My Cup Overflows (Psalm 23 part 3)

From the Pastor:

Psalm 23:5-6

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

My cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD

Forever.

So far in this Psalm David has taken us from green pastures with still waters to deep, dark, and deadly valleys to now a banquet table overflowing with goodness and mercy from the Lord. This Psalm truly does a remarkable job of taking the believer through the experience of coming to our Great Shepherd in saving faith, navigating the realities and difficulties of a fallen world, to worship and joy in the presence of our Savior. Nothing from the believer’s experience seems to be left out, and this is important for us to see and understand especially as we arrive at the end of Psalm 23.

David himself had gone through many dark valleys, and with the Lord’s guidance, come out the other side worshipping God for His care and protection. Whether it was an encounter with a lion or bear, his inspiring acceptance of Goliath of Gath’s challenge, his struggles with King Saul, his fights with the Philistines, or even his own personal and family struggles; David was all too familiar with dangers that lurked in dark valleys. However, through these experiences David also knew very well the exhilaration and joy that came after these times that drew him closer to the Lord and led him to worship Him with overflowing joy and gratefulness. David knew in every circumstance that it was God who had delivered him. He knew that it was only by the Lord that he had any success, and Jesse’s baby boy was sure to give God all the credit for His faithfulness to this simple shepherd boy.

We do not know with any full certainty which of the many events in David’s life might have led him to pen this particular Psalm. Whether it was the encounter with the giant of the Philistines or one of the many others, but undoubtedly, he has come through and is enjoying a celebration even in the presence of those who had doubted, despised, and rejected David. In this last section of the Psalm David is seated at a banquet table, where it appears, he is the guest ...