Hey Church!

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” 

The Lord’s Table has been set for this Sunday and you are invited to come, eat, drink, and be satisfied. To begin your weekend of preparation, find a quiet place, silence distractions, and meditate again on Psalm 23. Since it is so familiar to many of us, try to force yourself to slow down and really ponder each phrase. 

Psalm 23 (ESV) The Lord Is My Shepherd. A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name’s sake.

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. 

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.

In 2007, retired shepherd Phillip Keller wrote a profound book on Psalm 23. A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm truly brought David’s words to life for me and transformed the way I understand God as “shepherd” in the Bible. I highly recommend you pick up a copy (CLICK HERE to link to Amazon).

As it turns out, we humans share a lot in common with sheep. Sooner or later, you may learn that happiness in the Christian life belongs to those who humbly accept their sheep-ness and take comfort in the rod and staff of their Shepherd. Sheep are notoriously obstinate creatures; they repeat the same harmful behaviors over and over again before slowly, if ever, learning their lesson. As such, they require the shepherd’s meticulous attention and diligence to provide them with adequate pasture, water, leadership, protection, correction, and tender care. Our Good Shepherd cares for us and He delights in doing so.

When David wrote, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” he was not referring to a wooden surface with four legs but to a plateau–an elevated pasture that was safe for feeding. Shepherds were always on the move with their flocks so as not to overgraze any one area. But preparing a “table” (plateau) required days of hard labor. First, the area needed to be scouted and cleared of any poisonous plant life or predators, and safe passage to water provided. Then the ground would be cultivated, fertilized, and irrigated. Only after these preparations were complete would a shepherd lead his flock, at times by way of a valley, up to the “table” for grazing.

Our Good Shepherd has gone before you and shed His blood, sweat, and tears to prepare a Table for you. The bread and wine of communion are signs that you are in His safe keeping. As you eat and drink these elements, let whatever is wandering and restless in your soul find deep contentment in the knowledge that your provider, defender, and tender caretaker is close at hand. His eyes never close in sleep, his rod and staff are always at the ready, and everything He leads you through is for your good and His glory. He loves you more than you can even comprehend.

While we share communion this Sunday, the worship team will play a musical rendition of Psalm 23. You can listen to the song in the link below. As you listen, and as you partake of the communion elements, marvel at the goodness of your Shepherd who has spared nothing to provide for you.