My Cup Runneth Over

"My Cup Runneth Over"
a condensed version of the sermon delivered by Rev. Kirk Moore on Sunday, April 13, 2008 at Union Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, in Somonauk, Illinois.

PODCAST of "My Cup Runneth Over"

This Morning's Scripture reading is:
Psalm 23

This morning we’re going to go on a journey with the 23^rd Psalm. We won’t stop at every verse, but I hope that we’ll experience the comfort and familiarity we have with this psalm, as well as have some new things to think about.

When we sing a really familiar hymn, do you ever start browsing at the hymns just before or after the one we’re singing? They often have similar themes as the one we’re singing. Sometimes we find other favorites and wish we were singing that one instead of the one we’re singing right then.

Have you ever looked at the Psalms just before and just after the 23^rd? Here’s the first part of the 22^nd.

(Psalm 22:1-2 NRSV) My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? {2} O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.

It’s a long psalm – and it goes on with words of anguish for several verses. At the end it’s more comforting.

(Psalm 22:25-26 NRSV) From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him. {26} The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the LORD. May your hearts live forever!

And then there’s the 24^th Psalm. It is one of victory and celebration. Listen to the end of this one:

(Psalms 24:9-10 NRSV) Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in. {10} Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.

I don’t know anything about the chronology of when the psalms were written in relation to each other. But I find it interesting that these Psalms follow a pattern of Anguish, comfort and then celebration.

There’s one stop on our journey.

Here’s another.

What would it be like if we took the 23^rd Psalm and tried to understand the anguish underneath the words of comfort? Have you ever felt this way?

I have no one I can count on. My needs are unending

There’s no place to rest – no place for refreshment

Everything seems stale and hopeless

I don’t know where to go – what road do I follow?

Death is all around me – I’m terrified.

There’s no one to help me through this.

I’m surrounded by those who would hurt me

I’m hungry and dried up

I’ve got nothing left

I don’t think there’s any good left in the world – especially for me.

I’m going to be alone the rest of my days.

So many of the psalms express sadness and anguish. Reading through them can help provide comfort – not just in words that point to hope, but also words of sadness and anguish that remind us that we’re not alone when we feel so awful. It’s just like singing the blues.

And now a third stop on today’s Psalm 23 journey.

Cups

You’ve done the "cup is half full" or "cup is half-empty" test, right? But have you done the "cup is full" or the "cup is overflowing" test?

When you read the 23^rd Psalm, in particular the 5^th verse, how do you imagine a cup? Is it full? Is it overflowing? Is it running over? Is it brimming? Is there more than the glass can hold?

There are many different ways the 23^rd Psalm is translated into English. I’d like to explore the different translations of the sentence that the King James Version of the Bible renders, "My cup runneth over." How do these translations strike you?

My cup overflows. NRSV, NIV, GWT, NNAS, NASB
My cup runs over. NKJV, RSV, NEB
My cup runneth over. KJV, DNT
My cup overflows with blessings. NLT
You fill my cup to overflowing. NCV
My cup is full! YLT
You give me more than I can hold. ICB
Blessings overflow! TLB
My cup brims with blessing. MSG
You fill my cup until it overflows. CEV
You fill my cup to the brim GNB
My cup brims over. JB
My drink is abundant. NJPS

There are real differences in the translation. In Hebrew, it seems that this part of verse 5 says something like "I am completely satisfied." Most of these take that a little further – especially the one that says, "You give me more than I can hold." That almost sounds like a negative. "I am completely satisfied" – thought not nearly as poetic as "My cup runneth over," has only good with it.

And if we think, "I am completely satisfied," we probably need to stop back at the first verse:

I shall not want.

Listen to some other translations of this one:

I shall not want NRSV, KJV, NKJV, NNAS, RSV
I have everything I need. NLT, NCV, TLB
I shall not be in want. NIV
I am never in need. GWT
I shall want nothing NEB
I don’t need a thing. MSG
God gives me everything I need. NirV

It’s almost as if the end of the 5^th verse is repeating what happens in the first. The Hebrew words are different – but they’re both about being satisfied.

There’s a lot more in this psalm. There’s restoration, protection, goodness and mercy . . .. It’s a great psalm. Today let’s just end here – with a little time to ponder:

Anguish, comfort and then celebration. We’re all on a journey that’s got all three. The psalms ‘get it’ and remind us that we’re not alone.
More than half of the psalms are about anguish. Knowing that others have felt like we do at those times can bring real comfort – just like singing the blues.
God watches out for us. God really does give us what we need. We may not always feel that or agree with it, but I think journey helps us to be able to look back and really say, "My cup runneth over."

Close with prayer.