"Thou prepares! a table before me" (verse 5). As we walk through the valley of the shadow of
death we not only have Himself to quiet our fears, we not only have His rod and staff to comfort
us, but we also have a table spread before us and prepared with everything that we need. When
we consider this table we would think of two things:(1) What is on the table? and (2) who is at
the table? In the first we think of the food and in the second we think of the fellowship. Let us
consider these two things in detail.

1. What is on the table? The food on this table meets the needs of our souls. This would remind
us of the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in John 6:35:"I am the bread of life:he that cometh to
Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." The Lord Jesus through
His death becomes the true food of the believer. We may also think of this food as being those
spiritual things which we need and enjoy daily. The food on the table would include the following:

Grace_sufficient for every need, abundant and overflowing.

Peace_the peace of God which passes all understanding to guard our hearts and minds.

Love_the love of Christ which passes all knowledge.

Mercy_multiplied to us.

Joy_Christ’s own joy that our joy might be full.

Wisdom_the true wisdom from above.

Sanctification_the daily setting apart through His truth.

Power_the power of the Holy Spirit in us.

Comfort_the comfort of the scriptures.

As we look at this partial list, does not#this appeal to our spiritual appetites? Christ in the Word
of God is all these things to us.

"We taste Thee, O Thou Living Bread,
And long to feast upon Thee still;
We drink of Thee, the Fountain Head,
And thirst our souls from Thee to fill!"

2. Who is at the table? First, the Host, our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep,
is at this table. It is really His table. Secondly, at this table are all those lost sheep who, like
ourselves, were found by this great Shepherd of the sheep. Through the completed work of Christ
upon the cross every believer has the title and privilege to be at this table.

"Once as prodigals we wandered
In our folly far from Thee;
But Thy grace, o’er sin abounding,
Rescued us from misery.
Clothed in garments of salvation,
At Thy table is our place;
We rejoice, and Thou rejoicest,
In the riches of Thy grace."

This table, then, speaks of fellowship with the Host, our great Shepherd of the sheep, and with
others who are at the table. Unconfessed sin in our lives causes us to lose out on the things that
He has prepared for those who love Him and also on the fellowship with Himself and with others.
Today the fullest expression of that fellowship with Himself and others is found in what Scripture
speaks of as "the Lord’s supper" or the "breaking of bread" (1 Cor. 11:20; Acts 20:7). The early
church gathered together upon the first day of the week to break bread. In this supper we
remember our Lord Jesus in His death for us, the bread symbolizing His body given for us and
the cup His blood shed for us. How good to be able to gather around Himself in obedience to His
Word, "This do in remembrance of Me," and "Show [or announce] the Lord’s death till He come"
(1 Cor. 11:23-26).

"Thou prepares! a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Just as sheep may feed upon
what their shepherd has prepared for them in the presence of wolves, mountain lions, and bears,
so we also feed in the presence of our enemies. The apostle Paul spoke of these enemies when he
addressed the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29,30:"For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men
arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." The Lord Jesus also spoke
of these enemies in Matt. 7:15:"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves." He also prepared us to expect the same hatred that He
received when He lived here. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated
you" (John 15:18,20). Furthermore, there exist unseen spiritual enemies, principalities, powers,
rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). Our greatest
enemy, Satan, goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8). Yet in the
presence of these enemies seen and unseen, we may sit at His table and enjoy what He has
prepared for us in peace and safety. We are His and though the enemy may rob us of material
things, and may even take our life from us, He can never rob us of those spiritual joys which
Christ has made ours.

"Thou anointest my head with oil." In the Old Testament this anointing was a special privilege
reserved for only a few. We read only of the high priests, prophets, and kings who were anointed
with oil. The anointing was a special mark of being set apart by God for His service, and as such
gave power to the one anointed. The oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit who is the true power for
service. In the New Testament we read that "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost
and with power" (Acts 10:38). This is also true of believers today. "Now He which stablisheth
us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest
of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Cor. 1:21,22). Also we read of this anointing in 1 John 2:20 and

27. Every believer has been anointed with the Holy Spirit at new birth, and as such has been set
apart for service. What a special place of privilege and power is ours today! How comforting it
is to know that the power for serving my great Shepherd is found, not in myself, but in the Holy
Spirit.

With this anointing, the joy is more than can be contained and leads us to exclaim with the
psalmist, "My cup runneth over." "My cup" speaks of the portion which the great Shepherd has
given to me. My cup is filled with blessings. The cup which the Father gave Him to drink was
filled with the death and judgment which I deserved (Matt. 26:39; John 18:11). Because He drank
that cup my cup now is full and running over. This running over is a result of the Holy Spirit
filling us and controlling us as we read in Eph. 5:18-20:"Be filled with the Spirit; speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord." Joy produced in us through the Holy Spirit will indeed run over in blessing not only
to myself but others also. The knowledge of this joy makes me ask myself, "Is my life a reflection
of that joy?" May we know more what it is to "walk in the Spirit" so that we can say, "My cup
runneth over."

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." The knowledge of what my
great Shepherd has provided for me in the past and in the present leads to the confidence in the
future. Our great Shepherd never changes. "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and
to the ages to come" (Heb. 13:8 JND).

"Yesterday He helped me,
Today I’ll praise His name,
Because I know tomorrow,
He’ll help me just the same."

I need that goodness and mercy each day of my life. And God is not short on these two things.
We read of the riches of His goodness in Rom. 2:4 and the riches of His mercy in Eph. 2:4. These
two things were present in my salvation and they will continue with me all the days of my life.
Oh, the goodness of God! How many times we can see how His goodness has abundantly met our
every need. His mercy is there to meet us in special times of weakness or failure. We need not
fear tomorrow because there will not be a time in our lives when His goodness and mercy will not
be there to sustain and keep us.

"And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." What a crowning statement this is to all that
has been said! It is said in quiet, firm assurance. Not "I hope to dwell" but "I will dwell." This
assurance is what every believer in Christ Jesus may have by resting in the promises of our great
Shepherd. Before He went to the cross He said, "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it
were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a
place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also" (John 14:2,3). Our Shepherd’s death upon the cross and His entrance into heaven as the
glorified Man has prepared a place for us. It is His desire to have us with Himself. He will soon
come to take us there to His Father’s house_"caught up… to meet the Lord in the air" (1 Thess.
4:17). If we are called home before He comes in the air, we have the assurance that if absent from

this body we will be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). The certain hope of dwelling in the house
of the Lord will strengthen us and will separate us from the world’s empty hopes and fears.
"Every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He [Christ] is pure" (1 John 3:3).
Sometimes the presence of Christ seems very real and precious to us. At other times we are not
so conscious of it. But when we are in the house of the Lord we will be forever in His presence.
"So shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thess.
4:17,18). There will be nothing to hinder the fullest enjoyment of His presence. We will see Him
face to face. Faith will be turned to sight, hope will be realized, and only love will remain. It will
be the beginning of an unending day of joy and happy fellowship with the One who loved us and
gave Himself for us. In view of that time the Lord Jesus has said, "Surely I come quickly." And
we in answer say, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus" (Rev. 22:20,21).

FRAGMENT
Oh, what a home! But such His love
That He must bring us there.
To fill that home, to be with Him,
And all His glory share.
The Father’s house, the Father’s heart,
All that the Son is given
Made ours_the objects of His love,
And He, our joy in heaven.