Psalm 23 (Part 3) | All Our Days
The Lord Is Good: Finding Rest in God's Pursuit of Us
In Psalm 23, David paints a beautiful picture of God's goodness that extends beyond just comfort in difficult times. As we explore the final two verses of this beloved psalm, we discover that the Lord is good because He is our host who pursues us with His goodness all our days.
From Journey to Destination
Life is much like a hiking journey. We endure pain, exhaustion, and difficulties along the path, but we keep going because of the reward that awaits at the destination. In the first four verses of Psalm 23, David describes the journey with the Shepherd through green pastures, still waters, and dark valleys. But in verses 5–6, he shifts his focus to the destination.
This shift is significant because it speaks to a deep hunger we all have as human beings—a homesickness, an ache for rest, a longing for something better. We try to satisfy this ache through better jobs, accomplishments, ideal families, or being "good people." Yet these pursuits often leave us wanting more.
The destination that God offers is far greater than anything we could hope for in this life. Let's explore how He welcomes us, what He sends after us, and where He ultimately invites us.
How Does God Welcome Us?
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5)
In verse 5, David continues speaking directly to God, but now his words overflow with praise. He describes God as a lavish host who:
Prepares a feast for us
Anoints our head with oil (a sign of honor and abundance)
Fills our cup until it overflows
This isn't just adequate provision—it's extravagant abundance. Like being at a Brazilian steakhouse where the food and drink never stop coming, God's provision is “way more than we can eat.” And remarkably, this feast happens “in the presence of my enemies.” Even amid opposition, battles with the flesh, the world, and the devil, God prepares a feast for us.
What Do We Believe About God?
Who we believe someone to be directly affects how we relate to them. This is especially true of God. As A.W. Tozer wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
Do you believe God is:
Abundant in grace or stingy?
A harsh master or a gentle shepherd?
Like the Grinch or like Father Christmas?
Part of David’s goal in Psalm 23 is to give us an accurate picture of who God is—not just so we can be right about God, but so we can enjoy Him. God is rich in grace and a big spender of it. He is a glad host who, though He deserves to be served by us, rolls up His sleeves and serves us instead.
What Does God Send After Us?
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” (Psalm 23:6a)
The word “follow” here is better translated as “pursue.” It's the same word used to describe an enemy chasing someone down, but David flips the imagery. Instead of enemies pursuing him for harm, God's goodness and mercy pursue him for good.
This is refreshingly different from Israel's experience with Pharaoh in Exodus. Pharaoh pursued them to enslave and crush them, but God pursues us to free and bless us. Submission to the Lord isn’t for our enslavement but for our freedom and fullness.
We see this most clearly in Christ. Romans 5:8 tells us, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus pursued us at our worst, while we were actively running from Him. He took upon Himself the wrath we deserved so that we could receive what He deserves—God's favor, mercy, and love.
Where Does God Invite Us?
“And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23:6b)
The ultimate destination is dwelling in God's house forever. This is the homecoming we're all hardwired to long for—a return to a new and better Eden where we will dwell with God and all things will be made new.
Notice that God's name (Yahweh) appears twice in the psalm—at the beginning and the end. As David Gibson puts it, “the covenant Lord literally encompasses this whole song, even as it praises the covenant Lord for literally encompassing our whole life.”
The ultimate prize for those whose shepherd is the Lord is the Lord Himself. It's not what God can do for us or give us—it's Him giving Himself to us. Jesus has saved us not only from the wrath our sins deserve but has reconciled us to God to be in His presence for all our days.
Finding Rest for Our Restless Hearts
Recently, Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top golfer, shocked reporters when he admitted that his success wasn't fulfilling “from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.” Even at the pinnacle of his career, he recognized that worldly success couldn't satisfy his deepest longings.
As Augustine famously wrote, “You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” The good news of Psalm 23 is that because of the Lord and what He’s done, we can experience rest for our restless hearts.
Life Application
The Lord is our shepherd who provides for all our needs, our companion who faces all our fears with us, and our host who pursues us with His goodness all our days. How might this transform your life this week?
Ask yourself:
What comes to mind when I think about God? Do I see Him as abundant and generous, or harsh and stingy?
What sin would become less appealing if I were more satisfied in what God provides at His table?
How would my generosity change if I were more captivated by the fact that everything I have has been given to me by Him?
Where am I seeking satisfaction apart from God? What “destinations” am I pursuing that promise fulfillment but can’t deliver?
How can I practice dwelling in God’s presence this week, experiencing a foretaste of the eternal home He’s preparing?
This week, when you feel restless or unsatisfied, remember that the Lord is pursuing you with goodness and mercy. Turn to Him as the only one who can truly satisfy the deepest places of your heart.