I love what John Gill has to say about this verse,
"Surely goodness and mercy..."
Either the free grace, love, favor and mercy of God in Christ, which endures continually, and is always the same from everlasting to everlasting; or the effects of it...which flow from the goodness and mercy of God, and not the merits of men;
and which are in great mercy and loving kindness bestowed on his people, and which follow them: they do not anxiously seek after them; but seeking the kingdom of God and his righteousness, these are added to them, they trusting in the Lord, and he caring for them:
or spiritual good things, which arise from the mere grace and mercy of God; such as the blessings of the covenant, the sure mercies of David, the discoveries and instances of the love of God, and the provisions of his house, which follow them, being undeserving of them;
and even when they have backslidden from the Lord, and in times of distress, when his grace is sufficient for them;
and of all this the psalmist had a comfortable assurance, depending upon the promise of God, arguing from the blessings he had already bestowed, and from the constant care he takes of his people, having in view his unchangeableness and faithfulness, the firmness of his covenant, and the irreversibleness of the blessings of it:
the words may be rendered "only goodness and mercy", nothing but mere mercy and kindness; for though afflictions do attend the children of God, yet these are in mercy and love; there is no fury in the Lord against them; there is nothing comes in wrath to them, throughout the whole course of their lives.Do John Gill's words give you a greater sense of the goodness and mercy that follows God's children?
No, life is not all bluebirds and rainbows, but His grace is sufficient for all of our times of distress. His goodness and mercy truly do follow us all the days of our lives.
I am thankful for all of God's provisions...but right now, I am very thankful for His goodness and His mercy.
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