Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

David’s Serenity

This journey began down in the lowland pastures, where the lambs were born and life with the shepherd began, but the shepherd could not leave the flock there, for during the hot summer months the lowland pastures dry up. So, He leads them higher and higher, up and further up, through those deep and dangerous mountain pathways. In order to get to the high cool, plentiful mountain plateaus, the mesas, the tablelands, they had to go forward and upward, the flock had to learn to follow their shepherd, leave the green pastures and brave the dark shadows if they were to come to a place of serenity with their shepherd.

David says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” The shepherd had gone ahead and had already prepared a place for the flock to find sustenance and a higher, greater peace.

David rejoices in this time with His shepherd. “You have prepared a table to feed me and you have anoint my head with oil to sooth and comfort me. O Lord, My cup runs over.”

Stephan Haboush, who was a shepherd boy in and around Bethlehem in the late 1800s, wrote a book called My Shepherd Life in Galilee. In that Book, he talks about this phrase, “My cup runneth over.”

A pilgrim, having a very dear and intimate friend in a distant country, visits him. Upon his arrival, this pilgrim, though in a strange land, finds the gates and doors of the palace of his friend open and the friend standing expectantly with open arms to welcome him to his bosom. The pilgrim is refreshed wonderfully; the dust of the long and tedious journey is washed away, and he is made to feel at home. He did not dream of the wealth or of the great possessions of his friend, or of the beauty that he saw in every nook and corner of the magnificent palace. Every conceivable thing was lavished on the pilgrim. From the hour of his rising to the hour of his slumber he was entertained royally, for nothing was left undone to make his stay the richest experience of his life.  Every wish, and every want was fulfilled. The time of parting came.

How will he express his appreciation to his wonderful host? If he offered gold and silver his friend would feel insulted, for he was vastly richer than the pilgrim. Would the mere words “thank you" or "much obliged" be sufficient to express his sincere appreciation of the wonderful hospitality? How, then, should he express his gratitude? The pilgrim, while visiting his friend, learned that there was a supreme expression of appreciation. He could only say to his host, "My cup runneth over."

David closes his song of praise to the shepherd of Israel, by looking even higher than the table lands. He says, in vs 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

He looks past this high place of peace, past this serene supper to a dwelling place for all eternity where He will be with His shepherd forever. From the tablelands high above the valley below, David looks even more upward and forward and he sees into forever, into eternity.

Supper In My Shepherds House

One day we will hear the voice of our shepherd call us home. One day after we have journeyed through the painful paths of this life, one day when we pass through that final valley of death’s shadow, then on that day we will follow our loving shepherd to that final tableland.

On that day, we will leave behind even the high tablelands of earth, leave behind our earthly places and times of joy and go on to the highlands of heaven and like David, we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

There is so much promise in that phrase, “the house of the Lord,” to us it is speaks of heaven, but it is more than just a place. The House of the Lord means we belong in and are a part of the household of God, we belong to Him now and for eternity. Dwelling in His house forever means protection now, it is belonging to him now, it is who we are and where we will be, now and always. We are the sheep of his pasture. We are the members of His mighty, eternal house.

Remember how Jesus expressed it in John 10:27-30? “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”

One God, One Lord, One faith, One people, One Flock, One House. We are His and we are protected under the power of the House of God forever.