THE SECRET TO A LIFE WELL LIVED

Psalm 23:6
Bob Bonner
October 1, 2006

Recently, I stumbled across a quote by a man I had never heard of before. Because of the content of the quote, I had to know a little about the person who said it. So, I went online to see who would write such words. The man’s name is Orison Swett Marden, born in 1850 and died in 1924. He was the founder of Success Magazine, and was the forefather of the modern day “success movement,” of whom the popular speakers Tony Robbins, Stephen Covey and Brian Tracy are the modern prophets. Like his articles and books, Marden was a cheerful, confident and very optimistic person. His quote that caught my attention is this: “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as the expectation of something better tomorrow.”

Marden was right. Hope is such an indispensable quality of life, that someone else has said that if you could convince a man there is no hope he will curse the day he was born. 

What is hope? The Bible speaks of hope again and again. However, people confuse biblical hope with the hope of those who preach “the power of positive thinking” Their brand of hope is hope in hope itself. It is a hope based in crossing your fingers and desiring that something might turn out all right in the end. It is a weak-kneed form of hope. 

Biblical hope, on the other hand, is the excited anticipation and assurance of something positive that is guaranteed in the future by God as found in His Word. This guarantee is founded upon His very character. He never lies and always fulfills His promises.

No one in his day knew better than King David that the very lifeline to one’s joy and meaning in life stems from this biblical hope. Furthermore, David learned to practice this biblical hope while living in the midst of an unjust world filled with inequities. In the latter years of his life, as an old man, David wrote Psalm 23. This well-beloved psalm is embraced by so many people, not just Christians, because of its message of hope for the moment as well as for its message of hope for the future. I wouldn’t be surprised if this psalm was David’s final Swan Song, the final piece of poetry he wrote before he died. For in this one short psalm we find the heartbeat behind his strength and courage enabling him to face insurmountable challenges throughout his life. In addition, inspired by God, this psalm reveals God’s secret to a life well lived amidst the challenges and heartbreaks that are so prevalent in our world.

This morning, we conclude our study of Psalm 23, by looking at verse 6, the last verse of this psalm. This verse, more than any other verse in this uplifting psalm, erupts with hope and optimism. In this final verse David moves from his past experiences with the Shepherd to his present and future life with God. David’s past experience with God gave birth to the present hope and assurance he speaks of in this verse.

To truly appreciate this verse, it must be understood in the context of the rest of this psalm. By way of reminder, the following is a brief outline of this psalm. As with most psalms, the main point is given to us in the very first verse. Hence, in verse 1, we have the secret of a life well lived declared, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” David boldly and without reservation declares that if you want to find success and meaning in life, if you want to know true hope during the harshest of times, the secret rests with knowing personally the Lord Jesus Christ as one’s Shepherd.

Then, in verses 2-5, David reverts to his own past experiences with God to explain why it is that Jesus being one’s Shepherd is the secret to a life well lived. In short, David reveals that it is God who leads, cares for, protects and provides for those who trust in Him as a shepherd would for his sheep. As sheep learn to trust and follow their shepherd through the darkness of distressing valleys that we all walk through in life, as well as on the higher tablelands where green pastures are found, life takes on real meaning and value.

In verse 6, David looks to his immediate life and his eternal future. In this verse, he concludes his secret to a life well lived, with this declaration of assurance and hope. He boldly states, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Allow me to remind you once more, that the words of this verse flow not from the pen of a young starry-eyed dreamer, but from one who is probably in his late 60's, and who has experienced the harsh realities of life. One who watched his best friend, Jonathan die as a result of the foolish and reckless reign of his father, King Saul. David watched his illegitimate baby boy die, as he pleaded with God to spare the child’s life. David as a youngster, learned to walk with God, after his own mother and father had forsaken him. And yet, David, with the opening words of the verse declares, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life.” David doesn’t say, “Maybe goodness..” or “Possibly goodness,” or “I have a hunch goodness will follow me all the days of my life...” But from the lessons learned from his past experience, David, knowing that his trustworthy Shepherd who had fulfilled all of His promises to David in the past, would not abandon him now or ever, with tremendous assurance declares, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life.” This very relationship with the Shepherd, not David’s religiosity, but his relationship with the Shepherd, became the hopeful foundation of his present stable life.

Notice, that David’s steeled confidence in his future, his optimistic outlook on life is framed by two attributes of God: God’s “goodness and lovingkindness.”

That first attribute of God’s working in David’s life that produced hope for David was God’s “goodness.”  This term, “goodness,” when describing God, points to God’s being not only morally good, but out of His moral goodness, all that God produces for David, all that God does on our behalf will turn out to be beneficial for us in the end. Hence, this is a term that points to one’s welfare, benefits, a good thing, and prosperity. It points to something that is being provided for us that is righteous, but not something we deserved or earned. It is strictly a gift extended from God to us that comes from the very nature of God, His goodness.

