Goodness and Love

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.Psalm 23:6

The devil never stops tormenting believers. On the inside, he afflicts them with fears. On the outside, he torments them with the tricks of false teachers and the power of tyrants. So at the conclusion of this psalm, David earnestly prayed that God, who had given him rich blessings, would continue to take care of him until the end. He was asking God to grant him favor so that "goodness and love will follow" him all the days of his life. Then David explained how God would show his goodness and love: "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." He was saying, "Lord, you are the one who started all this. You gave me your holy Word and made me one of your people who know, honor, and praise you. Continue to show me your favor so that I may stay close to your Word and never be separated from your holy kingdom."

David asked for the same in Psalm 27. He said, "One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple" (v. 4).

By his example, David teaches all believers that they should not become overconfident, proud, or presumptuous. Instead, they should be afraid and pray that they don't lose God's rich blessings. David's example should wake us up so that we will pray diligently.