The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 3 — Section 76

Ver. 13.-The only retwrn God looks for. "I will take the cup of salvation." Visiting Miiller's Orphan House at Ashley Down, Bristol, some years ago, we were shown into a room where, ranged on a gallery, were some seventy or eighty infant orphans of from three to five years of age, fatherless, if not motheriess too. They sang to us a little hymn, and the pathetic refrain of it, as sung by those infant voices, we hear still in our souls- " What shall we render, 0 heavenly Friend, to thee, For care so tender, for love so free ? " It is the feeling of all pious souls, the ever-growing feeling of the deepening experience, that no fitting return can be made to God, and that the only possible return we can make is to let him do all his work of grace in us-to take his" cup of salvation." We know how, sometimes, in the ordinary associations of life, the gifts of our friends altogether overwhelm us. We cannot keep pace with them in returning their gifts. At last we give up attempting to do so, and just let them spend their love on us as they will. This may help us to understand the psalmist's feeling concerning God. Possibly there is a reference to the " cup of blessing " in the observance of the Pass- over, which may have been introducecl after the Exile; but it is better to regard it sirnply as a poetical figure, and as meaning, " I will accept thankfully and with devout acknowledgment the blessings which God gives me as my portion." The Christian can fill the term "salvation" with higher and holier meanings. I. THE HOPELESSNESS OF FINDING ANY wAy OF BETURNIN() Goo's GOODNESS. Because he wants nothiag of us. When we would return a gift, how anxiously we try to find out what our friend wants I But it is hopeless to think of finding out any thing that God wants. Illust. by the reproachful plea through the psalmist (Ps. 1.), "Every beast of the furest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof." And because we could find nothing that he wanted, if he did want. Thinii;s are not in our possession or control. How can we give when we have nothing? and all the things we seem to have are his. II. THE HOPEFULNESS 01!' RESPONDING TO Goo's WAY !!'OR OUB RECOGNIZING BIB GOODNESS. What ho asks of us is to let him bless us-to be willing recipients of his benedictions, to take his cup of salvation; he wants not things, but- thanks; not gifts. but love; not offerings, but praise, "Offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving." That we can do.-R. 'l'. Ver. 14.-Vow-making and vou-paying. An important duty of Christian lif.e is keeping ever fresh and vivid the memory of God's saving mercies to us. Constantly throughout their history the Israelites were reminded of their deliverance from the house of bondage, and of the vows and pledges involved in that deliverance. The effect of every quickened memory should be a new examination of our vows, that we may discover what of them we are failing to pay or to keep. God does expeot a return from us for all his mercies towards us. That return is put in three forms. I. "I WILL TAKE THE oUP OF SALVATION." It honours God for us cheerfully to accept the bleBBings which he sends. It may be proper to refuse gifts offered by our fellow-men. It is n11v11r a tn~e a.lid worth1 humility that hesitates tQ act upon God's lilALMB-lll, Q 82 'l'HE BOOK OF rSA.LMS. [rs. 0XVI, 1-19.