“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure” (Psalm 16:5, NIV).
What beautiful words David used to describe the peace, security, and blessings that come from God when we trust Him and look to Him! David knew that he had nothing good in his life apart from God (v. 2). The wicked would drink from the cup of God’s wrath (see part 1), but David drank from the cup of blessings.
David knew what it was like to walk with God and trust in Him. Psalm 23 is probably one of the most well-known and often-quoted chapters in all the Bible, and yet it is one of my favorites.
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside still waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (NIV, emphasis mine).
David proclaimed in Psalm 16 that God had assigned him his cup. And it was a good cup. He was pleased with his cup. David had a full cup that brought him security. But there was more! In Psalm 23, David stated that his cup overflowed. You see, God didn’t just give David a full cup. God gave him a cup overflowing with peace, rest, righteousness, protection, comfort, provision, anointing, goodness, and love!
If you study the life of David, you will see that he did not live some charmed life. He was human. He made bad choices. He sinned. He got it right a lot of the time, but he sometimes got it really wrong. And he suffered grave consequences for his sin. But he repented. He agreed with God about his sin. His ability to say “my cup overflows” had nothing to do with him or his circumstances and everything to do with his God.
Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (NIV). That’s our portion, our cup – the Lord Himself! He comes to live inside of us and fills us, every part, until we can exclaim, like David, “My cup overflows!”
The blessings that flow out of our cups are not the result of some charmed life, either. Sometimes life really stinks. The overflow comes from knowing God and having Him with us and in us no matter what we face. In the midst of confusion, He brings peace; in the midst of darkness, He is light; in the midst of pain, He brings comfort; in our guilt and shame, He is mercy and grace.
Psalm 116 doesn’t name David as its writer, but I believe he was. The language sounds so much like the David that I have come to know and love. And look what the Psalmist stated in verses 12-13: “How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord” (NIV).
So in this season of reflecting on the cross and the sacrifice of Christ, let us be reminded, not only of the cup of His grace, but also the cup of His blessings. And that cup overflows with the goodness of our God! How can we repay Him? Lift up the cup of salvation and proclaim it to the world around you. Call on the name of the Lord in prayer and worship.
We live in a world of confusion and chaos, but the Good Shepherd will lead us beside the still waters. He will restore our souls and lead us in righteousness. He will protect us against the enemy and provide for us so that we shall not want for anything but Him!
All it takes is for us to surrender our lives like David did. Don’t seek to fill your own cup. Let God assign you your cup and your portion. I promise, He pours big!