David, being of veteran-like faith, had learned that God’s goodness to us, at first, doesn’t always appear to be beneficial or even a good thing. At first, God’s goodness may not have the look of prosperity. In fact, it may look more like poverty, great loss, sacrifice, persecution and injustice. And when we initially experience loss or persecution or injustice, our first response may even be anger at God. Take for example that moment when David, having been nothing but loyal to Israel, loyal to God and His anointed King Saul, finds himself being the target of King Saul’s jealous anger. Making his point, King Saul proved his hatred for this loyal servant by throwing a spear at David, in an attempt to kill him. 

I imagine that, at first blush, David was confused as to why Saul would hate him so. David had been nothing but loyal and supportive of Saul. When this took place, I imagine David being a little upset, maybe even angry with Saul. Remember, David was a warrior not a “Casper milk toast.” David was a man of action, not someone who would just roll over and play dead or allow himself to be a doormat.

Yet, even though he may have responded this way at first, we never read of it. Instead, we read of David, the man of great faith and in touch with the heart of God, continually trying to protect himself, on one hand from this crazed ruler, and then on the other, working toward reconciliation with his anointed king.

By the end of his life, David was experienced enough to know that sometimes bad things happen to good people, things which make absolutely no good sense at the moment. Sad things also happen to good people, even after they have prayed and begged God for a different outcome. Yet, in time, we see things from God’s perspective and realize that He knew what was best. David had walked with God through enough trying times that even when he didn’t understand or like the outcome, he knew that he would one day see that God either made or allowed things to happen the way they did for a good reason, one that would be personally good for David.

Have you learned that? Have you learned that sometimes God does a good thing, a beneficial thing for us by withholding from us what we long for, even beg for? Haddon Robinson correctly explains God’s goodness toward us during those times when he writes, “You don’t give a child poison to play with no matter how much he begs for it—not if you are a good parent. You don’t keep a child home from school because he does not want to go—not if you are a good parent. You do what is best even when the youngster cannot understand. David is not saying that all kinds of special good things will come into his life—to make him a spoiled child. The kindness of God is not kindness as a child may view it—what I want whenever I want it. Instead, it is the bringing of the Christian through those events in life which mold him to be more like Christ. The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:28 declares, “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” It means that God works through these things so that together they help us to fit into His plan. A housewife puts a great many different ingredients into a cake. No one in his right mind would say that the ingredients all taste good—some would be difficult to swallow by themselves. Yet, in the hand of a competent housewife the bitter and sweet are blended together into a delicious cake.” So it is, sometimes, with the goodness of God.

The other attribute of God that David mentions, which helps to frame his hope, is the “love or lovingkindness or mercy” of God. David’s Hebrew word for “lovingkindness” is translated several different ways depending upon your translation, because there is no one English equivalent that captures the full meaning of this word. Hence it is translated “loyal love,” mercy,” “lovingkindness” or even “grace.” It points to God’s tender affection for those who choose to follow Him, who choose to make Him number one in their lives. In the ancient world, it points to a loving action that flows out of deep emotion rather than duty. It’s a kind and gentle love. In 2 Chronicles 16:9, we read of God’s desire to bless, to express His loyal love to those who seek Him. We read, “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” In Psalm 146, the psalmist writes of the foolishness of putting all of our trust and source of affirmation in other people who may be able to help us to advance, or looking to others who will affirm us, because in the end they will die and then where will our confidence and hope be?  Instead of basing our sense of value and worth in people, instead of basing our hope in others meeting our needs, the psalmist says, “How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God; who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoner free....” These are numerous examples of God’s “hesed” or “loyal love or lovingkindness.”

David was not only overwhelmed by how God had been good to him all during his life, but also he was overcome by how God was so affectionately committed to him and expressed such tender mercies toward him, when he didn’t deserve to be treated with tenderness.

This is why God’s goodness and lovingkindness, make perfect bookends to the birthed hope that David expresses in this psalm. Knowing God’s character breeds hope in the believer’s heart. His “goodness” often stresses those things that are given to us that we do not deserve. Whereas His “lovingkindness” or mercy often withholds those things we do deserve. God’s goodness provides, while His lovingkindness pardons.

Because these two attributes of God made such perfect bookends to the reality of personal hope, David often linked these two attributes of God together. In his mind, they were inseparable and never-ending. For instance, we read in Psalm 100:5, “For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 106:1, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 118:1, declares, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 136:1 declares, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” If repetition is the “mother of learning,” then indeed, God wants us to understand that our hope is founded upon God and His eternal nature which is to always be “good and merciful.” 

