you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Psalm 23:5b (ESV)
In the first part of Psalm 23, the Psalmist speaks about the Shepherd to us as he describes the goodness of his actions (e.g. “He makes”, “He leads”, “He restores”). There is a shift in his description as the Psalmist begins to walk through the valley of deep darkness. He changes from talking about the Shepherd to speaking with the Shepherd (e.g. “You are with me”, “Your rod”, “Your staff”, “You prepare”) and it is the same with the second half of verse 5. The Psalmist speaks to the Shepherd as he remembers that it is the Shepherd who anoints him with oil. It’s a wonderful picture of the extravagant generosity, care, and grace of the Good Shepherd as he lavishes these good things on his sheep. Even as he is reclining at table with the Shepherd in the presence of his enemies, the Psalmist tells us that the Shepherd anoints his head with a fragrant oil. An oil that brings healing to his physical body both through care and refreshment of his skin along with the reviving aroma he takes in through his senses. In this verse, you can feel the spirit of the Psalmist being lifted as he declares, “my cup overflows.” It wasn’t just a refreshing for that singular moment, it was a refreshing from the Shepherd to overflowing, meant to carry him onward in his journey.
It amazes me how much detail is packed into such a small section of just nine words. Honestly, I often gloss over these nine words as I think and reflect on Psalm 23. It’s one of the passages of the Bible that God uses regularly in my life to remind me of his goodness and love. For some reason, I tend to move quickly over this second half of verse five. Maybe it’s because I am hyper-focused on the table being prepared for me and the beauty of having fellowship with my Savior when I am in great distress, and I just stop at that moment to reflect. I need to carry on with my reading because this second half of the verse is a powerful reminder of what it means to recline at the table with him in fellowship and communion.
Anointing with oil is a special tradition that the host was to provide for the special guest that arrived. We see this in Luke 7:46, “You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.” Mary was so overwhelmed by the abundant grace and love of Jesus in her life, that she wanted to give to him in a lavish way. She took her expensive alabaster flask of ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus. She gave an overflowing amount of the ointment as she poured it on his feet and wiped it with her hair and tears. The fragrance was pervasive in the house, and this amount of oil for anointment was seen as wasteful from a worldly perspective. Jesus did not see her gift and expression of love as a waste. He accepted it. He let Mary anoint is feet with a fragrant ointment and tears, as she used her hair to wipe his feet. It is a shocking picture to think about. Jesus, sitting at the table surround by all these important people of the city, letting a prostitute anoint his feet with oil and tears. He lets Mary express her love and thankfulness in this special way.
The Psalmist tells us that Jesus is just like Mary in this picture. He is the One who comes and anoints our head with oil as we recline at table with him in the presence of our enemies. It’s not enough of a picture to imagine us sitting at the table with Jesus, surrounded by the people that hate and despise the Savior. Jesus then makes a mockery of them by anointing my head with a fragrant oil. The aroma dissipating throughout the area to announce and declare that the Savior Shepherd is present and at work. The aroma is for me as well. It is meant to bring life and vitality to me. It is to remind me of the awesome presence of the Lord in my life. The oil brings healing to both my body and my soul.
As if this wasn’t enough, the Psalmist goes further to share that his cup is overflowing. Jesus is not just giving us the minimum of what is needed to refresh and restore us. He is not just giving the tithe, so to speak. He is giving over and above what it required. Psalm 133:2 says, “It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes!” This is the image I need to picture of Jesus anointing me with oil. It is an extravagant pouring out of fragrant oil to anoint my head. It is a symbol of the abundant grace and love of Jesus for me. When the tempter comes to whisper in my ear that I am alone and that my Savior has left me. The fragrant oil of anointing is there to speak truth to my very soul. My Savior is always with me. He invites me to the table of fellowship and communion with him. He anoints my head with oil. And as I sit and reflect on his anointing, I more readily see and will acknowledge that truly my cup overflows.
Father, I need the truth of this to change me. My heart feels so distant at times as I walk through the valley of deep darkness. I find myself listening to and believing the whispering lies of the tempter and enemy of my soul. I am quick to look at the world around me and then gaze upon what I see. I let my gaze stir up so many wrong thoughts in my mind. I covet and become jealous, which leads me to question your goodness and faithfulness to me. I need this image of Jesus anointing my head with oil. Thank you for reminding me of the steadfast, abundant love you have for me in and through Jesus. It makes me wonder how I could ever doubt these things. Thank you for your continued mercy and patience in my life. It is an absolute joy to know that my Savior invites me to the table of his presence to have fellowship and communion with him all the time. Not just in the dark moments, but in every moment. Thank you, Jesus.