All the Days of My Life

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All the Days of My Life

King David ends the 23rd Psalm with verse 6, singing,

Surely goodness  and lovingkindness  will follow me  all the days  of my life.

Wow!      That’s when a person’s thoughts could run wild  with all of the good things  and all of the lovingkindness  they can imagine having  in this world.       There could be a nice house,  riches,  tons of friends,  success,  and all sorts of stuff.      But,  when we consider the whole Psalm,  David had something much better  and more lasting in mind.      The whole 23rd Psalm reads,

The LORD  is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me  lie down in green pastures;
He leads me  beside quiet waters.
He  restores my soul;
He guides me  in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

Even though I walk  through the valley  of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil;  for Thou art with me;
Thy rod and Thy staff,  they comfort me.
Thou dost prepare a table before me  in the presence  of my enemies;
Thou hast anointed my head  with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness  will follow me  all the days of my life,
And I will dwell  in the house of the LORD  forever.

From the beginning,  David realizes  that he is like a very vulnerable sheep  that must have the protection  of a really good shepherd.      In his helplessness,  David is ever so glad  to have the LORD  lead him  through this dangerous world.      Because the LORD is leading him,  David knows  he will be given  what he needs  to make it through this world  —  “I shall not want.”      When we let God guide us,  He will give us  what we need.

David gets to rest in  “green pastures”  by  “quiet waters”.      He is fed the good truths  of God Almighty  —  not the lies  of a deceitful world.      That is why  his soul  is by  “quiet waters”  —  a place of peace  and surety.      The deceitfulness of this world  gives people troubled hearts  with no peace or surety.

With the truths of God,  David’s soul  is always being restored  because he is being  led in God’s righteousness  —  not his own work righteousness.      And God  is doing all this  “for His name’s sake”.      In other words,  God makes us a promise  to guide and protect us  in His truths.      The Lord will never renege on that promise,  because He is holy,  and His promise is true.      He will keep His name pure and holy,  so that we can always trust it.

David is required to go through scary,  dangerous places  —  “the valley of the shadow of death”  and places of  “evil”.      Even there  he is not afraid,  because God’s discipline  and truth  “comfort”  him.      In the midst of  “enemies”,  David has the blessings  of God’s word  reassuring him,  God’s eternal truths  taking care of his worst fears.      We are in a dangerous world,  but when God  shepherds us,  we are constantly receiving  spiritual blessings  that make us overflow  with praise and love for our Savior,  who is always strengthening  and supporting us,  as each trial is overcome.      We know we have enough  of whatever we need  to make it through  every evil circumstance,  because God is leading us.

All that is why  David can declare,  “Surely goodness and lovingkindness  will follow me  all the days of my life,  and I will dwell  in the house of the LORD  forever.”

No matter how evil tries to defeat us  in this world,  God is leading us all our days,  so that we are sure  to reach our heavenly home  to “dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

We are not concerned about earthly riches  and successes  because we are rich and satisfied  with the tender love  and compassion  of the LORD God Almighty  as He leads us.      Content in God’s care,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      LORD,  all that You give us here  to sustain us  in this life,  is powerfully rich and satisfying  to our souls.      Blessed be Your name.”

Love,
Margaret

 

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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