At Peace Before Your Enemies

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over” (Psalm 23:5).

We love the promise of being served a feast in the presence of our enemies while they watch. But just who are these enemies? In biblical terms, there are the demonic kind and the human kind. In Psalm 23, David is referring to demonic enemies; these represent the devil and all his hellish principalities and powers.

According to Jesus, “The enemy … is the devil” (Matthew 13:39). Yet, many of our enemies aren’t from hell. When Jesus tells us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), he isn’t speaking of the devil and his hordes. He is talking about people in our lives who have become tools used by Satan to make us miserable. It was David’s fleshly enemies who caused him to cry, “Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; in You I take shelter” (Psalm 143:9).

You may have only a few human enemies or you may have an abundance, depending on your sphere of influence. In any case, if you have your heart set to follow Jesus, you will be an offense to some. And you’re going to be resisted by both nonbelievers and fleshly Christians alike.

You will be marked as a target by the devil and his wicked spirits; your adversary, the devil, is going to attack you physically and spiritually. And he’ll stir up trouble for you among your human enemies, if he can. The Lord’s supernatural feast becomes even more amazing because both classes of enemies have to sit by and watch as the Lord serves you.

God’s Word says of the righteous, “His enemies I will clothe with shame, but upon Himself His crown shall flourish” (Psalm 132:18). God is saying, in essence, “Your fleshly enemies thought you were finished, but now they can only gaze in wonder as I feed and bless you.”

On the occasion that you fail him and feel that Satan has gained a foothold in your life, the Lord beckons, “Come to the feast. Sit down and taste of my mercy. I want you feasting at my table in the presence of your enemies.”