Perfect Grammar

Psalms 23:5 (KJV) Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

First, let me make it clear that I am not an expert in Hebrew by any means.  What I have to do is something that anyone can do and that is use the tools available through books and software to try and understand what the Bible is saying.  In this case, I started looking at the verbs in verse one, and follow through to the end of the chapter.  I found that in every case, except for one of the verses were in the imperfect tense.

The imperfect tense in the Hebrew is similar to the present tense in Greek.  I know that clarifies it to you right?  What that means is that it is a continuous action.  So in verse one when it says the Lord is my shepherd the idea is conveyed to be a continuous process.  So the 23rd Psalm is a living testimony of David walking with God and can be a reassurance for us.

The one exception is the anointing that takes place in this verse.  This is in the perfect tense, which means that it is a one time event.  You can draw whatever parallels you want from that.  You could take the fact that as king David was anointed one time.  You could take it as evidence that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and saved that it is a one time event, or at least should be a one time event.  You could take this as a messianic prophecy.

So?  The Bible is to be read as a living document designed and delivered to living people.  It is something that we can apply day after day and trust what it has to say.  God is continually preparing a table for you.  Sit down and enjoy.