Psalms 23 Part 4
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 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.”
Psalms 23:5-6
We conclude our look at the 23rd Psalms by looking at the last two verses. David concluded verse 4 by stating that God’s presence was a comfort to him. He continues looking into this in verses 5 and 6. Verse 5 begins by saying that God prepares a table before him in the presence of his enemies. Of course, David is not being literal here. He was simply saying that no matter where he was, he was comforted by God. He was provided for by God. Meal time is a comforting. It is fulfilling. It is relaxing. In verse 5, David shows us how he felt about God. Even though he had enemies all around him, David felt comforted, fulfilled, and relaxed. Although the threat was all around him, David felt calm. He knew God was there.
David then mentions that God anointest his head with oil. Now this could be taken literally or figuratively. David was anointed by God’s prophet, Samuel, to be the next king. However, David was being figurative here. He was saying that God chose him to be His child. When we become a child of God, we inherit His kingdom. Just like a prince or princess. We are anointed from above.
As a result of these feelings, David could see that he was infinitely blessed. To the point that he referred to his cup running over. The image in my mind is like someone filling a glass with a drink to the point that it overflows. It’s like the blessings continue to flow from God until his cup could not contain it all. Although the glass is full, God continues to pour out the blessings. He is good like that.
David closes the chapter well by saying that he knows no matter how long he lives, he knows that God’s goodness and mercy will always be there. But it doesn’t stop there. The end of verse 6 closes by David saying that even when his life is over, he will be with God forever. As a child of God, we should know that His love is endless. His grace is sufficient. His mercy overflows.
Psalms 23 should be a comfort to us. Not just when we lose someone close to us. It should bless us even during the good times. It reminds us of how good God is to us. It shows us how God provides, protects, restores, and blesses. It also shows us that these blessings have no end. They carry on with us throughout eternity. Just think about it, throughout eternity, we shall not want. Thank you, Lord.