You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Psalm 23:5-6

David was a shepherd, and that is how he relates God’s love for us in this Psalm. Jesus is our shepherd and does all the same things for us that David talks about. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). David of course did not know Jesus on earth, but he knew God, and David was Jesus’ earthly ancestor.

In his book, “A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23,” W. Phillip Keller talks about how shepherds take their flocks to mesas higher up in the mountains. It is a wonderful place for the sheep to spend the warmer weather of summer, but it is not without danger to get there, and the shepherds do lots of work to get the sheep safely to the destination.

Our Good Shepherd has done the work for us and prepared His table before us. We have been anointed with the Holy Spirit of baptism and our cups are truly full of His grace and mercy. His goodness and mercy have followed us all the days of our lives. 

And in the end, there will be no end, because we truly will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You for the grace and mercy that You have sent to us through Your Son Jesus. In his name we pray that You would keep us strong in our faith as we await the blessed resurrection with Jesus. Amen.

Contributed by Paul Obermann

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Bible Reading

Read John 10 and record any insights you gain here.

Call to Connection

Reflect on the people you have been called to walk alongside of in life. Reach out to one of them today and remind them that you are here for them.