Of tables, enemies and oil - Part 1

Psalm 23 - more reflections 

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over."

Oh, can you see the lamb-soul who walks through the valley of the shadow of death, and fears no evil?  'Shepherd' guides this one through the valley of deep darkness.

Have you been there? Does your valley fall beneath shadows?  Or can you remember how bewildering to feel or perceive a devastating isolation?

"I will fear no evil, for You are with me."  Oh, literal presence.  Oh, Savior-Shepherd nearest to me. Amen.

Oh, but there is more, yes, keep reading.

You prepare a table before me.  In the presence of my enemies.  

Just imagine for a moment, friends, with me.  If you are the lamb-soul of the Lord's own keeping, and you are surrounded by opposition, where does the Shepherd wish to draw your attention?  Is it to the hoards of things mounting or pressing against you?  Is it to the opposition?  No.  None of these.

Pause for just a moment and let your eye find the Shepherd.  Do you see him?  Where is he and what is he doing - we've all wondered this at one time or another.  But the psalmist knew.  The Shepherd's at the table.  What is He doing?

Ah, yes, preparing.  A table.

Now, why is it here? Does he mean for you to draw near to it or does he mean merely to tease you?  If he's working on this 'table,' then it means you both have stopped for a time in your journey.  And, yes, there a crowd gathering nearby, and it's an unkind-unfriendly and threatening one.  Doesn't he notice? Doesn't he care? But still, you are stopped.  And he's preparing.

Now here's where knowing the Shepherd makes all the difference in the world.  I mean really knowing Him.  The sort of knowing that is rooted not just in declarative statements and facts, but the sort of knowing that remembers all the streams and still waters, all the rescuing he's done with his "rod and staff" that comfort.  It means relying on a very particular sort of Shepherd who cares for you in a very particular sort of way.  And you know it.  (Or maybe not.  Maybe you do not know the Shepherd. Yet.)

Just for a moment, let's think of the 'unfriendlies' who are lurking, watching.  Of Enemies -  two things here: One, our enemy is identified in Ephesians and Corinthians, and it is not as we may assume.  It is not "flesh and blood" but "principalities and powers in high places"; and, Two, and this is so very cool, the fact of the TABLE spread before you in the presence of pending harm assumes the Shepherd is guarding, watching over you in such a way that offers protection.  And you know this - that He is capable of doing so because he is no human shepherd with human limitations.  Otherwise, how could we ever eat and grow strong and be made well?  Is that not the point of the table?

Even in the presence of enemies.

Can you see its contents?  Or are you seeing only the hoards (yet)?  Is it not a feast, spread out; spacious, gracious, lavish with every good thing we need?  What do you see?

It's okay, friend - really it is - to turn for a moment, from observing the hoards. It's okay to turn from those unkind words or betrayals.  (Like, when we are handed betrayals, what are we to do with them?  What CAN we do with them, really?  So, somebody betrayed us, and it hurts for real - deeply.  And we find ourselves in the shadows.  Or we've lost someone dear or something precious and now we are alone.  What can be done, really?)

Yes, turn to the Shepherd. He has something for you.  He does.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of ... . 

Where are you standing in proximity to it?  Come nearer, look closer.  What does the Shepherd prepare and place before you "in the presence of your enemies"?  Is He a kind Shepherd or not?  Maybe he's going to clip your wool, but that's embarrassing, don't think he'll do that before a rogue audience, now do you? Even if we do deserve it.  (Well, yea, Jesus got "clipped" before a hostile group.  But that was for love, for you and for me.  And, yea, the Shepherd will single out sheep for their clipping, but it's always with careful-loving-tender hands.  It's not for harm.  Or to humiliate.  Jesus bore our humiliation. In full.  So, there must be something more the Lord as Shepherd is about doing if it's not for harm or to humiliate, don't you think?  So, like, love is kind and patient, and inviting.  We do dumb things to ourselves, granted, but that's different.)

Okay, so I digress, but here's the point:  I don't really know what's "on the table" for you, but I know His character informs us all we need to understand or how to interpret what's happening to us. Yep, it's bad-really bad, sometimes, those things that happen to us.  But His character is mercy.  His character is kindness.  His character is constancy.  His character is patience.  It is righteous and good and in Him no darkness (or ruin) dwells.  And all of it rests on this: His characters is sovereign.  In other words, we are not. 

So everything is falling apart.  Yep.  Sometimes, it does.  But does it automatically mean that you or I must fall apart with it?  Or can we come to the table in the presence of so much bad?  And even if we do, physically or mentally or emotionally fall apart, does He hold onto us any less? Is his provision lessened?  No. In fact, where sin abounds (our own or another's) grace abounds more.  Whatever YOU need, as His lamb, you can be sure it's there.  Really.

Ask Him.

But here's the thing, as well, if all we can see or heed or give our attention to are the hoards in our presence, and not the Shepherd whose presence is real and is preparing what we need, we won't see what it is he places "before me" in their presence.  His promise is true.  But sometimes our vision is blurred.  How sad to pay heed to our enemies.  And not to the Lord or his care. 


You see, dear Reader, here's what I have learned about the table he prepares.  The table has a place, a setting, and a tending. And it has sheep - and sheep need a particular kind of table.  And the sheep need literal green grass.  And running brooks to quench their thirsts.  And tables. Prepared. 

How much more then, will the Lord, provide what you need - literally?  Do you need rescue?  Or do you need perseverance?  Do you need faith?  Or do you need grace?  Do you need joy?  Do you need hope?  Each of these is a very literal thing, and they are offered literally, not as abstractions.  We live in a world filled with mountains, valleys, trees, flowers, running-gurgling streams.  We live in a world over-flowing with beautiful children, kittens, wild stallions and baseballs and footballs.  With diamonds and silver and gold.  And coal.  (Yuck, but okay, nice to be warm.)

A world of ideas, of thought.

It's a world of God's own thought made literal - incarnated.  He knows we need incarnated rescue.  He knows we need literal grapes and apples and oranges.  Metaphoric food simply won't help our hunger or thirst physically.  Metaphoric justice won't defend a child who needs defended.  Metaphoric grace won't wipe the perspiring brow of a condemned man.  An act of kindness is very real, and it helps us regain our souls, our hopes.  So, Yes, he does know, and it comes "in the fullness of time."

You are cordially invited to the Table.


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Later this week, I plan to share a few more thoughts on Psalm 23 before moving to other topics. Please join me! :)

Also, in the archives there are a two other articles on which I have shared more reflections on Psalm 23.  It is so beautiful a psalm.  If you have time for nothing else, why not just read it?  Blessings!!!