“GOODNESS AND MERCY MAY FOLLOW ME ALL THE DAYS…” (PS. 23:6)
1. For tonight’s lesson, I will be reading several passages from the OT.
2. Many of my references will come from 2 Sam. The first reference is found in 2 Sam. 12.
3. The majority of scriptures I cite will tie in with Ps. 23:6.
4. As you see on the board, David said:
5. GOODNESS AND MERCY FOLLOWED HIM.
6. These things are aid to have followed David THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.
7. Let’s keep this thought in mind as we look at 2 Sam.
8.
2 Sam. 5 describes how David formally became
A. I want to skip over this material and go to 2 Sam. 12.
B. This is the chapter after Bathsheba is introduced.
C. By the time of chapter 12, Bathsheba has had the baby that David fathered.
D. 2 Sam. 12:15-18 records what happened to this unplanned child.
E. READ.
1) Teresa and I have never lost a child.
2) I have read about couples who have.
3) I have heard about couples who have.
4) The pain I have heard described is gut wrenching.
5) Losing a young child is definitely not a good thing.
6) This loss does not seem to suggest mercy.
7) Yet, what does Ps. 23:6 say?
F. The child described in verses 15-18 is not the only one David had.
G. The Bible says that he also had a daughter named Tamar.
H. We read about this young lady in chapter 13.
I. The verse I will read is 14. READ.
J. David’s daughter was raped.
K. After a time David learned about this rape. V. 21. READ.
L. The man who committed this rape was Amnon, a son of David.
M. We read about Amnon in verses 28-29a-READ.
1) In a short period of time David:
2) Lost an infant, had a daughter raped, and had a son murdered.
3) Goodness and mercy do not seem to be very evident.
N. And, these things do not end the tragedies of David’s life.
O. 2 Sam. 15 is the next place I will be reading from.
P. In this chapter, the focus shifts to another of David’s sons-Absalom.
Q. Absalom was the son who tried to unseat David from the throne.
R. Absalom wanted to be king and have his father ousted.
S. Absalom tried so hard to take David’s place that v. 14 says, READ.
1) Was it not enough to deal with murder, rape, and death?
2) David had to be able to contend with a son who tried to push him out of power.
3) As David fled from his palace, more bad things happened.
4) Let’s move to the next chapter and find v. 6.
5) In 2 Sam. 16:5, the writer introduces a man named Shimei, v. 5.
6) V. 6 says, READ.
7) Shimei threw rocks at David.
T. In chapter 18 we return to the man Absalom, David’s son.
U. This chapter tells us how Absalom died.
V. Joab found Absalom and plunged three daggers into his heart.
W. Another of David’s sons was murdered.
X. You would think that by this time things would be getting better.
Y. That’s not what the Bible says.
Z. Let’s skip over to chapter 21.
A. By this point, David is in his latter years.
B. A lot of water has gone under the bridge.
C. The crisis at this time is found in 2 Sam. 21:1. READ.
D. For 3 years, a famine plagued the land.
E. Where was God’s goodness and mercy that David wrote about?
F.
It was not apparent in the
G. In chapter 24 we read about the last incident I will cite.
H. David took a national census of the Hebrew population.
I. There are details about this census that we do not have.
J. It is fair to say that God did not want this to be done.
K. Because David did what was wrong, punishment came.
L. Let’s look at verses 11-15.
M. READ.
I. AS WE LOOK AT PS. 23:6 AND THEN COMPARE THE WORDS WITH WHAT DAVID EXPERIENCED IN LIFE, WE ARE FORCED TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS:
