Surely I Will See the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living

Hope isn’t just for eternity — it’s for now.

There are times in life when we wonder if we’ll ever see change. Pain lingers. Prayers go unanswered. Dreams wither on the vine. In those moments, it’s tempting to push all our hope into eternity and say, “Someday, in heaven, things will be made right.” And that is true—heaven is our eternal hope. But the Bible also gives us a different kind of promise: that God’s goodness is not only reserved for the next life, but available in this one.

David declares in Psalm 27:13,

“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

This is not naïve optimism. It’s not spiritual denial. This is gritty, grounded hope—the kind that clings to God even when life hurts. David knew affliction. He knew betrayal, loss, wilderness, and war. And yet, with enemies surrounding him and answers delayed, he said, “I will see His goodness. Not just after I die. Not just someday. But here. In the land of the living.”

That kind of faith isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a weapon.

A Faith That Refuses to Give Up

David’s words in Psalm 27 come from a soul that has wrestled and resolved. He begins the psalm by declaring, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (v.1). He speaks of confidence even as adversaries press in. He speaks of seeking God’s face, of waiting on Him, of dwelling in His presence.

And then comes verse 13, a verse that sounds almost like a defiant declaration against despair: Surely—not maybe, not hopefully—surely I will see the goodness of the Lord.

This is what faith does. It stares at impossibility and says, “God is still good.” It looks at the barren land and says, “Rain is coming.” It believes that the God who parted seas and raised the dead still moves today. It does not rush to despair. It does not give in to bitterness. It waits—and watches—for redemption.

The Goodness of God in This Life

Yes, heaven is our ultimate hope. But Scripture repeatedly shows us that God desires to display His goodness in this life as well.

• Joseph spent years in prison, falsely accused and forgotten. But God raised him up to second in command over Egypt, restoring his dignity and using his story for the saving of many lives (Genesis 50:20).
• Hannah wept for years over her barrenness, pouring out her anguish before God. Yet she saw God’s goodness when He gave her Samuel, and again when He gave her even more children (1 Samuel 2:21).
• Job lost everything—children, wealth, health. Yet after a season of unimaginable suffering, God restored him and blessed the latter part of his life more than the first (Job 42:12).

These aren’t fairy tales. They are testimonies. They don’t guarantee ease for every believer, but they reveal something about God’s heart: He delights in redeeming broken stories while we’re still breathing.

Even in the New Testament, we see this: Jesus didn’t just save souls—He healed bodies, opened blind eyes, restored dignity, and fed the hungry. His ministry was a visible demonstration of the Father’s goodness in the land of the living.

What Does It Mean to “See” His Goodness?

Seeing the goodness of God doesn’t always mean material prosperity or a trouble-free life. Sometimes it’s healing. Sometimes it’s provision. Sometimes it’s reconciliation after years of estrangement. Sometimes it’s simply the peace that passes understanding in the middle of a storm.

God’s goodness might come as:

• A door opening after years of closed ones
• Strength returning to a weary heart
• The unexpected kindness of another
• A long-awaited answer to prayer
• Or simply the nearness of God when all else fails

To “see” His goodness is to recognize His hand moving in your story—often quietly, faithfully, behind the scenes.

But it takes eyes of faith to see. Many people miss it because they only look for the grand or dramatic. But God often hides His glory in small things—like manna in the wilderness, water from a rock, or a still small voice.

Waiting with Expectation

Right after David says he’ll see God’s goodness, he gives us the key to how:

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord” (Psalm 27:14).

Restoration doesn’t always come quickly. Some promises are fulfilled after long waiting. But those who wait on God don’t wait in vain.

Isaiah 40:31 reminds us,

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”

There’s a strength that only comes from waiting with expectation. Not passive waiting, but active, faith-filled watching. Like the farmer waiting for the harvest. Like the watchman waiting for dawn. Like the widow knocking on the judge’s door, refusing to leave.

The enemy would love to convince you that God is done writing your story. That your best days are behind you. That disappointment is your destiny.

But Scripture says otherwise.

“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (Proverbs 4:18).

“You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

“Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Don’t Let Delay Define Your Theology

Too many believers stop expecting goodness because they’ve waited too long. They lower their hopes. They edit their prayers. They spiritualize disappointment instead of bringing it to God.

But delay is not denial.

God’s goodness is not on trial just because it hasn’t yet unfolded the way we thought it would. Faith says: “Even now, I believe.” Faith looks at a grave and says, “Roll the stone away.” Faith says, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vine… yet I will rejoice in the Lord” (Habakkuk 3:17–18).

David wasn’t just convincing himself when he wrote Psalm 27:13—he was modeling a kind of perseverance that believes through pain. He was showing us how to hold onto hope until we see the fruit.

A Word for the Weary

If you’re weary today—if life has drained you, if you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to keep hoping—take heart.

Your story is not over.

You will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

He’s still working. Still weaving. Still writing redemption into your chapters.

Don’t give up. Don’t surrender to cynicism. Keep looking. Keep waiting. Keep believing.

Because the God who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6). And the same God who brought David through wilderness, Joseph through prison, and Hannah through sorrow will bring you into a place where you can say, with confidence:

“Surely, I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”