"My Cup Overflows"

The 23^rd Psalm

“My cup overflows” (Psalm 23:5c)

How was it possible for David to include the words “my cup overflows” in this Psalm? Is he thinking only about his experience as the shepherd of a flock of sheep, or was he reminiscing about his life?

   Wasn’t David the one who committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband, Uriah? Wasn’t he guilty of a grand cover-up, but was exposed by a “whistle-blower” – God? Who would ever think that Israel’s mighty and powerful king with servants to do his bidding would suffer hard times! Two of his own sons, Absalom and Adonijah, turned against him and tried to steal his throne. One of David’s trusted advisors betrayed him, and his army chief deserted him. Yet in spite of all this turmoil, David sang, “My cup overflows.”

   Surely, David had in mind his job as shepherd of the sheep. Drawing water for the sheep was an ominous task. Wells were deep and the only way to get water was with a long rope with a leather bucket. It’d take a lot of water to quench the thirst of a “mob” of sheep. How many hours would it take? How many buckets of water would be needed?

   This reminds me of Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman by the well outside Sychar. In the course of their conversation about water, Jesus said,

“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”(Jn 4:14)

   Just think of it! One drink of the life giving water that Jesus possessed provided eternal life – but that’s not all. Through daily faith that life-giving water keeps on coming and continuously overflows with eternal life. The shepherd boy, David, had placed his faith in the right source and as a result he could say without a doubt – “my cup overflows.”

   Is your “cup overflowing?”

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for your sacrifice that keeps my cup overflowing.