Psalm 23:5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

A classic example of this was the incident when Jesus warned Peter that satan desired to tempt him and sift him like wheat. But Christ pointed out that He had prayed that Peter’s faith might not fail during the desperate difficulty he would encounter. And so it is even today. Our Great Good Shepherd is going ahead of us in every situation, anticipating what danger we may encounter, and praying for us that in it we might not succumb. 

And again we are given a sublime picture of our Savior who knows every wile, every trick, every treachery of our enemy satan and his companions. Always we are in danger of attack. Scripture sometimes refers to him as “a roaring lion” who goes about seeking whom he may devour.

At all times, we would be wise to walk a little closer to Christ. This is one sure place of safety. It was always the distant sheep, the roamers, the wanderers that were picked off by the predators in an unsuspecting moment. But Christ is too concerned about us to allow this to happen. Our Shepherd wants to forestall such a calamity. He wants our mountaintop times to be tranquil interludes. And they will be if we just have the common sense to stay near Him where He can protect us. Read His Word each day. Spend some time talking to Him. We should give Him opportunity to converse with us by His Spirit as we contemplate His life and work for us as our Shepherd. – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller, Pgs. 129-131

Our Loving Shepherd desires for us to stay very close to Him. He is the One Who will shield and protect us from all the tactics of the enemy. There is safety in the presence of our King. He will also give us His wisdom and discernment in all of life’s circumstances and with people who may not have our best interest. Scriptures says in Hebrews 4:12b, paraphrasing, “The Word of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Rest in this truth, God knows the heart (Acts 15:8a) and He knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). The Lord Himself will remain Faithful to protect us from the enemy and his companions. For the believer, this comes with responsibility: in order for us not to fall prey to satan’s tactics, we must remain very close to the Lord, read and meditate on His Word daily, and pray without ceasing.

It is this attitude of rest in Him, of confidence in His care, of relaxation as we realize His presence in the picture that can make the Christian’s life one of calm and quiet confidence. The Christian walk can thus become a mountaintop experience-a tableland trip-simply because we are in the care and control of Christ, who has been over all this territory before us and prepared the “table” for us in plain view of our enemies who would demoralize and destroy us if they could. 

Yet in His care and concern for us, Christ still insures that we shall have some gladness with our sadness, some delightful days as well as dark days, some sunshine as well as shadow. 

When I come to the Lord’s table and partake of the communion service which is a feast of thanksgiving for His love and care, do I fully appreciate what it has cost Him to prepare this table for me?

In short, His coming to earth as the Christ, as Jesus of Nazareth, was a straightforward case of utter self-sacrifice that culminated in the cross of Calvary. The laid-down life, the poured-out blood were the supreme symbols of total selflessness. This was love. This was God. This was divinity in action, delivering men from their own utter selfishness, their own suicidal instincts as lost sheep unable to help themselves. – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Pgs. 133-135

Jesus told us Himself that He had come that we might have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10a 

James 4:7-8a Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. 

When we fully submit ourselves to God, we are able to thrive on the tablelands of an abundant and enriching life which He has made possible for us.

Part of the mystery and wonder of Calvary, of God’s love to us in Christ, is bound up too with the deep desire of His heart to have me live on a higher plane. He longs to see me living above the mundane level of common humanity. He is so pleased when I walk in the ways of holiness, of selflessness, of serene contentment in His care, aware of His presence and enjoying the intimacy of His companionship. To love thus is to live richly. To walk here is to walk with quiet assurance. To feed here is to be replete with good things. To find this tableland is to have found something of my Shepherd’s love for me. – A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Pg. 136

Psalm 23:5a You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.