Langenburg Evangelical Fellowship

Lifting Up Christ, Transformed by His Love; Serving Others

410 Wells Avenue East, Box 275 Langenburg, SK, S0A 2A0 Canada

Please note that as per Premier Moe's announcement September 16, masks will now be required again in church

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Langenburg Evangelical Fellowship - a small church in southern Saskatchewan which promotes authentic worship of God, is Christ-centered, and holds the Bible as being divinely inspired and authoritative.

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Sundays

9:15 am - Adult Sunday School
10:00 am - Worship Service and Sunday School for children and youth

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GIVING

You can give on-line by e-transfer to: lef.finance@sasktel.net

You Prepare A Table Before Me in the Presence of My Enemies

May 26, 2020  /  Administrator LEF

I have to confess that this verse has caused me a lot of confusion over the years.  Whenever I’ve read these words, I’ve imagined myself in a grand banquet hall, sitting at a long table, with all kinds of wonderful delicacies laid out for me. Meanwhile, all of my enemies sat brooding along the walls, jealously watching me feast.  For just a brief moment, the prideful side of me really enjoyed that vision!  But there were always several thoughts that lurked in the back of my mind that made me think there was something wrong with my understanding of this passage:

  • If the thought of this feast makes me feel prideful over my enemies, then am I not being sinful in my pride? (Proverbs 16:18)  Am I not going against what Jesus said when He said I was to love my enemies? (Matthew 5:44)

  • How much would I relax and enjoy an elaborate feast while surrounded by my enemies?  Who would have my back?  Who would test my food?

Eventually, I understood that my dilemma came because I was thinking of this verse from the perspective of a human.  David, on the other hand, was thinking like a sheep!

You see, the "table" that David is referring to is therefore not a piece of furniture like we eat our dinner off of, but rather, it is a flat plateau in sheep ranges, like "mesas" of today.  In fact, the word "mesa" means "table."  Think of it not like a piece of furniture, but like a "tableland."

The shepherd would prepare the tableland for the sheep by going ahead of the sheep to scout it out, make sure that the water source was good, etc.  He would prepare it "in the presence of my enemies" by removing poisonous weeds, chasing off predators, and guarding against rustlers and thieves. 

The shepherd worked hard to create the ideal environment for the sheep to thrive.  Unfortunately, even in the best environment, sometimes sheep wandered away from the shepherd and hung around too close to the edges of the wild.  That was usually when disaster would strike.  The sheep were always wise to stay close to the shepherd, as we are wise to stay close to Jesus.

Thinking about my own life, I can see now the great lengths to which the Good Shepherd has gone to prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies.  He gave me the Commandments to help me against my own lack of self-control (Exodus 20).  He gave me the Bible, His living Word, to provide a lamp for my feet and a light to my path, that I might avoid the darkness (Psalm 119:105).  He sent the Holy Spirit, that I might have Someone to guide me when I need help to know the way (John 14:26).

Finally, when we receive Communion from the Lord's Table, (switching back to the piece of furniture illustration for just a moment), we can think of how Jesus paid a tremendously dear price to prepare HIS table in the presence of our great enemies, sin and death.  Through His body and blood, even these bitter foes have no power over us.

“A table in the presence of my enemies.”  I will never think of it in the same way again.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Bryan