He anoints my head with oil
Psalm 23:5
Although I had regularly read and even recited it, I have to admit, initially I never fully understood what this part of Psalm 23 truly meant. Whereas it certainly includes God’s favor, to a shepherd in the ancient Near East, this idiom would have been layered with meaning, and you would have been all ears upon hearing it.
In the summer months, flies can sometimes torment sheep by clogging the nostrils of sheep resulting in them sheep fruitlessly trying to remove them. A shepherding “hack” in ancient times was to anoint the entire head of the sheep with olive oil. In the same way we use sunscreen, the oil formed as a barrier of protection against the flies of summer that tormented them.
Sheep can also get their heads caught in briers and sometimes become injured and even die trying to get untangled. Covering their heads with some oil made it easier to free them.
Do you have times of mental torment? Do worrisome thoughts sometime invade your mind? Feel stuck in life? Ask the Great Shepherd, Jesus, to anoint your head with oil. He has an endless supply! His oil protects and makes it possible for you to fix your heart, mind, and eyes on Him today and always!
May our Lord anoint your head with oil today, so that your cup overflows with His blessings.