However, let’s be honest. Even when we may know intellectually that God is good and merciful, sometimes, it is very hard to praise God and to give thanks for the circumstances in which we find ourselves in life. That’s why we are commanded, at those difficult times, to praise and thank God by faith, knowing that although our circumstances might be frightening, questionable, maddening and painful, we will trust him regardless. Because when the dust settles, we will learn from experience that God really loves us as He did David and has us covered when we think we are exposed or vulnerable.

One other important observation from the first half of this verse: We are told that “goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life.” Here in his shepherd poem David personifies these two attributes as manifestations of God that follow us, shadowing us, pursuing us, attending us, assuring us that no matter what transpires today, tomorrow, or the next day—it cannot separate us from God’s goodness and love.

Max Lucado put this “shadowing” of God this way: “If the Lord is the shepherd who leads the flock, goodness and mercy are the two sheepdogs that guard the rear of the flock. Goodness and mercy, not goodness or mercy alone. We are sinners and in need of mercy. We are fragile people and need goodness. We need both.... What a surprising way to describe God! We’re accustomed to a God who remains in one place. A God who sits enthroned in the heavens and rules and ordains. David, however, envisions a mobile and active God. Who pursues us. Who follows us with goodness and mercy.” If you were to interview Moses, Jonah, the disciples, the Samaritan woman, Lazarus, John while on the island of Patmos, Peter after his denial, all of them would tell you that they had experienced the unrelenting pursuit of God in their lives, a God full of goodness and lovingkindness.

The Apostle Paul hammers home this same truth about the pursuing and gripping love of God that is found by every person who entrusts their lives to the rule and authority of Jesus Christ. In Romans 8:35, 38-39 he writes, “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death?...I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Ruth Calkins, a Christian poet has written several honest and vulnerable pieces that touch the heart. She paraphrases these verses in Romans 8 this way: “I may fall flat on my face: I may fail until I feel old and beaten and done in. Yet your goodness and love is changeless. All the music may go out of my life, my private world may shatter to dust. Even so, you hold me in the palm of your steady hand. No turn in the affairs of my fractured life can baffle you. Satan with all his braggadocio cannot distract you. Nothing can separate me from your measureless love—pain can’t, anguish can’t. Yesterday, today and tomorrow can’t. The loss of my dearest love can’t. Death can’t, life can’t. Riots, wars, insanity, non-identity, hunger, neurosis, disease—none of these things nor all of them heaped together can budge the fact that I am dearly loved, completely forgiven and forever free through Jesus Christ, your beloved son.

Wow! What hope that gives us to live for today and tomorrow, knowing that nothing we have done in the past can keep those who have put their confidence in Christ from being embraced by the forgiving, approving and loving arms of God.

Having experienced this love of God personally, David next declares his anticipation and excitement for facing God in the future. In fact, as an older man, he does not fear death. He can’t wait to see his Shepherd...Jesus Christ. With confidence, he writes, “And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Although heaven will indeed be a wonderful place, I’m confident that this is not the precise focus of importance of David in this psalm or verse. In this verse, he is not so much focused on his eternal home with God as he is with seeing his Lord face to face. My only reason for saying this is that single use of the word “my” back in verse one. This whole psalm is about his Shepherd. His entire hope as an older person is that soon he will see Jesus face to face, because he has put his complete trust in Jesus Christ.

Hundreds of years after David died, the Apostle John recorded these words of Jesus, that confirm David’s assured hope, that those who place their trust in Jesus, will indeed see Him face to face. In John 14:2-3, Jesus promises, “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” I shared with some of you one of my father’s recent comments that caused me such tremendous joy I almost couldn’t contain myself. As an older man with more of his physical parts failing with each day, he said, “I’m not afraid of dying. In fact, I look forward to it.” And then, he got choked up and said, “I can’t wait to meet Jesus and to shake his hand!”

When some people hear statements like that, they think that we who feel this way are escapists, people who refuse to face the harsh realities of today by looking toward a fantasy world. Forward-looking people often are accused of being so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good.  C. S. Lewis encountered such critics and answered them with these words: “Hope is one of the theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history, you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.... It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. Aim at heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.”

David loved his Shepherd and placed his complete hope in Him. If David were standing here this morning, speaking to people hungry for hope he would lead you to the table he fed from all his life. His table has laid out before you all the ingredients that make a meal of stable hope. Those ingredients, he would tell us, that made up his stable hope are based on the memory of God’s past evidences of faithfulness and the predictability of His character.  And then, David would invite us to “Come, partake.”

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