My cup runneth over
"My cup runneth over" is a quotation from the Hebrew Bible (Psalms:23:5) and means "I have more than enough for my needs", though interpretations and usage vary.[1]
In the Bible[edit]
This phrase, in Hebrew כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה (kōsî rəwāyāh), is translated in the traditionally used King James Version as my cup runneth over. Newer translations of the phrase include "my cup overflows"[2] and "my cup is completely full".[3] The 23rd psalm, in which this phrase appears, uses the image of God as a shepherd and the believer as a sheep well cared-for. Julian Morgenstern has suggested that the word translated as "cup" could contain a double meaning: both a "cup" in the normal sense of the word, and a shallow trough from which one would give water to a sheep.[4]
Other interpreters have suggested that verses 5 and 6 of Psalm 23 do not carry forward the "shepherd" metaphor begun in verse 1, but that these two verses are set in some other, entirely human, setting.[5] Andrew Arterbury and William Bellinger read these verses as providing a metaphor of God as a host, displaying hospitality to a human being.[5] Thus, alongside other actions in Psalm 23, such as preparing a table, and anointing one's guest with oil, providing a full or even overflowing cup for him to drink from can be read as an illustration of God's generosity to the Psalmist.[5]
In popular culture[edit]
The phrase is the title of a popular song written by Harvey Schmidt with lyrics by Tom Jones, featured in the 1966 Broadway musical, I Do! I Do!, which starred Robert Preston and Mary Martin. The most popular recording of the song was made by Ed Ames in 1967, which was a #8 pop (#9 Can.) and #1 AC hit in the United States.[6]
See also[edit]
Notes[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ Bricker, Sophia (2021-03-04). "What Does the Imagery of 'My Cup Runneth Over' Mean in Psalm 23:5?". Christianity.com. Retrieved 2022-12-19.
- ^ NIV, ESV, NASB, Holman Bible.
- ^ NET
- ^ Morgenstern, Julian (1946). "Psalm 23". Journal of Biblical Literature. 65 (1): 13–24. doi:10.2307/3262214. JSTOR 3262214.
- ^ a b c Arterbury, Andrew E.; Bellinger, William H. (2005). "'Returning' to the Hospitality of the Lord A Reconsideration of Psalm 23,5-6". Biblica. 86 (3): 387–395. JSTOR 42614606.
- ^ "Ed Ames - My Cup Runneth Over (Vinyl, LP)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2016-10-01.
Bibliography[edit]
- The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition, 1996