Sitting At God's Table
Psalm 23:5-6
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
ESV
Sitting At God’s Table
(Psalm 23:5-6)
Intro:
A. Retell the entire psalm in my own words. “Jehovah, the Lord of Creation, continually shepherds over me. His abundant love for me as his sheep takes care of every need that I have. In fact, as his sheep I have abundance of food water as I lay down in green pastures and drink beside quiet waters. What happens is my spirit is restored. I am refreshed, renewed, reinvigorated. My shepherd has brought me the place of abundance so that I can walk in his pathway, the path of righteousness because his name is able to give me strength.
B. “But that doesn’t mean that life is without its trials. Sometimes I find myself in a valley, a place where my enemies have the advantage over me. Sometimes if feels like darkness surrounds me, but because my Shepherd is with me, I don’t fear the enemy. His rod can keep that from attacking me and his staff can keep me walking the right path. I feel safe when my soul quivers.
C. “Let me tell you about my LORD. He does the most incredible things for me. I have enemies that want me to fail, but LORD does strangest thing. He makes a banquet table just for me, to remind me how precious I am to him; and he does in the presence of those who want me to fail. To assure me that I am secure in him He honors me, by anointing my head with oil. His overwhelming gift-giving is like having a cup that can’t contain all that He bestows.
D. “The truth is summarized with this thought, ‘only goodness and steadfast love is my future.’ And that is why I will return to and remain in the abode of my LORD always.”
E. Psalm 23 is more than just a collection of words, phrases and word pictures. It is thesis statement of the life of David. It is refection of why living in relationship with the LORD is the best way this life is experienced. It is also a proclamation of spiritual security in the midst of the storms, trials, and temptations of life. Today we bask in vs 5-6.
I. Greatness of Grace
A. After David reminds us that our Shepherd is with us in the valley and is powerful over enemies, he changes a little of the picture he had been painting. While you could read verses 5 and 6 from the perspective of a sheep that his loved by the shepherd, it feels as if these last two verses retell the joy first four verse from point of view of the Jew who knows that Jehovah is alive and not just stories that we hope are true.
B. It is easy to look at yourself and know that you are not perfect. You know the sins that others don’t see, and you know the temptations that pull at you. As a Christian we hear so much about walking in truth that it can lead us to live in fear that we will never be “good enough” for God; that our imperfections will haunt us all the days of our life.
C. Yes, Jesus tells us that if we love him we will keep his commandments. Yes, we are told to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Yes, we are taught to keep in step with the Spirit, to not grieve or quench the Holy Spirit. I don’t make light of keeping commands. What I find throughout scripture is that grace abounds when the heart is striving. That’s not a license to sin, but a thankfulness that I am not going to stand before God on Judgement Day according to my righteousness, but according to the blood of Jesus. While David did not know the grace that we now understand came at the cross; David did know that the LORD is what kept him secure, not his own abilities.
II. Sitting At God’s Table
A. Look again at verse 5. Three things take place in these few words. The first is that the LORD prepared a table for David. This was not David hosting a kingly banquet, this is Jehovah bestowing the blessing and David sat at the Lord’s Table. But look at what God does for David. He does this “in the presence of my enemies.” Think about that. It’s like David taunting Goliath. God sets this spread for us in the presence of those who want to see us fail and it is a proclamation that they can’t touch us.
B. Jesus reminds us sheep of our security. Listen to what he says recorded in John 10:27-30. When the apostle John is able to see the revelation of what was, is, and is to come, John sees a defeated, yet angry Satan. Who among us can stand up to the darts and demands of Satan on our own power and righteousness? Here is what John is told (READ Rev. 12:10-11). Is Satan an accuser? Yes! Does he speak truth when he tells God about my sinful actions? Yes! But the saved are conquerors because of the blood of the Lamb and their striving to live according to the commands.
C. Here’s my point. God’s table is a place where the enemy is powerless. He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Secondly, He anoints my head with oil. The anointing is a powerful expression of honor. God honors you, not because you are great, but because you belong to him. You are his child whom he loves. He wants Satan to know that you safe at God’s table. It is as if you are Job. Remember at the beginning of the book of Job when Satan and God talk and God says, “Have you considered my servant Job?” No matter what Satan brings at you, when you sit at the table of God, when you are anointed by God, you experience the third statement, a cup that overflows.
D. Your God wants you to have what’s best for you. It’s so easy for us to jump to wrong conclusions. Just like grace is not a license to sin, a life of abundance is more just being happy and never having a bad day. A cup that overflows is a statement that God gives us more that we deserve. He bestows upon us a life that is secure in him, a life that can have wonderful people who will love us and walk with us, so that when facing pain and sorry we don’t face them alone.
Conclusion:
A. How does the 23rd Psalm work in reality? Just do what David taught in verse 6. Return and dwell the house of your Heavenly Father. We are all the prodigal son. David knows that coming home is because our father will do more than meet needs, he restores us and throws a party.
Because of Jesus,
Jeffrey Dillinger, minister