Psalm 23

[JudgeNot]

23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;...

Have you ever thought about this? How do you interpret it?  What is it saying?

[nChrist]

JudgeNot,

This is a beautiful study topic and one of my all-time favorite portions of Scripture. I saw this post and wanted to offer two cents worth. I would love to see the opinions of many others. This portion of Scripture is incredibly beautiful, and it has provided peace and strength to hosts of Christians over the years.
_____________________

Psalms 23:5 NASB  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

God provides His abundance to His children in the midst of strife, calamity, conflict, worry, trial, or problem. In fact, many of God's children know and experience God being the closest to them during times like these. When things are the worst, JESUS walks with us every step of the way and we many times grow closer and stronger in JESUS during these times. When we are weak, HE is strong. Eating is a matter of thanks for Christians because we know that God has provided the food. In this Scripture, God's child is partaking of God's abundance in a time of trouble. Eating is actually associated in this Scripture with a time of calm and God's provision in a time of storm. God will sustain us, regardless of our time of trial. The oil is a symbol of gladness and blessing. The overflowing cup is a symbol of abundance, MORE than what is required. The overall picture is a child of God calmly enjoying the blessings and abundance of God in the face of his enemies and trouble.

Brother, there are some beautiful references to this Scripture that I would like to share.

Psalms 22:26  NASB  The afflicted will eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the LORD. Let your heart live forever!

Psalms 31:19-20  NASB  How great is Your goodness, Which You have stored up for those who fear You, Which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, Before the sons of men! You hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the conspiracies of man; You keep them secretly in a shelter from the strife of tongues.

Psalms 104:15  NASB  And wine which makes man's heart glad, So that he may make his face glisten with oil, And food which sustains man's heart.

Job 36:16  NASB  "Then indeed, He enticed you from the mouth of distress, Instead of it, a broad place with no constraint; And that which was set on your table was full of fatness.

Isaiah 25:6  NASB  The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow, And refined, aged wine.

John 10:9-10  NASB  "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

John 16:22  NASB  "Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Psalms 45:7  NASB  You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

Amos 6:6  NASB  Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph.

1 John 2:20  NASB  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.

1 John 2:27  NASB  As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

Psalms 16:5  NASB  The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.

Psalms 116:13  NASB  I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the LORD.

Ephesians 3:20  NASB  Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
______________________

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 34:9-10 NASB  O fear the LORD, you His saints; For to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; But they who seek the LORD shall not be in want of any good thing.

[airIam2worship]

Hi Judgenot, . I have a beautiful poem that I found on the internet somewhere (can't remember) It is called Psalm 23 Interpretation. I don't know if it is copywrited of not, If is is I ask the person or person who wrote it to advise me so that they will get the proper credit. So with that being said I am going to just type in the poem I don't have the url for it or anything.

The Lord is my shepherd...That's relationship
I shall not want... That's supply
He maketh me lie down in green pastures...That's rest
He leads me beside still waters...That's refreshment
He restores my soul...That's healing
He leads me in the paths of righteousness.. That's guidance
For His Namesake...That's purpose
Yea tho I walk thru the valley of the shadow of death...That's testing
I will fear no evil...That's protection
For Thou art with me...That's faithfullness
Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me...That's discipline
Thou preparest a table for me in the face of mine enemies...That's Hope
Thou anointest my head with oil...That's consecration
My cup runneth over...That's abundance
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...That's blessing
I will dwell in the house of the Lord...That's security
Forever...That's eternity.
My thanks to the person or persons who wrote this poem, at the time I didn't think to email them or anything, I just used this whenever I needed to really look INTO God's Word, they had to be truely inspired, may God bless them richly. This poem has been a blessing to me it breaks everything down so well, and not only that but now I study each line and word carefully when I read the Word.

[nChrist]

Hello airIam2worship,

That was beautiful, and I say AMEN!

Love in Christ,
Tom

John 1:10-13 NASB  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

[airIam2worship]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It really teaches us something. All God's children (born-again) are under constant attack, so if we share nice things like this that strengthen our faith, and help us support one another we can make it through any storm, we have God, prayer, the Word, faith, hope, and each other. Even very mature Christians (and I don't mean old people, a mature Christian can be 26 years old), can learn a lot from not so mature Christians. That's the beauty of it, we as Christians humbly accept advice and share a wealth of information with each other. We may be thousands of miles apart, but in Christ we are 1 for we are His body.

[nChrist]

Amen airIam2worship!

If we listen, God has many things to teach us from our own children and grandchildren. Many of the very simple and sweet things that children say about JESUS speak volumes. It could also be a babe in Christ and not a child who teaches us much. The Holy Spirit is not a respecter of persons, age, position, etc., so the Holy Spirit might reveal much to our children and/or babes in Christ. YES!, we all need to listen for many reasons. If we are strengthened or edified in Christ by a child or babe in Christ, praise GOD!

If it is our children or grandchildren talking to us about JESUS, these are precious moments and we should stop everything and treasure it. Talking to our children about JESUS encourages all of us. One of the greatest joys a parent can have is knowing that their children belong to JESUS. AND, it's guaranteed that every parent or grandparent will learn much in the effort.

Love In Christ,
Tom

1 Corinthians 2:2-5 NASB  For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

[Thomas1215184]

Trust in the Lord. Follow his word. His promise will be delivered to you.