詩篇 116:12-14
12 我拿甚麼報答耶和華向我所賜的一切厚恩？ 13 我要舉起救恩的杯， 稱揚耶和華的名！ 14 我要在他眾民面前向耶和華還我的願。
Psalm 116:12-14
12 What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord Now in the presence of all His people.
According to the Jewish tradition, Psalm 116 is sung after the Passover meal, immediately following the third cup of wine, called the Cup of Salvation. That cup would only become a true cup of salvation if Jesus proceeded to the cross. Let’s all ponder what our dear Savior did at the very night that He was betrayed: Then He (Jesus) took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” (Matt. 26:27-29)
But let’s also remember that there is another cup right after the above cup - a cup in Gethsemane that Jesus calls “this cup”. He said, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” (Matt. 26:42). If the cup in the upper room was the cup of salvation for the disciples to drink to get blessed, then the cup Jesus looked upon there in the garden, which is the only way to make the salvation cup possible, was the cup of bitterness and sorrow that God's only begotten son must drink.
Let’s sing together with the hymn writer (Hymn 73: O Christ, what burdens bowed thy head):
Death and the curse were in our cup:
O Christ, ‘twas full for Thee;
But Thou hast drained the last dark drop,
‘Tis empty now for me.
That bitter cup - love drank it up;
Now blessing’s draught for me.
Thank you Jesus, my Savior, my Lord!
