You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5
How wonderfully comforting it is to know that the Lord is our shepherd, both protecting us and providing all we need to flourish, just as he was King David's shepherd when David wrote this psalm so many years ago. Sheep and goats were the most important domestic animals in David's time, providing meat, milk, fat, skins, wool, and horns. Shepherds, although lowly, were very important and were counted on to lead their flocks on paths to good pastures and safe water where the sheep would flourish. Shepherds were really the first "pastoral" care committee!
Just as David did, we enjoy a special bond of friendship with our Lord, and he invites us to His heavenly banquet table right in front of our enemies to show them that we are His flock. He anoints our heads with oil, treating us as honored guests were treated at banquets in David's time. He pours out His love and goodness on us so that our cup overflows and spills out on those around us, passing on his blessings to our friends and enemies alike.
How meaningful to me to be writing about this passage as I am preparing for the womens' weekend with the theme "Come to the Table"—the Lord's Table, where I am nourished in body, mind and spirit. Even today, we often honor our friends by inviting them to our table to share a meal with us to celebrate our bond of friendship. We want to shower blessings on those we love. So does God, if we will only let Him.
Marjie Mack (2009)
