Here's a free VBS lesson for you from this past week's teaching on Psalm 23. We'll specifically be looking at Verse 5. King David wrote this Psalm and, if you are familiar with the story of David, these verses can take on new meaning.
"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." - Psalm 23:5
David's enemy was Saul, the first King of Israel. Saul pursued David for 10 years, trying to kill him. Can you imagine being hunted down for 10 long years?
David was given several opportunities to kill Saul but refused to do so saying, "I will not touch the Lord's anointed." Saul had indeed been anointed as king by Samuel.
Verse five talks about how God kept David fed all those 10 years while Saul was pursuing him. David was "a man after God's own heart" and God blessed David.
After Saul was killed in battle and David became king, David asked this question:
“Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” - 2 Samuel 9:1
Jonathan was a close friend of David, and also the son of his enemy, Saul.
"Ziba answered the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is lame in both feet.” - 2 Samuel 9:3
That "son of Jonathan," the grandson of Saul, David's enemy, was named Mephibosheth.
When Mephibosheth was called into the presence of the king, he was greatly afraid. He was the grandson of the king's enemy. He had good reason to be afraid. But David did something unusual. He gave Mephibosheth all of his grandfather's property and arranged for it to be farmed. He also gave Mephibosheth a regular seat at King David's table.
Do you see what David did here? He flipped Psalm 23:5. Instead of "you prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies," David prepared a table for his enemy in the presence of his king, the Lord God Almighty.
How amazingly merciful! David honored both Jonathan and God at the same time!
"So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, because he always ate at the king’s table, and he was lame in both feet." - 2 Samuel 9:13
Jesus, Thank You - Sovereign Grace Music
