Psalm 23:5b Sheep Dip

Psalm 23 NASB
5b You have anointed my head with oil

When we read this verse we probably think of 1 Samuel 16:12 "So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah." 

This very well may have been what David was referring to but it also could be applied to something else David was familiar with. 

Anyone who has spent time outdoors in the summer is acquainted with the bugs that come out with the warm weather. When we spent time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, deep in the woods at my Mother in Laws cabin, mosquitoes were a constant bother spring to late summer. The only chance of survival was long sleeved shirts, bug spray and mosquito netting covering our heads. 

Sheep suffer from egg laying flies that will literally drive the sheep insane if left unattended. Shepherd's apply an oil based salve to the heads and noses of the sheep to protect them from flies. If the problem is persistent, the shepherd will dip the sheep in a solution to ward off disease that could be transmitted throughout the flock. 

Another picture of "anointing oil" is being anointed by the Holy Spirit that fills our being when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. God gives us His Spirit to protect us, help us grow in our faith, guide us in the way He wants us to go, and teach us His word. The Lord dips us in this soothing, calming oil that protects us from the world. It gives us a new perspective, a heavenly perspective, an eternal perspective. No longer do we need to be bugged by the irritations of this world because we look to the next world with hope. 

Blessings, Cecilia