians 4:17)).
“And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
We will dwell in the house of the Lord as familiar friends, not as visitors or servants, but as sons. He has made His house our house forever. Here, for us Christians, we have more than the kingdom in view. Where the queen dwells in the kingdom, there will we be with Him. But without Him neither the house nor the kingdom nor all the glory of eternity would delight our hearts.
Here is the end and aim of the psalm: we enjoying Him as He enjoys us. All the pathway is to this end.
B. Warr