“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. ” Psalm 23:6
Patrick Miller says of Psalm 23, “The psalmist offers a song of trust of someone who knows in the midst of the vicissitudes of her or his personal life and over the course of years that he or she has been carried in the bosom of God, sheltered from harm and given rest. ” *
David writes about dwelling in the house of the Lord. But just what is this House of the Lord? David didn’t have a temple, only a tent to worship in. So is the house of the Lord a building . . . A fellowship or community of believers? Is this House of the Lord, the community of saints created at our baptism? Or was David thinking of dwelling in the presence of God? Whatever was in his thoughts the day he penned these words, their power has not diminished with the centuries.
David could not have envisioned the profound impact his poem would have through millennia’s of time. He could not have guessed millions upon millions of people, would find comfort in his words. Or in listening would find assurance and strength there. He would have had no comprehension of the lasting power of his simple words, written while he reflected on his walk with God . . . Or as he expressed the hope he found, whenever darkness threatened to overwhelm him, and dangers lurked nearby.
We continue to be sustained by the Psalm’s promise, that whatever we may experience in life, we are never far from God’s heart. For the one who leads us beside still waters, chooses to journey beside us. Then is present to guide us through life’s difficult passages, and to celebrate us, even when enemies attack. Dwelling in the House of the Lord, we rest in the assurance of God’s everlasting love.
John Rogers sums up the promise of Psalm 23 when he says, “Christ promised to remain with us as the Good Shepherd even to the end of time, so that in life and in death we may be confident that we belong not to the powers of evil, sin, and death, but to him of whom we can say with confidence and trust, the ‘Lord is my shepherd.'”**
*Patrick D. Miller Jr. Interpreting the Psalms (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986) 113
** John B Rogers, Feasting on the Word, Year C, Volume 2 Fourth Sunday of Easter
