“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.”

Here is a verse with much in it. David is setting before us what the Lord has done for him once again. He has been doing that from the verse 1.

I. WE MUST EVER ACKNOWLEDGE TO THE LORD HIS GOODNESS TO US

Note David is speaking to the Lord in this verse. “Thou preparest a table etc.”

II. WE SHOULD EVER PROCLAIM THE LORD’S MERCIES TO US.

David wrote down at the  command of God, these words of praise for all too read. The world is ever mocking, despising the Lord and miscalling Him.

We must counter that by giving Him “the glory due unto his name,” Psalm 29:2.

III. THE REFERENCE TO A ‘TABLE’ SPEAKS OF GOD’S PROVISIONS

* The ‘Shepherd’ has become our ‘Host’! What a table the Lord spreads for us! Evil men doubt God’s power to do this, Ps 78:17-19.

* We sit at the table in the midst of our enemies. They are helpless to stop or hinder our feasting! The Lord is our ‘Protector’. The word ‘enemies’ includes the meaning of ‘trouble’! Look at Ps 138:7.

We sang this hymn this morning — ‘With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm,’

* The table is laden with ‘fat things’, Isaiah 25:6. John 6:35, 48-51.

* It is a foretaste of a future feast, Luke 22:29-30.

IV. THE ANOINTING OF THE HEAD SPEAKS OF HONOUR

See Luke 7:44-47.

* This anointing surely speaks of the pouring upon our heads of the grace of the Holy Ghost whereby is given to us all the blessing of God. Gal 5:22-23.

* Thus we see that the Lord caters for us both physically and spiritually. Satisfies the body and the soul! This the world knows nothing of.

V. THE OVERFLOWING CUP DENOTES THE ABUNDANT SUPPLIES THE LORD GIVES TO US

* The Lord supplies us with all temporal requirements - Matt 6:31-34, Matt 15:35.

* Please note the personal note. ‘My cup’. Boys and girls this is the wonder of true Christianity. We enjoy a very personal relationship with the Lord. This is true of the saved and also the wicked, Psa 11:6.