Thou Preparest a Table Before Me, Psalm 23:5 Wall Art

A table under the olive tree

A gnarled olive tree leans over a low stone wall, its silver green branches shading a rustic wooden table. The table is covered with a white linen cloth, and a runner with terracotta stripes and fringed ends falls over the left side. On it: a glass cruet of golden olive oil, a small dish of black olives, a round crusty loaf with a slice cut off, a few olive leaves, and a clay cup. Look closely at the cup: a little wine has spilled around its base.

A wooden bench waits in front. Beyond the wall, cypresses and a hill village with pale walls sit beneath blue mountains. The words are lettered at the top, “Thou preparest a table before me”, with Psalm 23:5 below.

What does Psalm 23:5 mean?

In the King James Version the verse reads in full: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” The painting quietly includes all three images: the table, the oil and the spilled cup.

Halfway through the psalm, the picture changes. The first verses speak of a shepherd leading sheep; here God becomes a host receiving a guest. In the ancient Near East, hospitality was a serious obligation. Once a traveler had eaten at your table, you were bound to protect him, even from those pursuing him. So the enemies are not banished from the scene: they are there, watching, but they cannot touch the one who sits at God's table. Pouring oil on a guest's head was a gesture of welcome and honor in hot, dusty country, and the overflowing cup says there is more than enough.

Christians have often heard in this verse an echo of the Eucharist and of the heavenly banquet. Jewish families also sing Psalm 23 at the third meal of the Sabbath, the table that closes the day of rest.

Where to hang it: kitchen, dining room, a house in mourning

The olive oil, bread and linen make this print feel at home over a kitchen counter, a buffet or a dining table where guests are welcomed. Because Psalm 23 is read at so many funerals, it is also a tender sympathy gift, especially for a family that will gather around a table after a loss. A baptism or christening is another fitting occasion.