Let’s finish out Psalm 23 this week:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
The writer ends this psalm with a great exclamation. If sheep were mismanaged they would overgraze an area and destroy it. The proper rotation of fields would leave the grass better in the long run. A good shepherd would know how much the sheep could eat without destroying roots and stomping there ground to oblivion. The sheep’s manure, when properly spread out, would bring health to the land as fertilizer. They literally left behind life for the fields.
We must ask ourselves is “Does goodness and mercy follow us?” Do we leave behind fertilizer in people’s lives or destruction? Are we adding value or just taking? Are we overgrazing our teams and burning them out? What is the legacy we leave behind?
The sheep ends the psalm with the exclamation that they will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The sheep is happy with the care that the Good Shepherd provides. It enjoys the presence of the shepherd and His oversight. We must remember that we are also under the care of the Good Shepherd. Let us also rejoice in His loving oversight. His presence should be the first and last thing we seek. There is healing and provision and wisdom in His presence. Let us not take it lightly that we belong to Him and He is our shepherd.
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five
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