Psalms 116:13 · Bible study
Psalms 116:13 Commentary: The Cup of Salvation
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
What is the 'cup of salvation' the psalmist lifts? Explore its roots in OT thank offerings and its connection to the Lord's Supper.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist vows to perform a public ritual of thanksgiving, lifting a cup of wine as part of the todah sacrifice, to proclaim God's deliverance.
- Key words: 'cup' (כּוֹס), 'salvation' (יְשׁוּעוֹת, plural 'salvations'), 'lift up' (נשא), 'call' (קרא), 'name' (שֵׁם).
- Main debate: Whether this refers primarily to the temple thank-offering ritual or metaphorically to abundance of blessings; also the degree of direct typology to the Lord's Supper.
- Theological theme: Gratitude as an embodied, public response to God's saving grace, expressed in both word and ritual action.
- Best use: Verse for thanksgiving sermons, teaching on the OT sacrificial system, and connecting OT worship to Christian Eucharist.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
WEB World English Bible 2000
I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.
KJV King James Version 1769
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
I will take the cup of salvation, And call upon the name of Jehovah.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
The cup of salvation I lift up, And in the name of Jehovah I call.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of Jehovah.
Translations in other languages (9 available)
Tomaré la copa de la salud, é invocaré el nombre de Jehová.
Tomarei o copo da salvação, e chamarei o nome do SENHOR.
J’ élèverai la coupe des délivrances,
Ich will den Kelch des Heils nehmen und des HERRN Namen predigen.
Ik zal den beker der verlossingen opnemen, en den Naam des HEEREN aanroepen.
Io prenderò il calice della salvezza e invocherò il nome dell’Eterno.
Kielich obfitego zbawienia wezmę, a imienia Pańskiego wzywać będę,
我要舉起 救恩 的杯，稱揚 耶和華 的名。
I will take the cup of salvation, and give praise to the name of the Lord.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 116:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators broadly agree that the 'cup of salvation' (or 'cup of salvations,' plural) refers to the cup of wine drunk as part of the thanksgiving sacrifice (toda) in the temple. The psalmist, delivered from death, vows a public act of gratitude. Matthew Henry describes the custom: the master of the feast took a cup, blessed God for the mercy, and gave it to the guests. Gill notes that the plural יְשׁוּעוֹת points to multiple deliverances. Barnes connects it directly to the Lord's Supper, while Adam Clarke emphasizes that 'calling on the name of the Lord' is asking for yet more of God's blessings. The Hebrew verb אֶשָּׂא ('I will lift up') is a volitional Qal imperfect, indicating a deliberate choice to respond publicly. All agree that the psalmist's response to God's saving work is both liturgical and heartfelt, expressing gratitude through an embodied ritual of praise.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Typological prefiguration: The cup of thanksgiving points forward to the cup of the new covenant in Christ's blood (Luke 22:17–18; 1 Corinthians 10:16). The psalmist's action is seen as a direct anticipation of Christian Eucharist.
- Ritual analogy only: The cup is simply part of the OT todah sacrifice; the NT use of similar language is an analogy drawn by Paul, not a prophecy. The psalmist is not speaking about Christ but about his own thank-offering.
What is clear: The verse describes a public, liturgical act of thanksgiving for deliverance, rooted in the temple thank-offering ritual, involving a physical cup and vocal praise to Yahweh.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Ritual identification | All commentators identify the 'cup of salvation' as part of the temple thank-offering (toda) ritual, encompassing a wine libation and a meal. | Some (e.g., Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) identify it specifically with the drink-offering poured out; others (e.g., Matthew Henry, Adam Clarke) see it as the cup of blessing lifted by the master of the feast. The two are not mutually exclusive but represent different moments in the liturgy. |
| Connection to the Lord's Supper | Christians across traditions recognize a typological link between this cup and the cup of the new covenant, based on Paul's use of 'cup of blessing' in 1 Corinthians 10:16. | Roman Catholic and some Reformed traditions see direct prophecy of the Eucharistic cup, while others (e.g., Baptist commentaries like Gill) treat the NT use as an analogy rather than a direct prediction. |
| Meaning of 'call on the name' | Scholars agree it includes both prayer to God and public proclamation of God's character. | The emphasis varies: Adam Clarke stresses petition ('ask for more'), while the Cambridge Bible emphasizes proclamation ('make known His name'). Both are present in the Hebrew verb קרא. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This verse sits within a psalm of individual thanksgiving. The psalmist was near death (vv. 3, 8) and cried out to Yahweh, who delivered him. Now he comes to the temple courts (v. 19) to fulfill his vow. The 'cup of salvation' belonged to the thank-offering ritual (toda), described in Leviticus 7:11, 15 and Numbers 15:3, 5. The offerer brought a sacrificial animal, grain, and wine. The wine was poured as a libation, but a cup was also lifted and blessed before the meal that followed. The master of the feast raised the cup and pronounced a blessing, the 'cup of blessing' later used at Passover.
This custom gave the psalmist a vivid, concrete way to express gratitude. Surrounding verses (vv. 12, 14, 17, 19) show that the act included both speaking and action: he will take, he will call, he will pay vows. The temple setting underscores that this is not private devotion only, but corporate worship 'in the presence of all his people' (v. 14). This public dimension spread the news of God's faithfulness and encouraged the community. The plural 'salvations' (יְשׁוּעוֹת) likely reflects the cumulative deliverances in the psalmist's life; the single cup represents a unified response to manifold grace.
Textual Notes
The major Hebrew manuscripts (MT) are consistent for Psalm 116:13. The consulted sources note no significant textual variants. The reading 'cup of salvation' (כּוֹס־יְשׁוּעוֹת) is secure. The plural form 'salvations' is attested in all ancient witnesses and confirms the sense of multiple or great deliverances.
