Psalms 23:5

Thou preparest a table before me,.... In a providential way granting a sufficiency, and even an affluence of temporal good things; the providence of God lays and spreads a table for his people in the

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. A table before me. The Hebrew for "table" [ shulchaan (H7979)] is one spread with viands.

Thou furnishest me with plenty and variety of provisions and comforts, mine enemies seeing, and envying, and fretting at it, but not being able to hinder it. With oil; or, ointment, as the Syriac and Arabic interpreters render it; with aromatical ointments, which were then used at great feasts, . The sense is, Thy comforts delight my soul: compare . My cup runneth over; thou hast given me a very plentiful portion, signified by the cup given to the guests by the master of the feast.

Psalms 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.Ver. 5. Thou preparest a table before] Here he makes use of another metaphor from a liberal feast maker, or (as some will have it) from a most kind father, making provision for his dearly beloved child: so did God for David, both in regard to temporals and spirituals. God had given him (as he doth all his people) all things richly to enjoy, all things needful for life and godliness, the upper and nether springs, the blessings of the right hand and of the left, bona throni, et bona scabelli, as Austin phraseth it. Now, outward prosperity, when it followeth close walking with God, is very sweet; as the cipher when it followeth the figure addeth to the number, though it be nothing in itself. David’ s table was laden with God’ s creatures, and did even sweat with variety of them. God had let down to him, as afterwards he did to Peter, a vessel with all manner of beasts of the earth and fowls of the air in it, Acts 10:12. This he is very sensible of and thankful for, as a singular favour. In the presence of mine enemies] i.e. In sight and spite of them, hostibus videntibus et ringentibus. God doth good to his people, maugre the malice of earth and of hell. Thou anointest my head with oil] A piece of entertainment common in those times and among that people, Luke 7:36-38, to show the greater respect to their guests. And although this is not every good man’ s case in temporal respects, yet at the word and sacraments God anointeth his guests with the oil of gladness. My cup runneth over] He had not only a fulness of abundance, but of redundancy. Those that have this happiness must carry their cup upright, and see that it overflow into their poor brethren’ s emptier vessels.

(5) Such a sudden transition from the figure of the flock to that of a banquet is characteristic of Hebrew poetry. Preparest—i.e., spreadest or furnishest, the usual phrase (Proverbs 9:2; Isaiah 21:5). (For the same figure of the hospitable host applied to God, see Job 36:16; Isaiah 25:6; and the well-known parables in the New Testament.) In the presence of mine enemies.—We must imagine the banquet spread on some secure mountain height, in sight of the baffled foe, who look on in harmless spite. My cup runneth over.—Literally, My cup is abundant drink. Cup, in the sense of portion, has already occurred (Psalms 11:6; Psalms 16:5). The LXX. has, “Thine intoxicating cup, how excellent it is;” Vulg. the same, but with “my” instead of “thy.”

Verse 5. Thou preparest a table before me] Here the second allegory begins. A magnificent banquet is provided by a most liberal and benevolent host; who has not only the bounty to feed me, but power to protect me; and, though surrounded by enemies, I sit down to this table with confidence, knowing that I shall feast in perfect security. This may refer to the favour God gave the poor captive Israelites in the sight of the Chaldeans who had grievously treated them for seventy years; and whose king, Cyrus, had not only permitted them now to return to their own land, but had also furnished them with every thing requisite for their passage, and for repairing the walls of Jerusalem, and rebuilding the temple of the Lord, where the sacrifices were offered as usual, and the people of God feasted on them. Thou anointest my head with oil] Perfumed oil was poured on the heads of distinguished guests, when at the feasts of great personages. The woman in the Gospel, who poured the box of ointment of spikenard on the head of our Lord (see Matthew 26:6-7; Mr 14:8; Lu 7:46,) only acted according to the custom of her own country, which the host, who invited our Lord, had shamefully neglected. My cup runneth over.] Thou hast not only given me abundance of food, but hast filled my cup with the best wine.

5, 6. The figure is changed. Jehovah is now described as the host who bountifully entertains the Psalmist at his table, and provides him with a lodging in his own house, as Oriental monarchs entertained those to whom they wished to shew special favour. See Genesis 43:16; 2 Samuel 9:7 ff; 2 Samuel 19:33; 1 Kings 4:27.

Thou preparest a table - The image is now changed, though expressing the general idea which is indicated in the first verse of the psalm, “I shall not want.” The evidence or proof of this in the

5. Thou preparest a table—The figure changes. To prepare a table for one, is, in oriental custom, a mark of favour and friendship.