The Divine Names: Jehovah Raah Pt. 5

 Good evening to all....

We have received some much needed spring rains and it seems to be accelerating the spring growth. We have 2 little Moses burning bushes and their foliage leafed out in one day! 

We were blessed last night to hear our Pastor preach on 1 Samuel 1 & 2, the story of an amazing mother named Hannah. It is an account that encourages all Christians, men and women. It is a story of a childless woman bearing hurt and sorrow, and being subject to ridicule by another woman who had children of her own. It is a narrative of Hannah casting all of her frustration, cares and concerns upon the Lord of glory and leaving it in His hands. 

The sermon should be available to download and listen in a few days and I would encourage you to do so. The website is heritagechurchohio.org. 

We are moving on to the last two verses as we work our way through this Psalm of David.



Jehovah our Shepherd serves His sheep 
table blessings in the middle of life’s battles.

Psalm 23:5 Thou preparest a table before

me in the presence of mine enemies: thou

anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth

over.

Preparing a banquet table for the child of God. In this verse, David tells us that Jehovah is getting a table ready before him. Jehovah our Shepherd is arranging all the items on a table to hold the good things that He has prepared for David. 

It seems most unusual to be sitting down to eat a meal in front of your enemies during periods of war. Normally, you would seek cover from your enemies while you gulped down enough nourishment to sustain you through the battle. 

David had many enemies. King Saul relentlessly chased after David and his men. David had many narrow escapes from his enemies. Yet, the picture given to us here is that Jehovah can furnish a table for His sheep even when we are surrounded by great adversity. 

Who are the enemies? The word refers to those who cause us to suffer great anxiety, to be troubled and distressed, or to be bound up by their threats. Whatever the burden shouldered by a believer, the table of Jehovah is always prepared and we may sit and be nourished.

“Anointing the head with oil” was an act of bestowing a blessing and is a sign of respect and warm hospitality for a guest. Pouring valuable oil upon a person's head was an act that refreshed the weary or dusty travelers. It was also performed many times in the Bible as an act to set someone apart for God’s purposes.

“My cup runneth over” was an act of kindness. Pouring the wine until it overflowed from the cup was meant to show a guest that they were welcome to stay as long as they wished. For as long as the guest stayed, it meant that the host would make sure there was an abundance of provision for the table. 

In the text from Psalm 37 below, we are reminded that the steps of a man (or woman, or young person) whose heart is right with God, will be arranged or ordered by the Lord. The struggles we face are real and may be intense, and we may fall down, but the Lord will uphold us when we need to be lifted up. 

Here, the Psalmist tells us about the wonderful table God prepares for the child of God as we walk through this life with Him. The righteous, he says, have never been forsaken and they have not had to beg for bread. Jehovah has always provided for the needs of His sheep.

Psalms 37:23-25  The steps of a good man

are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth

in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be

utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.

Even while we are in the battle we still need fed and

watered and rest!

____________________________________VERSE 6

The faithful tending of Jehovah our Shepherd

carries us on from this life into eternal life.

Psalm 23:6    Surely goodness and mercy 

shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. 

David expresses the security and certainty of the promises of Jehovah our Shepherd. His goodness and mercy will chase after us. The mercy and goodness of Jehovah will always pursue us all through this life and the next. They will never stop coming after us because Jehovah has promised to extend them to us.

Salvation is all of God. He saves us, He keeps us and He will carry us all the way through this life and into eternity with Him. This is an extraordinary and blessed truth for the sheep in Jehovah's pasture.

We rejoice because Jehovah our shepherd 

anoints us with His mercy and grace.

Psalm 27:1-4 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?  When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.  Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.   One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

We rejoice because Jehovah our shepherd 

invites us to spend eternity with Him.

POINTS TO PONDER........

• Are you one of Jehovah's sheep? You must be born again in order to enter into this lifelong relationship.

• Are you resting and reflecting upon Jehovah as He feeds and waters your soul?

• Do we run to our Great Shepherd to have our soul restored and revived when we are downcast or have wandered astray?

• Do we bask in His comforting presence during all of life's trials and troubles that we experience?

• Are we rejoicing in His promises of eternal life and abundant mercy?

The 23rd Psalm is far more than a funeral text. It is a Psalm of life, hope and comfort. It communicates the heart of Jehovah to His sheep. It reminds us of what is true and sure when we are overwhelmed by the problems of living in a sin darkened world.

Jehovah is a trustworthy Shepherd who always does what He says He will do. He is faithful and true and our hearts can safely trust in Him.

Bob