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“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” (Isaiah 26:3, ESV)

David wrote Psalm 23 as a metaphor guiding the reader to see the Lord as having traits like that of a shepherd.  David had spent his younger years caring for sheep.  Sheep were a huge part of the economy. He knew how valuable they were.  He also understood how vulnerable they were to predators (large and small) and needed to be protected.

One of the reasons the shepherd anoints the sheep with oil was to protect them from flies, gnats and parasites.  The shepherd would make sure that the oil would run around the sheep’s eyes, ears, and noses. A sheep could break its’ own skull while trying to seek relief from these brain-eating parasites.  When the shepherd applied oil, it brought peace to the sheep.  An instant barrier of protection against the evil trying to destroy them.

A shepherd also knows that sometimes sheep will clash with each other. Often the males butted heads. He couldn’t stop them from clashing, but the oil would allow their heads to bounce off without doing a lot of harm to each other.

David writes about the Lord putting him in a place before his enemies and his head being covered by oil.  I don’t know about you but when I have to be around my enemies, I want to look my best. I’m not sure having a greasy head would be it.

But I believe David was trying to teach us a deeper lesson.

Have you ever been in a hurtful situation in life?  Feeling mistreated? Are you butting your head against the wall (like sheep) trying to get relief from what’s taking place in your life?

Just like the sheep had enemies that caused them great mental anguish so do we as children of God. You are even more important than sheep in God’s economy.  When life and others mistreat you, He is there.

The prophet Isaiah also tells us that when we focus on Jesus, he will keep our minds in perfect peace. He is our oil that gives immediate relief.  We just simply call on the name of Jesus. Demons flee at the sound of His name.  The blood of Jesus protects us from those parasites after our souls.

It’s also important to note that David didn’t write about what God was doing in the presence of his friends, but his enemies.  David was rejoicing that the Lord had placed him in a position where he was sitting at a table with his enemies and felt perfect peace.  “Thou anointest my head with oil.” (Psalm 23:5-6)

You can have peace in the midst of great heartache.

“Father, you are our shepherd.  Remind us today that we can call on Jesus our instant barrier of protection from the evil that tries to destroy us.”

For His Glory,

Laura Holmes www.ephraimministries.org
TRBC Women’s Life