Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
⁶ Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life,
And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.

“According to a shepherd, verse 5 is speaking of the exhaustive, careful preparation of an area for the sheep to feed: ensuring that enemies are not present, poisonous plants will not be consumed, and scouting out the area, to know the lay of the land.” (from ntcplanters facebook) So the enemies (wolves or thieves) might still be present nearby, but the sheep can enjoy a “table” of food (grass) safely in the presence of their enemies. God will protect us while He feeds us.

“For sheep, the shepherd anoints their heads with oil to protect them from biting flies and to prevent them from getting so agitated they would harm themselves.  To protect the sheep from the flies, the shepherd will pour oil over the sheep’s head, sometimes mixed with sulfur, to repel the flies and keep the sheep calm and safe. Another use of oil is to help ease or prevent injury when rams headbutt each other. Anointing with oil was a ritual used to sanctify and set people apart for holy tasks, signifying they were chosen by God. Examples include the anointing of kings like David and priests to show God’s approval and a calling to service.” (AI) Can you imagine the shepherd going through the flock while they are feeding on that “table” of grass, anointing each sheep with oil. That oil would also refresh them. “In ancient Middle Eastern cultures, anointing a guest’s head with oil, often fragrant, was a sign of great hospitality and refreshment.” The Amplified Bibles reads: “You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil.” The refreshment idea comes from Song of Solomon 2:5, “refresh me with apples,” a distinct reference to a desire for physical and emotional refreshment. The oil would refresh the sheep as well as protect them.

The shepherd might lead the sheep to a quiet running stream for water, but often he would draw water from a well with a bucket and rope and pour the water in a trough for the sheep to drink. That might take quite a while and a lot of effort, and the shepherd would try to provide all water that the sheep needed and then some. A person might drink from a cup and be blessed with a cup that is not only full but overflowing. In ancient culture, a host continually refilling a guest’s cup was a sign of great welcome and hospitality, and the phrase reflects this idea of being a highly honored guest. “The shepherd cares for the sheep by providing not just what they need, but an abundance of it, which is symbolized by an overflowing cup, just as a shepherd’s water trough would be kept full and overflowing with fresh water.” ” Jesus reflected God’s generosity when He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). Paul continues that theme in Ephesians 3:20 and describes God as the One “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. The message echoed in each passage is that of God’s excessive grace and provision for every area of our lives. He is not stingy, nor are His blessings confined to temporal things. In Christ we can have overflowing joy, overflowing love, and overflowing peace. We can bear everlasting fruit for God’s kingdom, and we can overcome impossible challenges when the Holy Spirit fills our hearts until our “cup runneth over.” (gotquestions.org) Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly. Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

David has absolute confidence that God’s goodness (benevolence, blessings, and care: the Hebrew word tov means pleasant, beautiful, beneficial) and mercy (checed: compassion, forgiveness, and steadfast love) will actively pursue and accompany him throughout his entire life just as it has in the past and present. The Hebrew word for “follow” (radaph) can also be translated as “pursue” or “chase,” suggesting that God’s love is not a passive trailing, but a relentless and active force. God is present in every moment, both in good times and in difficult ones, and that there is nowhere one can go that God’s goodness and mercy will not be with them.” (AI)

The word dwell in Psalm 23:6 means “to inhabit or live.” The house of the Lord is a term often referring to the tabernacle, the temple, or the place of worship (as in Psalm 122:1). The tabernacle and later the temple was where God dwelt in the Holy of Holies and represented His presence with Israel. “One thing I ask from the LORD, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple (the Hebrew word can mean palac; For on the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle (the actual temple had not been built in David’s time); He will hide me in the secret place of His tent” (Psalm 27:4). To dwell in the house of the Lord forever was David’s deepest longing. Scripture says he was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22; 1 Samuel 13:14).” (gotquestions.org) He longed to sing praises to God in His temple. “What joy for those who can live in your house, always singing your praises” (Psalm 84:4, NLT). It was the presence of God that he sought after, not just the physical temple itself. In the new covenant, there is no physcial temple. The church building is not the house of God where He dwells. He dwells in believers: they are the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:16-17). Revelation 21:³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among the people, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them. David looked past this life and sought God’s presence “forever” (verse 6), even after he would die some day.

It is sad that many Christians, me included perhaps, don’t realize the shepherd’s care for us today. We can be like the sheep in Psalm 23. God has provided a table of spiritual food for us to feast on, “all you can eat”. He has anointed us with His Spirit to protect our minds from all negative and harmful emotions and thoughts and to refresh us when we are discouraged or tired spiritually. Our cup overflows with God’s blessings, supply our every need. Even in difficult times, we are still truly blessed. Gods goodness and mercy will pursue us in the future: will we slow down from our busy, materialistic lives to allow God’s goodness and mercy to “catch” us and bless us? Is our main desire to dwell in God’s presence every moment of our lives, wherever we go, whatever we do? Do we constantly think about God and His Spirit being with us 24/7?

Are you constantly worried, troubled, frustrated, depressed? Are you preoccupied with seeking worldly pleasures and riches? As a Christian and one of God’s special sheep, you can have the “abundant” life in Jesus. Relax, take a deep breath, and breathe in God’s presence. He is always with you if you will only look for and see Him in the midst of your daily life. I know I need to work on that!