A. Wasn’t David mistaken? Wasn’t he wrong in Ps. 23:6?
B. Didn’t God let David down? It might seem so to us.
C. Let’s allow David to answer these questions.
D. If you have been following along in 2 Sam, let’s now look at chapter 22.
E. Chapter 22 is a song that David put together.
F. 22:1 tells us WHEN David put this song together.
G. READ.
H. After a myriad of problems, (some we looked at), this was written.
I. Let’s see what David said—READ verses 2-7.
J. Now, verses 17-21.
K. One of the key verses is 25. READ.
L. David believed that goodness and mercy had followed him.
M. At times, these two things may not have been clear.
N. After 2 of his sons were murdered and a daughter was raped,
O. He may have really wondered about God’s goodness and mercy.
P. 2 Sam. 22 makes one thing very clear:
Q. After everything was said and done,
R. David believed what he wrote in Ps. 23:6.
S. Goodness and mercy had followed him throughout life.
T. There were times when things really got tough.
U. When David was chased off the throne by Absalom,
V. He may have wondered about where God was.
W. He may have asked, God, why aren’t you doing something?
X. In the end, David was like the person described in Footprints.
Y. You have probably seen this little story somewhere—
Z. READ FOOTPRINTS.
II. THE MAN DESCRIBED BY AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR WAS UNSURE ABOUT GOD AT TIMES.
A. He wondered where God was at some of his darkest moments.
B. Literally thousands of people have been where this man was.
C. People experienced things like I read about from the OT…
D. They then looked for God’s grace and mercy…
E. None seemed to be available.
F. Then the inevitable question came: “Where is God?”
G. “Where is His goodness and mercy?”
1) I grant that in some situations I cannot see it.
2) I have listened to people tell heart-breaking stories.
3) Then I was asked, “Where is God’s hand of compassion?”
4) Man cannot always answer this kind of question.
5) Long ago, Isaiah the prophet penned some important words.
6) Isa. 55:8-9 says, READ.
7) As a human being, some things about God are beyond me.
8) There are some things that I just do not understand.
9) This can, at times, involve God’s mercy and goodness.
H. Let’s take the cross for an example.
1) Suppose that we had been standing at the cross when Jesus dies.
2) As we stood at the foot of the cross, we knew who Jesus was.
3) We knew that Jesus had committed no crime worthy of death.
4) As we stood at the cross we heard Jesus say,
5) “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?”
6) Being human, I would have probably wondered,
7) “God, where is your mercy towards your son?”
8) “Why do you sit idly by and offer no help to this innocent one?”
9) “Why are you failing to show goodness to Christ?”
I. God’s thoughts are not my thoughts. His ways are not my ways.
1) The cross illustrates this point quite well.
2) If I would have been standing beside the Lord’s cross,
3) I might not have seen any goodness or mercy.
4) My inability to see these things would not have disproved them.
5) In fact, grace and mercy were at the cross.
6) Remember a little fact that the gospel writers record:
7) Two thieves were crucified with the Lord.
8) Soldiers eventually came along to break the legs of these thieves.
9) The breaking of legs hastened death.
10) Records indicate that people could live on crosses for days.
11) Death by crucifixion was not quick.
12) Jesus did not spend 24 hours on the cross.
13) He did not even spend 12 hours on the cross. About 6.
14) I am not trying to minimize what He went through.
15) The beatings and ill treatment were severe.
16) Nevertheless, when He came to the cross, He received mercy.
17) He was not on the cross as long as others were.
J. A shortened stay on the cross is not the end of the story.
K. Phil. 2:9 says that Christ has received a name.
L. This name is above (better) every other name.
M. One day every person will bow before Christ.
N. After suffering, Christ was exalted and crowned with glory.
O. Goodness and mercy did follow the Lord.
1) This might not have been apparent at the time of the crucifixion.
2) It might not be apparent if we just isolate the cross.
3) It is apparent if we examine the “big picture”.
P. David in Ps. 23:6, I am persuaded, was looking at the “big picture”.
Q. There were times when mercy and goodness may not have been apparent.
R. David believed in the principle of 2 Cor. 5:7. QUOTE.
S. Although we may not understand how mercy and goodness are always there,
T. They are. This is where faith comes in.
U. God has promised to care for His people.
V. God is interested in extending mercy and goodness to His people.
W. But, God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts.
X. What God gives to His people may not be immediately apparent.
Y. It might take quite a while for us to see it.
Z. When we cannot see God’s care, what is the right response?
A. It is faith; belief that God is really out there, and He is still dispensing goodness and mercy even if we do not understand it.
CONCLUSION:
1. This is a lesson that we need to keep before us.
2. There is a “big picture”- Romans 8:28.
3. The next time you look around and ask, “Where’s God?”—
4. Know that He is close by and caring for you.
5. It may not seem like it; it may seem hard to believe. But it’s true.
6. We walk by faith, not by sight (what we can see).
7. Tonight if you have never started to walk by faith…