Why was the psalmist so confident God's goodness and mercy would follow him all his life? Because God's goodness and mercy had followed him all his life. Because when he looked back he saw a trail of God's grace. Footprints in the sand, maybe. The psalmist could look back on his life and recall the times God led him to safety and security. With every step, even in the darkest valleys, God never failed.
And there was nothing the psalmist saw that hinted the Lord would ever change. He remembered God's renewal and deliverance. The times God led him and kept him. So, as he thought about his days to come, he didn't have to guess what would happen. His testimony was sure and affirmed what he believed would always be true about the Lord. This is the God who makes and keeps covenant.
Tradition connects David to Psalm 23. Being a shepherd himself, then, he understood the connection between a sheep and their shepherd. Shepherds take great care of their sheep. They look beyond right now to prepare for what the sheep may need soon. A good shepherd is already thinking ahead. In some sense, already providing and protecting. In other words, the shepherd knows what the sheep needs even more than sheep itself. That's the image that the psalmist kept of God.
And what would he need in his future? Probably much of the same things God had already provided. We all need more than one dose of peace, healing and comfort. Thankfully, God's goodness and mercy don't run out on us. They run after us. They pursue us even when we don't realize how much we really need them.
Today, think about some of your "goodness and mercy moments" from days past. Thank God for how the Lord delivered you. Use them as a seed of trust to endure through tomorrow's worries. And trust that God is already there preparing you.
Stay blessed...john | 
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