The verse reads: (Ps 23:6)
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
I've looked up a few of the words in this verse before - mostly "goodness," "mercy," the ones that seemed more important, but I'd never paid much attention to the first word - "surely" until today. And have always taken it as an affirmation (which it is), that without a doubt, goodness and mercy will be with me. Or, as one commentator says, they are like two angels who pursue you, determined to run you down. Fun thought!
Anyway, I checked on "surely" and found that, in addition to that affirmative, the Hebrew word used in this verse can also mean "only." So, "only goodness and mercy shall follow me" - nothing else but that goodness and lovingkindness that God has for his loved creation. No curses or blights, no plagues or illnesses - nothing bad can pursue me, much less catch up to me - only goodness and mercy.
Or, as Patterson puts in in the Message Bible:
Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.Just makes you feel wonderful to think about it!
Much joy!
3 comments:
betsy, love that you are sharing your thoughts. "Only" goodness and mercy certainly adds strength to that verse!
An idea that came to me about goodness and mercy following us is that we are leaving them in our wake. As we move through Life, we leave a trail of goodness and mercy behind us which blesses each person that crosses our path.
this is cool! (catching up on my reading!)
L
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