Surely Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Me: The Promise

Image: Markus Freise via Unsplash

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23:6, NKJV).

The 23rd Psalm may be one of the most recited prayers in modern history. And, while it is a Psalm of David, I'd like us to consider it with Joshua in mind. Remember Joshua?

God told Moses to send out 12 spies to the land of Canaan, which God was giving to the children of Israel. Ten of the spies returned, afraid, and discouraged the people, claiming all the men were like giants. In their sight, the spies were like grasshoppers. (see Numbers 13).

But Joshua and Caleb, tearing their clothes, disagreed! They encouraged the people, saying, "If the Lord delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey." (Joshua 14:8, NKJV).

Joshua believed God's promise despite appearances to the contrary. He would later be rewarded for his faith.

The Problem with "The Promise"

Whether God is promising a land flowing with milk and honey, or saying, "Surely goodness and mercy will follow you...," the question is, do we believe it? Or do we faint away, seeing only giants and the world crumbling all around us?

Here's the problem we face: we learned from the story of the 12 spies that only two (Joshua and Caleb) made it to the promised land. The others did not because they lacked faith in God's promise.

Perhaps this is why many of our brothers and sisters in Christ secretly wonder if Psalm 23 applies to them. Shouldn't we be more encouraged by God's goodness and less discouraged by the network news channels? If we aren't, perhaps we have reason to question whether goodness and mercy follow us, given that we aren't following them ourselves.

Let's look a bit deeper into what made Joshua a hero in God's Army. What did he know--and apply--that can help us rest assured in God's Psalm 23:6 promise?

Rest Assured of The Promise

If we want to rest assured of the promise that goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives, then consider what God said to Joshua as he was assuming command following Moses' death:

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8, NKJV).

God is speaking directly to Joshua, but His Words are for our ears today. Do we see the connection between keeping God's Word and keeping God's mercy and goodness behind us?

God's conditional "If-Then" statement is clear. We must not only know His Word, but we must "do" according to its guidance. Note: This is NOT a "works-based" salvation, not for Joshua or for us. This is what God expects of us as believers to keep us focused on His Plan and purposes. It keeps us from being derailed by the concerns of the world and the snares of the enemy.

Bottom line: Being doers of the Word unlocks God's Promise.

Surely Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Me: The Promise

For me, the promise of Psalm 23:6 follows the same "if-then" conditions God prescribes in Joshua 1:8. I don't expect everyone will agree; however, we are talking about "Goodness" as a fruit of the Spirit, which is God's character.

Side note: Joshua lived to be 110 years of age (see Joshua 24:29). Not bad for lacking "modern medicine."

In my post on God's kindness, we learned from Scripture that He does hide His face when we rebel against Him. And we even experience His wrath for a time. If this is so, should we expect anything less from His goodness and mercy? I don't believe so. Surely His goodness and mercy follow us when we are walking in step with His Word.

So what are a few takeaways from this post?

The Takeaways

1. Examine the gap between what God is asking and what you're doing.

Take an honest inventory: Where is God's Word calling you to obedience that you've been ignoring or postponing? Maybe it's forgiveness you've been withholding, generosity you've been resisting, or a relationship you need to repair. The distance between God's instruction and your action is often the distance between you and experiencing His promised goodness and mercy.

2. Start where you are, not where you think you should be.

Joshua didn't become faithful overnight. He walked with Moses, learned from him, and grew in obedience over time. Don't be discouraged if you feel far from Joshua's example. God meets us where we are—but He doesn't leave us there. Pick one area of obedience to focus on this week.

3. Remember: Obedience is the evidence of grace.

When goodness and mercy follow us, it's not because we've earned them through perfect obedience. It's because our obedience positions us to recognize and receive what God has already freely given. We're not working for the promise; we're working from the promise, allowing God's character to bear fruit in our lives.

4. Let Psalm 23:6 be your encouragement, not your anxiety.

David wrote this Psalm as a shepherd and a king who knew God's faithfulness firsthand. Joshua lived it as a warrior who trusted God's promises. Both understood that goodness and mercy are present realities for those walking with God.

You don't have to wonder if this promise is for you. Choose today to meditate on God's Word, to do what it says, and watch how surely—yes, surely—goodness and mercy follow.

What area of obedience is God calling you to today? Take a moment to identify it, pray about it, and commit to taking one faithful step forward this week.

Related Fruit of the Spirit Posts:

• Goodness as Fruit of the Spirit: Bridging Grace and Works

• Introduction to Fruit of the Spirit Blog

• Kindness That Outlasts the Storm