18. The Supply of Nourishment: "Thou preparest a table before me" (23:5a)

Psalm 23:5a

A tradition seder meal prepared in Israel

            Psalm 23:5 keeps the intimate second person language which began in verse 4, with the sheep addressing the shepherd directly. In all, there are ten lessons to be learned in these tender two verses. As I, His sheep, commune with my shepherd, I see the prepared supply of nourishment, despite the surrounding of the enemies. In this verse, I see my Shepherd anoint my head with the overflowing abundance of His Spirit.  

The Preparation: God has prepared for me a table. The word “prepare” means to “lay in order.” He has been expecting me and prepared a table as I come out of the Valley of the Death Shadow.

            1. Notice the prepared supper. He supplies the nourishment we need. In Matthew 22, He invites the entire world to His prepared table: “ ⁴He sent out his servants, saying, ‘Tell them “Behold, I have prepared my dinner: … all things are ready, come to the marriage.” Unfortunately, not all will not come.
            I love how the servants gathered “as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests” (22:10). I do not have to be good enough to come to His table, I simply must respond and be clothed in His forgiveness (22:12).

            2. Secondly, notice the prepared salvation. God prepared my salvation and chose me in Christ. Ephesians 1:4 – “He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.” This salvation is a blessed inheritance of a kingdom. Jesus said, “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 25:34).
 

            3. Thirdly, His preparations are secure! Do not have any reservations about your reservation in heaven. Not only is His preparation secure, it is spacious! Jesus Christ, right now, is preparing heaven for me and all who trust Him. John 14 says, “ ²In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

  4. Also, His preparations will be spectacular, unheard of, and quite unimaginable. “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Elsewhere, Paul described the preparations are made to show the splendor of His glory, "that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory."

          5.  There is another preparation, though, and it is a preparation of separation. Not all will come to the table prepared for them. Not all will receive and feed at the Supply of Nourishment. Matthew 25 says that “He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats…Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

“Dear Shepherd, before my spiritual eyes, I see a table of heavenly food prepared. May I feast at your banqueting table. Amen.”