June 11, 2023 – Second Sunday after Pentecost

“Thou spreadst a table in my sight” (TLH 431:5). With poetic words, English hymn writer Henry W. Baker puts into verse one of the most beloved images of Psalm 23. The table that the Lord sets for His people is one of generosity and grace. The first time a table is mentioned in the Bible is in conjunction with the great reunion that the ruler Joseph in Egypt has with his estranged brothers who had come from their home in Canaan to ask for help in a time of famine. The Book of Genesis records that Joseph not only welcomed his brothers and saw to it that they were fed but we also read that “they drank and were merry with him.” (Genesis 43:34). The Lord’s Table is a place for rejoicing—especially since, as we gather there, we are given a foretaste of the feast to come in our Lord’s eternal kingdom.