“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.”

A table

The image of the table changes from the shepherd’s provision of basic food and drink to survive in the field. This pictures generous hospitality, friendship, high esteem, and care and concern from the host, given within the security and comfort of a home.

The presence of my enemies

This is a picture of complete triumph over those who would destroy believers:
Firstly, they have to see God’s people being given the highest place of honour by Him, they endure being a witness to the real power structure given through God, which must enrage them even more.
And secondly, the victory is so complete that their presence is no threat whatsoever. They are powerless in all that really matters, mere bystanders whose presence is of no consequence.
God gives his abundant blessings even when we may feel oppressed by those who want to persecute believers, or when the challenges of this life seem overwhelming.

Anoint my head with oil

I was aware of people in the bible being anointed to symbolise them stepping into a role of service to God, such as a king or priest. So, I took this as God guiding us into the path He wants us tread – both in service to Him, and in bringing his blessing to the people in our lives.

But I also learnt that shepherds would anoint the heads of sheep to protect them from the bites of insects, and to treat wounds and prevent infection. So, God provides a protective covering to stop life’s irritations from overwhelming us, and to heal us, to keep us from the festering resentment and bitterness that life’s hurts and injuries can bring.

And I also learnt that oil could give refreshment to the head of a weary traveller. When my hairdresser has finished cutting my hair, she rubs a moistening liquid into my hair to make it behave, as grey hair tends to be wiry and unruly. Last time I asked about it, and she explained it was a mixture of oil and water. It only lasts for a very short time, but during those minutes it changes my image from a dishevelled old derelict into a well-groomed young man. That reminds me of how God changes our image of who we are in his sight, from a hopelessly decaying and wretched sinner, into new life as His much loved child, forever young as we are renewed in dependence upon Him.

My cup runs over

A cup can hold both food and drink, it represents how God fulfils our deepest hunger and thirst in life, for His righteousness and goodness. He alone brings contentment, He quenches the cravings that nothing of this earth can satisfy.
The cup runs over as his provision is abundant beyond what we can grasp or contain, or even understand. No matter how much we draw on God’s loving care, there is always more in abundance.

The cup is also symbol of victory, of winning the race, of success in overcoming life’s hardships.
In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prayed, “if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me.”
God’s blessing and provision are not given for our comfort and ease; the experience of God’s rich blessings may involve hardship and challenges, and even pain and suffering. But this verse brings the assurance that God will provide all that is needed to carry us through those hardships.

In contrast, if we pursue only those activities that entertain or give pleasure, we don’t grow, instead we tend to focus on earthly concerns and become distant from God.

I enjoy a wide variety of music on YouTube, but I have almost no skills in music; despite daily piano practice for a few years as a child I only just passed grade 2. So, when I see popular music videos showing the players in a state of endless enjoyment, I am reminded how false it is. They don’t show the many years of daily practice and frustration it has taken to gain those skills, nor the hours of repeated recordings it can take to get a song to sound perfect, nor the countless other players who strived to achieve success but were never selected.

May I be truly grateful for all that God gives as He overfills the cup of my life.