Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
What does Psalms 23:5 mean?
God's care is so full that it becomes a feast in the presence of enemies. The verse speaks of honor, welcome, and abundance given by the Lord even when trouble has not fully gone away.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside its immediate passage and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on Psalms 23:5
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 previous verses is, that God was a shepherd, and would provide for him as a shepherd does for his flock; the evidence here is that God had provided a table, or a feast, for him in the very presence of his enemies, and had filled his cup with joy. The word "table" here is synonymous with "feast;" and the meaning is, "thou providest for my wants.
Key words
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Context in Psalms 23
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Psalms 23 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as Book I. Psalms is the Bible’s great book of sung prayer, teaching the full range of faithful speech from anguish and repentance to jubilation and doxology. Read this chapter with the wider themes of prayer, praise, and lament in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
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