Reception History
Early Christian writers such as Clement of Alexandria and Origen saw in this verse a reference to the Eucharist, interpreting the 'cup of salvation' as the cup of Christ's blood. The Geneva Bible notes connect it to the public thanksgiving of the redeemed. In the Reformation, both Calvin and Luther used it to encourage heartfelt gratitude in worship. Catholic commentators highlighted the sacrificial context, drawing parallels to the Mass. In modern times, the verse appears in hymns and funeral liturgies as a testimony to God's faithfulness through death. Across traditions, it is read as a call to remember and proclaim what God has done.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Cup of Salvation: Symbol of God's Deliverance, The cup represents the concrete, tangible reality of rescue. The plural 'salvations' reminds us that God saves repeatedly, not just once.
- The Act of Taking: A Deliberate Public Witness, The psalmist 'takes' or 'lifts' the cup, showing that gratitude requires intention and visibility. He does not hide his thanks.
- Calling on the Name: Prayer and Proclamation, Both invoking God for continued grace and declaring His character to others form the response of the rescued heart.
Five-point outline
- The context of desperation: The psalmist was dying but cried out (vv. 3, 4).
- The testimony of deliverance: God heard and saved (vv. 8, 9).
- The vow fulfilled: Taking the cup in the temple (vv. 13, 14, 17, 19).
- The community present: Gratitude is never solo; 'all his people' witness.
- The forward glimpse: The cup looks ahead to Christ's new covenant (Luke 22:17, 18).
Illustration hooks
- A person who survived a serious illness stands at a family dinner, raises a glass, and thanks everyone who helped. The action seals the gratitude in memory.
- A church holds a 'thanksgiving testimony' service after a year of hardship. Members bring a small cup of juice to symbolize their personal deliverance.
- A friend who was rescued from financial ruin now gives generously. The act of giving becomes his public 'cup' of thanks.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I make my gratitude visible, not just internal?
- Is there a specific deliverance I should commemorate or share publicly?
- What does 'calling on the name of the Lord' look like in daily life beyond Sunday morning?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 116:13 invites us to consider how we respond to God's rescue. The psalmist, having experienced deliverance, declares his intention to take the cup of salvation and call on the Lord's name. This small-group study explores the background of this action and what it means for our own worship.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What actions does the psalmist say he will perform in this verse? List them.
- Observation: What has God done for him earlier in the psalm? Scan verses 1, 8.
- Interpretation: Why does he call it a 'cup of salvation'? What does the thank-offering ritual teach us about gratitude?
- Interpretation: The psalmist uses the plural 'salvations' (יְשׁוּעוֹת). How does this shape our understanding of God's saving acts?
- Interpretation: What does it mean to 'call on the name of the Lord' in this context? How does it differ from simply praying?
- Application: The cup is taken 'in the presence of all his people' (v. 14). How does our public worship function as a 'cup of salvation' today?
- Application: The psalm moves from personal lament to public thanksgiving. What helps us make that transition in our own lives?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 16:5 | Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. |
| Psalms 80:18 | So we will not turn away from you. Revive us, and we will call on your name. |
| Psalms 105:1 | Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Make his doings known among the peoples. |
| Psalms 116:2 | Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. |
| Psalms 116:17 | I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on Yahweh’s name. |
| Isaiah 12:4 | In that day you will say, “Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name! Declare his doings among the peoples! Proclaim that his name is exalted! |
| Luke 22:17 | He received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves, |
| Luke 22:18 | for I tell you, I will not drink at all again from the fruit of the vine, until God’s Kingdom comes.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that cup here signifies an abundance of blessing, tied to the Jewish libation offering. He highlights a paradox: the only return God asks for his gifts is that we ask for more, which actually increases our debt to his mercy. Yet both God and the believer are pleased and profited in this exchange.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes interprets the cup of salvation as a ceremonial cup of thanksgiving, tied to a festival practice where wine expressed gratitude. He connects this directly to the Lord's Supper, seeing both as solemn rites designed to call God's mercy to remembrance through a thankful act of devotion.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The cup of salvation is not just any cup but the cup drunk as part of the thanksgiving sacrifice, acknowledging multiple deliverances. What is usually translated "call upon" actually means proclaiming the Lord's name publicly, giving all gratitude directly to Him.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note interprets "the cup of salvation" as the drink offering brought in gratitude for deliverance. Taking this cup and calling on the Lord's name together picture a thankful heart that openly acknowledges God's help, not simply receiving blessing but actively responding with praise.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill argues that the cup of salvation here is not the communion cup or a cup of suffering, but an offering of praise for deliverance. He draws on the Hebrew plural "salvations" and ancient feast customs, where the host would raise a cup to give thanks, as the pattern for the worshiper's grateful response.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies "the cup of salvation" as a specific drink offering that accompanied the ancient thank offering, not a general image of rescue. He grounds the phrase in the ritual practice described in Numbers, where wine was poured out as part of a thanksgiving sacrifice.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that the Hebrew "ki adaber" does not mean "therefore I speak," so the verse is not saying "I believed, therefore I spoke." Instead, they read it as "I have gathered faith and now believe, when I must speak: I am deeply afflicted" — faith persists even while expressing present suffering.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads this psalm not as a complaint but as the thanksgiving of an Israelite rescued from death, woven through with memories of his earlier fears and prayers. He also insists the opening "I love" grammatically lacks an object, yet the logical object is Jehovah himself, and he rejects dividing the poem into two separate psalms.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry focuses on the link between believing and speaking under affliction. David trusted God's promise that he would become king, enduring great hardship, and that faith drove him to pray, praise, and testify to others. True faith, even when costly, cannot stay silent.