Psalm 69:22

Psalm 69:22

The enemy's table

We’ve come across the “table” before in the Psalms. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” These are familiar words from Psalm 23 and are meant to assure us that there is a place of safety and acceptance in the presence of our God, where we receive His provision first-hand and we delight in His company. The table mentioned here in Psalm 69:22 seems to be a place of hostility and trouble and David is effectively putting a curse upon it!

In ancient times a covenant or pact between rulers and nations was sealed by a covenant meal. This sign of agreement and friendship might be extended to business deals, sales of land and property, in fact, wherever contracts or treaties were enacted, it was polite practice for the respective parties to sit and eat and drink together afterwards. The practice spilled over to Weddings where two families were joined by contractual arrangements, and once the deal was done, they shared a meal.

At the cross, a number of parties came together and contracted to get rid of Jesus Christ. The priests of Israel were willing participants in the deal. The Sanhedrin, the political rulers of Israel, were heavily involved in the deal too. The Roman Governor came on board, and he involved the local Army Commanders. The sects of the Sadducees and Pharisees were party to the arrangement as were false witnesses and other members of the public. Did they all sit down to a meal afterwards? I suspect that some of them did, the crucifixion of the troublemaker was a cause for celebration. They had conspired to dispose of the Son of Almighty God, who they believed to be an agitator and mischief-maker, a threat to national stability and a con-artist. 

In this prayer to God, Yeshua asks that the table of His enemies will become a snare and a trap, and that they will be the victims of the consequences of their own wickedness.  It’s amazing to discover that as He prayed for protection for His friends, the Lord also prayed for the destruction of His enemies, but then He knew exactly who they were, what their ultimate fate would be and who was really commanding them!

 

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