We are allowing ourselves a certain amount of liberty in the application of the

wording of Scripture in this series of articles, our primary object being to minister some

word of comfort and strength rather than give a straight exposition of any particular

The Psalmist's words, "My cup runneth over", make us think of some of the

superlatives that are associated with grace in the New Testament, and to the passages

which thus speak we would turn the reader's attention, as a kind of triumphant contrast to

the valley of the shadow. A "cup" in the Scriptures is used not only in its primary sense,

as in Gen. 40: 2 "Pharaoh's cup", but in a number of passages it is used in a figurative

sense.  We read of "the cup of salvation", "the cup of consolation", "the cup of

trembling", "the cup of astonishment" and "the cup of fury". We remember, too, the

dreadful significance of the "cup" which the Saviour was willing to drink for us men and

our salvation.

In Psalm 16: the Psalmist associates the cup with his "portion", "inheritance", "lot"

and "lines" (5, 6).

The idea that underlies the word "runneth over" is "abundance".

Here the same word is used that is translated "runneth over" in Psalm 23:  The

Lord has filled the cup of our salvation with a lavish hand, and in the New Testament

there are a series of superlative passages which are to the Church what the overflowing

cup was to the Psalmist.

Here are some of the "superlatives" of grace, that we hope to consider together:

LOVE that passeth knowledge;

JOY that is unspeakable;

PEACE that passeth understanding;

GRACE that is abounding;

POWER that is exceeding great;

SALVATION that is to the uttermost;

and others which will be brought to light as we proceed.