Psalm 23 - verse 5

You prepare a table before me, in the presence of my enemies...

After carefully examining this segment, I was so overwhelmed by the 'word picture' it formed, that its taken weeks of patiently mulling it over in an effort to phrase it in English.  And I still can't really do it. 

There are several remarkable words used here, and they both play off of each other and work together.  The whole verse is clumsily translated, and the reason might be because its difficult to communicate.

The words are 'arak' (translated 'prepare'), 'shulchan (translated 'table'), 'neged' (translated 'in the presence of'), and 'tsarar' (translated 'enemies'),

Arak: lay out a case, set out arguments, prepare for battle, draw up battle lines, furnish, equip

Shulchan: to spread out, its translated as 'table' by implication, because that is a place that something is 'spread out' on, but the meaning of the word is 'spread out'.  In combination with 'arak' it is saying that the 'case' is laid out or set out as if on a table, its visible, ordered, arranged.  The root of this word is 'shalach' which means 'sent out'...and that's translated as messenger or angel (a sent out one).  The root to keep in mind is 'spreading out', and spreading out with a sense of purpose

Neged: right in front of, consipicuous, to make known

Tsarar: bound, in distress, cramped, shut up, pressed hard upon

You see the word play between God's action, which is to spread out, to make known, to equip?  And David's cramped state of being pressed hard upon?  

Remember the traditional setting for this Psalm?  It's said to be written about David's being in the cave when Saul comes in.  David was shut up, bound up in a sense, hunted by Saul, quite possibly oppressed or at least assaulted by fears and doubts, and definitely being pushed by the 'advice' of his men...insisting that this was a chance provided by God to dispose of his enemy Saul, and take the crown of Israel for himself.

Now what's the next part of the verse?

YOU anoint my head with oil...

Not David's men, not Israel, not David himself...but GOD anoints David to rule.  God sets out His case, is true to His word, spreads out what is needed.  David can't do this.  He is bound, cramped, pressed hard upon.  

In a sense he's pressed hard by the temptation to take for himself, isn't he?  Yet he is reassured by the rod and staff of God's will and way, he is comforted that though things look entirely different from his (cramped) perspective...God sees everything laid out in its proper order.  And GOD anoints David in His time.

My cup overflows...

I am satisfied, content, as if saturated, I am in a place of abundance, a full, rich, wide open space!