Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
In the two immediately previous "Flyleafs" related to Psalm 23:6 a and 23:6b, we have seen that we can be absolutely confident, based on Surely, that our Great Shepherd will extend to us His "common grace", goodness.
Now David states that we will also have God's mercy. This is a very special word used throughout the Old Testament to refer to God's additional "mercy", "love", "loving kindness" or "committed love" especially given to His own children or sheep.
We love many people, but above and beyond that love, we have a special love and have made some special loving commitments to our own children. So has God.
If we are His children, His sheep, we can have the same confidence that David refers to here. Surely God's goodness, granted to all people and mercy, His special love committed to His own children shall follow me all the days of my life.
These two blessings will daily follow or pursue each child of God, each of His sheep, like a beagle hound pursues a rabbit, like a coon hound pursues a raccoon, like a fox hound pursues a fox, or a blood hound pursues his prey. That is, God's goodness and special faithful love for His children daily will follow me, stay on my trail, pursue me, chase me down until they catch me and deliver these special blessings to my life.
No wonder this Psalm has brought such great comfort to those who trust the God of the Bible so often for so long. May it always do the same for you.
This first half of Psalm 23:6 is a concluding summary of how our Great Shepherd cares for His sheep while we are still alive on earth. In the next "Flyleaf", we plan to see what happens next.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.