Goodness Follows Me

After describing Christ as our Shepherd and the results of submitting to Him, the psalmist now states with confidence, using the word “surely” that “goodness and loving-kindness would follow me all the days of my life.” Let’s consider first the word “goodness”. There are several verses in Psalms that help us understand this word.

First in Psalm 27:13 David exclaims “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” We can recognize God’s goodness in our lives and it keeps us, as His children, from despair. We don’t despair because of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and the confidence we have in our relationship with Him.

Psalm 31:19 says “How great is Thy goodness, which Thou hast stored up for those who fear Thee, which thou hast wrought for those who take refuge in Thee.” The goodness of God here is pictured as a bank from which we can draw. The bank holds an inexhaustible supply of God’s goodness. Secondly, it is available as we take refuge in Him. Psalm 46:1 says “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 86:17 says that in God’s goodness He helps us and comforts us.

When we are feeling downcast or discouraged it is beneficial to remember that God’s goodness is always with us? He may take us through deep waters and dark valleys but it is always for our good. His goodness draws us into a deeper relationship with Him. He wants us to depend on Him and trust Him with every aspect of our lives. We can be sure that because God loves us He always desires the best for us and His goodness will always follow us.

My Cup Overflows

The psalmist now begins to reflect on the impact of the Lord’s presence in his life as a Shepherd. His first thought is that his cup overflows. I am reminded of John 10:10 where Jesus says “I am come that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” As I observe many Christians today it is apparent that they are not living an abundant life, but a defeated life. That is because they are not allowing the Lord Jesus to be the Lord of their lives. They have trusted Him as their Savior but are not willing to trust Him as their Lord.

Paul talks about “those who receive the abundance of grace” in Romans 5:17 explaining that they will “reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” In II Corinthians 1:5 he tells us that “just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.” And in 8:2 he gives the example of the Macedonian churches “that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality.”

In our culture when we think of overflowing and abundance we most often are viewing things from a material perspective. Paul talks about joy in affliction and poverty. I’ve taken mission trips to Guatemala, Colombia, and Africa and have seen the very poorest of the poor. Yet, the Christians I’ve met there are some of the most joyful I’ve met. I think it is because they have truly come to understand what it means to depend on the Lord.

Another verse that comes to my mind as I consider the overflowing cup of the Christian is Ephesians 1:3. Here Paul exclaims “Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” That verse tells us the blessings have already been given; all we have to do is appropriate them in our lives.
I pray that you will allow Jesus to be the Lord of your life on a moment by moment basis so that you may experience the joy of an overflowing cup.

The Anointing of Oil

We previously discussed the summer pastures the shepherd prepares for the sheep. Now it is summer and the sheep are in those pastures. Summer time brings out a lot of flies. There is a fly called a nose fly which is particularly bothersome to the sheep. The nose fly lays its larvae in the nose of the sheep and as those larvae develop they cause an itching which make the sheep go crazy. You can imagine what something crawling around in your nose would feel like. The remedy is for the shepherd to put a mixture of linseed oil, sulfur and tar on the sheep’s head which keeps the flies away.

Another habit of sheep is that they love to rub their heads together. This causes the transmission of scab, an irritating and highly contagious disease caused by a microscopic parasite. In old Palestine the remedy was to put a mixture of olive oil, sulfur, and spices on the sheep’s head.

The anointing of the head of the sheep may be compared to the anointing of the Holy Spirit on our lives. I John 2:20 tells us “you have an anointing from the Holy One”. In Acts 10:38 we read that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit. Just as the anointing of the oil to the sheep’s head brought contentment, so the anointing of the Holy Spirit brings peace in our lives. He is our only true source of contentment.

Remember Paul said in Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.” His contentment came from the ministry of the Holy Spirit in his life. Americans today struggle to find contentment and are unable to do so with material things. There is always the desire for more. The Christian, however, learns that contentment comes from a relationship with God, rather than something we can purchase. Therefore, our contentment is based on our relationship with Him, rather than anything this world can provide.

I pray that you will continually recognize the spiritual peace and contentment that God can bring in your life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

God Prepares A Table

It is easy to pull this verse out of context and many commentators do saying that this scene takes place in a banquet hall. We must remember that this entire psalm is about a shepherd and his sheep. I believe this verse refers to the work a shepherd does in preparing the summer pastures for his sheep.

During the winter months shepherds around Palestine would make trips to the summer pastures; going from the valleys into the high tablelands and begin preparing them for use in the summer. In early spring he would visit once again and look for the best grass for grazing. He would check for poisonous weeds and eradicate them because sheep will eat everything. He also would distribute salt and minerals in appropriate places and clear out the existing water sources.

I think this is a picture of Christ’s preparation for the future of our lives. He brings into our lies those who can mentor us and help us grow in Him. He leads us to good churches where we can be fed. Through the Holy Spirit He ministers to us so that as we yield to Him and accept his guidance we are led in paths of righteousness.

This verse also tells us that He does this in the “presence of our enemies”. It is a reminder that the enemy is always around and watching looking for an opportunity to side-track us and to lead us into sin. However, Christ as our great Shepherd is also always with us and He has experienced every temptation we face and is willing and able to keep us safe and provide for us if we allow Him.

God has provided a table specifically for you and wants you to eat of it. As you do that you will grow in your relationship with Him and realize true spiritual success and joy. I pray that you will constantly partake of what He has prepared for you.