The LORD the Shepherd of His people

A Psalm of David

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want (lack).

He makes me to lie down in green pastures (pastures of tender grass); He leads me beside the still waters (waters of rest).

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

In Scripture, Jesus often refers to Himself as the good Shepherd and we are His sheep. As our good Shepherd, Jesus knows what we need and how to take care of us. In this Psalm, David writes these words, “You anoint my head with oil,” which has such a beautiful deeper meaning for us.

A shepherd will anoint his sheep’s head with oil, but this is not the same anointing that David received when he became king. The reason that a shepherd will pour oil over a sheep’s head is for protection from tormenting insects (insects in Scripture is often a reference to the enemy, i.e. Satan and his demons – see the book of Joel as an example).

Sheep are susceptible to tormenting insects like the nasal fly which can land on their noses, ears or eyes. These flies can land on a sheep’s nose and lay eggs. Worms hatch from these eggs and these worms can burrow into the sheep’s head causing immense irritation and torment for the sheep. The sheep will then bang their heads against hard surfaces like trees in an attempt to get rid of the torment, which could result in their death.

A good shepherd watches closely over his flock and knows that if he pours oil over the sheep’s head it will form a protective layer against these pests which can destroy the sheep.

I believe that this message has a spiritual connotation for us:

Do we have times of mental torment? Do we sometimes feel like we ‘bang’ our heads over and over again trying to get rid of tormenting or distressing thoughts? Does worry or stress keep our minds continually busy?

I believe that any tormenting or distressing thoughts come from the enemy – Satan and his demons in an attempt to steal the peace and joy which we have received from our loving Father.

Oil in Scripture represents the Holy Spirit, and we know that as believers in Jesus Christ, we can ask God to fill us with His Holy Spirit. Any time we feel our joy and peace being stolen by tormenting or anxious thoughts, we can go to our good Shepherd Jesus, and ask Him to help us. The Holy Spirit will help us by bringing the truth of God’s eternal word into our minds and hearts, as well as giving us His wisdom and counsel so that we can have victory over the enemy’s attempt to distress or torment us.

Just as oil poured over a sheep’s head brings soothing relief, so too does the Holy Spirit bring truth into our hearts and minds. This truth gives us a peace which surpasses all understanding, thereby bringing relief from the tormenting lies of the enemy.

Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV says,

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

God is willing to help us daily with guidance and wisdom from His word, in order to protect us from the strategies of the enemy. The Holy Spirit will also give us a battle strategy to overcome any distressing or tormenting thoughts that the enemy may have already planted in our minds. If this is the case, all we need to do is cry out to our good Shepherd and ask Him to help us. God is faithful and He will always help us. Thank You precious Jesus.

Blessings in Jesus’ precious name.