An Unexpected Table
An Unexpected Table
Without departing from this valley of the shadow of death, David describes another dark scenario… being ‘in the presence of [his] enemies’.
Sadly, David was no stranger to being in this situation. For years, he was relentlessly hunted by King Saul and then later on he was also pursued by his own son Absalom!
But even though David mentions a scenario that should be dark and scary in this psalm, what was simultaneously true was that God had ‘prepare[d] a table before [him]’ in this place.
As marvellous as that sounds, doesn’t it also seem like an odd picture, dear friend?
If you were David, face to face with your enemies or those who wanted to hurt you, what do you think you’d be doing?
Maybe engaging in a bout of combat, hiding somewhere, or even running away? David describes doing neither of these things.
Instead, the picture David paints is most unexpected: he dines with God. Dines. Sits at a table. Eats great food. Has fellowship with God.
What’s more is that David is the guest of honour at this table. It is David himself that God has specially prepared this table for in advance. God is David’s host, setting out a lavish spread for David in the most unexpected circumstance.
What I find fascinating about this is that God does not remove David’s enemies, just as He didn’t remove the presence of evil in the valley. If God removed David’s enemies, then dining like this would make sense. It’s easy and natural to dine when there’s no conflict.
But no, God doesn’t touch his enemies and instead seemingly does not even care about them at all!
As usual, I find that Charles Spurgeon’s ruminations always bring such understanding to a passage. He says this about verse 5,
‘When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But observe: ‘Thou preparest a table,’ just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace.’
Dear friend, in the presence of our enemies, we can sit down and eat as if everything were in perfect peace. Why? Because God is with us.
As a result of God’s presence with us, the way we respond in situations like these should change. Yes, although we may be facing conflict, there is a table spread before us. Yes, although we may be facing our enemies, we can actually be in perfect peace.
Dear friend, if our God is not concerned with our enemies, then neither do we need to be. Let us take our minds off them and focus on dining with God today.
Reflection:
What surprises you about how God treats David while he’s in the presence of his enemies?
What does this tell you about God?
Prayer:
Dear God,
You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies and You enable me to dine with You in peace. I pray that I may feel Your perfect peace today, keeping my eyes focused entirely on You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Psalms 23:5 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/psa.23.5.HCSB
Without departing from this valley of the shadow of death, David describes another dark scenario… being ‘in the presence of [his] enemies’.
Sadly, David was no stranger to being in this situation. For years, he was relentlessly hunted by King Saul and then later on he was also pursued by his own son Absalom!
But even though David mentions a scenario that should be dark and scary in this psalm, what was simultaneously true was that God had ‘prepare[d] a table before [him]’ in this place.
As marvellous as that sounds, doesn’t it also seem like an odd picture, dear friend?
If you were David, face to face with your enemies or those who wanted to hurt you, what do you think you’d be doing?
Maybe engaging in a bout of combat, hiding somewhere, or even running away? David describes doing neither of these things.
Instead, the picture David paints is most unexpected: he dines with God. Dines. Sits at a table. Eats great food. Has fellowship with God.
What’s more is that David is the guest of honour at this table. It is David himself that God has specially prepared this table for in advance. God is David’s host, setting out a lavish spread for David in the most unexpected circumstance.
What I find fascinating about this is that God does not remove David’s enemies, just as He didn’t remove the presence of evil in the valley. If God removed David’s enemies, then dining like this would make sense. It’s easy and natural to dine when there’s no conflict.
But no, God doesn’t touch his enemies and instead seemingly does not even care about them at all!
As usual, I find that Charles Spurgeon’s ruminations always bring such understanding to a passage. He says this about verse 5,
‘When a soldier is in the presence of his enemies, if he eats at all he snatches a hasty meal, and away he hastens to the fight. But observe: ‘Thou preparest a table,’ just as a servant does when she unfolds the damask cloth and displays the ornaments of the feast on an ordinary peaceful occasion. Nothing is hurried, there is no confusion, no disturbance, the enemy is at the door and yet God prepares a table, and the Christian sits down and eats as if everything were in perfect peace.’
Dear friend, in the presence of our enemies, we can sit down and eat as if everything were in perfect peace. Why? Because God is with us.
As a result of God’s presence with us, the way we respond in situations like these should change. Yes, although we may be facing conflict, there is a table spread before us. Yes, although we may be facing our enemies, we can actually be in perfect peace.
Dear friend, if our God is not concerned with our enemies, then neither do we need to be. Let us take our minds off them and focus on dining with God today.
Reflection:
What surprises you about how God treats David while he’s in the presence of his enemies?
What does this tell you about God?
Prayer:
Dear God,
You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies and You enable me to dine with You in peace. I pray that I may feel Your perfect peace today, keeping my eyes focused entirely on You.
In Jesus’ name, amen.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
Psalms 23:5 HCSB
https://bible.com/bible/72/psa.23.5.HCSB