Psalm 23:5 English Standard Version (ESV)

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.

The Lord makes provisions for our tables. It is our table, His provisions. Do we clear our table to make room for His provision? Do we try and leave our “stuff” on the table and allow our “stuff” to be mixed in with the Lord’s provisions? Do we lay claim to ownership? Does pride get in the way?

This is done in the presence of our enemies to allow them to know that God is on our side. It is that verse, if the Lord be with me, who can stand against me. Christ is the victorious warrior and the enemy knows it. The enemy is a defeated foe.

He has anointed us with the Holy Spirit. All that He is and does serves God and blesses us in the process.

Our cup overflows. We cannot contain the blessings bestowed upon us. Not to worry, they are not wasted but fall upon others abide around us.

This is the key verse. Simple yet profound. We owe all glory and honor to He who has anointed us, blessed us, protected us, and an endless number of things too numerous to mention here.

Psalm 23:4 English Standard Version (ESV)

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

What strikes fear in your heart? We all have something the takes first place in our personal fear. It might be heights, or spiders, or scorpions, or millipedes. Fear is a personal thing. The shadow of death is an ancient name for the Black Mamba, a deadly and aggressive territorial snake. The valley of that snake is a gathering place for breeding and it is fiercely defended. Wisdom does not go there.

Wisdom may keep you from going where fear is a known commodity. We cannot always avoid fear because we live in the world and will find ourselves in fearful situations.

What is evil? Spiders, scorpions and snakes are not evil. They are nature. Satan is evil. His minions are evil. They do seem to be everywhere at times. When your car breaks down in the middle of the night we cannot control who is their or their intentions.

We who have the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Lord’s anointed, are never alone.

His rod is the rod of correction. His staff is the shepherd’s staff of guidance.  Both need to be accepted to perform God’s will in this relationship. Knowing God is on our side begins with correction and obedience. It works on self and self is where fear resides.

Jeremiah 50:44 English Standard Version (ESV) “Behold, like a lion coming up from the thicket of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly make them run away from her, and I will appoint over her whomever I choose. For who is like me? Who will summon me? What shepherd can stand before me?”