4-18-19 SHEEP III (Psalm 23 part III)

Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:

A watchful shepherd will carefully lead his flock to a place where the grasses are green and healthy. Poisonous plants have destroyed whole flocks. Sheep cannot determine by instinct what foods are good for them and which are dangerous. The figurative "table" represents a shepherd checking out what may be eaten buy his sheep. The shepherd will also keep an eye out for dangerous snakes and other enemies who may take advantage of grazing sheep.

Thou anointest my head with oil:

In the heat of the summer, nasal flies torment sheep. The pests buzz around trying to lay their eggs on a sheep's wet nose. When the eggs hatch into worms they burrow up the nose and cause terrible irritation. Sheep will stomp their feet and shake their heads frantically, trying to rid themselves of the bugs. A good shepherd will stroke his sheep and pour oil on his nose to keep the flies away and protect against their harmful behavior.  Then the sheep can feed comfortably and quietly again.

My cup runneth over:

At the end of a day the shepherd of a small flock will fill a large low rimmed bowl with fresh water. He will place the bowl in his lap. One by one the sheep will come to drink out of the bowl. As the animal drinks, the shepherd is able to closely examine his lambs for cuts or burrs, scratches or fevers. He will fill the bowl over and over until the lamb has had enough and can settle down for the night.

My story goes like this: I am a lamb and the Lord is my Shepherd. He makes me lie down in green pastures, then he leads me to still waters. When I fall over by the water, he restores me back to my legs. We then walk down a narrow pathway between fields. He keeps me focused so I don't stray, so no one else can claim to own me. I have his name attached to mine.  Pretty soon we come to  deep dark valley, but I don't fear it, because he is with me. His rod and his staff are a comfort to me, because I know he will protect me with them. Wherever we end up, he makes sure I have the best food available. He does all this even when my enemies are around. At the end of the day he calls me to him and sits down with a large bowl of water. He cleans me and puts oil on my head and ears and nostrils to keep flies from boring into me. He checks for wounds and fevers while I drink from the overflowing bowl.

That's my storyline, so I can remember the order of things.

OK, I'm now going to try to remember how it goes:

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures

He leadeth me beside the still waters

He restoreth my soul

He leadeth me in  the path of righteousness for his name's sake

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
Thou anoints my head with oil.

My cup runneth over.

I am reminded of the Savior intervening in the stoning of an adulteress. He walks between a pitiful individual and her enemies. Just the intervention had to have been nourishment to her empty sense of self. The willingness of "the shepherd" to set  a feast before someone others consider unworthy is representative of the Lord being "no respecter of persons".  

When I put myself in her shoes the words "in the presence of mine enemies" cinch it for me. He makes no apologies for the love He has for me. The doesn't love me with conditions. He doesn't love me "in spite of myself". He doesn't care what other people think of me, or for that matter, what they think of him for caring about me. He just loves me.

He just loves me.

What lamb would not want that kind of shepherd?