Delivered from the Enemy
By J.B. Hixson
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:5-6)
Psalm 23 is easily the most well-known and beloved Psalm in the Bible. In this beautiful hymn, David draws on his experience as both a shepherd and a king to describe the Lord in meaningful, eloquent terms. It is hard to imagine anyone reading this Psalm and being unable to connect with the Lord on some level. The applications to our everyday life are rich and endless.
David spends the first four verses focusing on God as our Shepherd who provides for us, protects us, and guides us on the right path. In verse five, David switches his metaphor from shepherd to king. As he reflects on God’s goodness, he points out that God is not only like a good Shepherd who cares for His sheep; He is also like a faithful King who cares for His subjects.
In the ancient Near East, it was common for Kings to hold victory feasts following a victory in war. At this feast, the King would often honor the leading general in his army by anointing his head with oil. Anointing the head with oil was considered a special sign of honor and respect. In some cases, the feet would also be anointed with oil indicating an even greater honor.
The point David is making in verse five is that God, our Great King, will give us the victory over our enemies and bring honor to Himself by bringing honor to his subjects. David does not mention the name of his enemy in this passage. Yet certainly, David and the nation of Israel were no strangers to foreign enemies. Perhaps David had the Midianites in mind. Or maybe he was thinking of the Ammonites or some other hostile neighboring land. But whoever his enemy was, David was confident that God would provide the victory.
I am glad David does not give us the name of his enemy in this verse. It makes it easier for us to substitute whatever enemy we may be facing. Perhaps your enemy is fear. Maybe it is guilt. Maybe it is some physical infirmity or an actual threat from another person. Maybe it is financial difficulties that threaten your well-being. Whatever your enemy, David reminds us that God will host a victory feast in our honor after He successfully conquers our adversary.
God has invited all of His children to join Him at the victory feast. Even better, while we are enjoying a scrumptious meal, God forces our enemies to sit idly by and watch. Verse six in this Psalm contains a clever play on words. The verb “follow” in Hebrew means “pursue,” and it is always used in Hebrew literature in the context of enemies pursuing their prey. Yet here, David says that it is “God’s goodness and mercy” that are pursuing him. In other words, while our enemies sit helpless, God is the one pursuing us so that He can bless us with His goodness.
What is the natural response to having a God who is both our great Shepherd and faithful King? Like David, we must purpose in our heart to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” That is, we must remain close to the Lord and allow Him to lead us. Are you dwelling in the presence of the Lord today? There is no better way to find deliverance from your enemies than to stick close to the Lord.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:5-6)
Psalm 23 is easily the most well-known and beloved Psalm in the Bible. In this beautiful hymn, David draws on his experience as both a shepherd and a king to describe the Lord in meaningful, eloquent terms. It is hard to imagine anyone reading this Psalm and being unable to connect with the Lord on some level. The applications to our everyday life are rich and endless.
David spends the first four verses focusing on God as our Shepherd who provides for us, protects us, and guides us on the right path. In verse five, David switches his metaphor from shepherd to king. As he reflects on God’s goodness, he points out that God is not only like a good Shepherd who cares for His sheep; He is also like a faithful King who cares for His subjects.
In the ancient Near East, it was common for Kings to hold victory feasts following a victory in war. At this feast, the King would often honor the leading general in his army by anointing his head with oil. Anointing the head with oil was considered a special sign of honor and respect. In some cases, the feet would also be anointed with oil indicating an even greater honor.
The point David is making in verse five is that God, our Great King, will give us the victory over our enemies and bring honor to Himself by bringing honor to his subjects. David does not mention the name of his enemy in this passage. Yet certainly, David and the nation of Israel were no strangers to foreign enemies. Perhaps David had the Midianites in mind. Or maybe he was thinking of the Ammonites or some other hostile neighboring land. But whoever his enemy was, David was confident that God would provide the victory.
I am glad David does not give us the name of his enemy in this verse. It makes it easier for us to substitute whatever enemy we may be facing. Perhaps your enemy is fear. Maybe it is guilt. Maybe it is some physical infirmity or an actual threat from another person. Maybe it is financial difficulties that threaten your well-being. Whatever your enemy, David reminds us that God will host a victory feast in our honor after He successfully conquers our adversary.
God has invited all of His children to join Him at the victory feast. Even better, while we are enjoying a scrumptious meal, God forces our enemies to sit idly by and watch. Verse six in this Psalm contains a clever play on words. The verb “follow” in Hebrew means “pursue,” and it is always used in Hebrew literature in the context of enemies pursuing their prey. Yet here, David says that it is “God’s goodness and mercy” that are pursuing him. In other words, while our enemies sit helpless, God is the one pursuing us so that He can bless us with His goodness.
What is the natural response to having a God who is both our great Shepherd and faithful King? Like David, we must purpose in our heart to “dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” That is, we must remain close to the Lord and allow Him to lead us. Are you dwelling in the presence of the Lord today? There is no better way to find deliverance from your enemies than to stick close to the Lord.
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