John Calvin Commentary Psalms 23:5

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou hast anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over." — Psalms 23:5 (ASV)

You will prepare. These words, which are in the future tense, here denote a continued act. David, therefore, now repeats, without a figure, what he has until now declared concerning the beneficence of God, under the likeness of a shepherd. He explains that, through God's liberality, he is supplied with everything necessary to sustain his life.

When he says, You prepare a table before me, he means that God provided him with sustenance without trouble or difficulty on his part, just as a father might reach out his hand to give food to his child. He highlights this benefit by adding that even though many malicious people envy his happiness, desire his ruin, and indeed try to rob him of God's blessing, God nevertheless continues to show His liberality towards him and to do him good.

What he adds concerning oil refers to a custom that prevailed then. We know that in ancient times, ointments were used at grander feasts, and no one considered their guests honorably received if they had not perfumed them with it. Now, this abundant supply of oil and this overflowing cup should be understood as signifying an abundance that goes beyond the mere supply of life's common necessities. For this is said in praise of the royal wealth with which, as the sacred historian records, David had been generously supplied.

Admittedly, not all people are treated with the same liberality with which David was treated.

However, no one is free from obligation to God for the benefits He has bestowed, which compels us to acknowledge that He is a kind and liberal Father to all His people.

Meanwhile, let each of us stir himself to gratitude to God for His benefits; and the more abundantly these have been bestowed upon us, the greater our gratitude should be. If a person is ungrateful who, having only a coarse loaf, does not acknowledge God's fatherly providence in it, how much less tolerable is the stupidity of those who gorge themselves on the great abundance of God's good things they possess, without any sense or appreciation of His goodness toward them?

David, therefore, by his own example, admonishes the rich regarding their duty, so that they may be more fervent in expressing their gratitude to God, the more delicately He feeds them. Furthermore, let us remember that those who have greater abundance than others are just as bound to observe moderation as if they had only enough of this life's good things for their limited and temperate enjoyment.

By nature, we are too inclined to excess. Therefore, when God is bountiful to His people regarding worldly things, His purpose is not to stir up and nourish this disease in them. Everyone ought to pay attention to the rule of Paul, stated in Philippians 4:12, that they may know both how to be abased, and how to abound. So that lack may not sink us into despondency, we need to be sustained by patient endurance. On the other hand, so that too great abundance may not unduly elate us, we need to be restrained by the bridle of temperance.

Accordingly, when the Lord enriches His own people, He simultaneously restrains the licentious desires of the flesh by the spirit of confidence, so that, of their own accord, they set rules of temperance for themselves. This is not to say it is unlawful for rich people to enjoy more freely the abundance they possess than if God had given them a smaller portion. However, all people (and especially kings) ought to beware lest they become immersed in voluptuous pleasures.

David, no doubt, as was perfectly lawful, allowed himself more latitude than if he had been merely one of the common people, or if he had still lived in his father’s cottage. But he so regulated himself amidst his delicacies as to take no pleasure at all in merely stuffing and fattening his body. He knew well how to distinguish between the table which God had prepared for him and a trough for swine. It is also especially noteworthy that although David lived on his own lands, the tribute money, and other revenues of the kingdom, he gave thanks to God just as if God had daily given him his food with His own hand. From this we conclude that he was not blinded by his riches, but always looked upon God as the head of his household, who brought out food and drink from His own store and distributed it to him at the proper season.