Our pastor at church wanted us to start studying a chapter in the Bible everyday in the month of March. So one of the first chapters that I studied was Psalm 23. I love that Psalm.
So as I was studying it, I ran into something very interesting. I had heard it before, but did not realize the intense meaning of one word. In Psalm 23:6 it says this.....
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."
The word follow, in Hebrew is radaph (pronounced as raw-daf) meaning to run after (usually with hostile intent). It can also mean to chase, hunt or persecute. When we think of the word hostile we think not friendly, warm or generous or showing ill will to someone. But in this scripture it says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow (to run after usually with hostile intent) me all the days of my life....."
You know I don't like to be mistreated in any way. I don't want my family to be mistreated, but when I think about goodness and mercy. Well, I just feel like screaming at the top of my lungs, "Go ahead God, run me over with your goodness and mercy. Hunt me down and persecute me with it." I think goodness and mercy is a good way of being harassed.
2 comments:
I'll take some of that goodness and mercy harassment! Very interesting take on that scripture. The 23rd Psalm always blesses me!
Starla, that was great. You pulled out something I had never seen in that passage before.
~Kristi
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