so that we can enjoy him and share him with others forever.
Oil of love
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume;
she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair.
And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. - John 12:3
In some parts of the East it is customary to anoint visitors with fragrant perfumes as a sign of love and respect. We see something like this in the above passage from John, and something akin to this tradition is probably what David refers to here in this verse.
One might expect a masters' name to be written on his servants hands as a sign of ownership, but never the other way around, yet Isaiah 49:16 says that God has marked us on his hands. Similarly here where we assume it our place to love and adore God, he anoints our heads.
Oil of priesthood
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. - 1 John 2:20
Oil was also used in the Old Testament to anoint the heads of the high priests to set them apart for the Lord. But now we are "a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" [1 Peter 2:5], and so we are continually anointed by the Holy Spirit, given knowledge and courage and gladness. We must remember that this priesthood is only possible through Christ, because he intercedes for us before God.
Cup of abundance
And my God will meet all your needs
according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19
Along with being anointed with oil, a visitor in the East may well also be given a cup of wine, filled until it runs over as a sign of being offered an abundance of all the host can offer them while they are guests. The same offer God makes to us, and what an offer - our host can offer everything, and moreover he expects us to stay forever!
Truly we lack nothing, because we know that the God of the universe loves us enough to not spare his Son for us, and therefore surely will freely give us all things. Our cup overflows.
Cup of blessing
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - Luke 6:38
Why would God give us too much for our own cups to contain? Surely so that our cups can overflow into the cups of others who lack. "The showers that fall upon the highest mountains, should glide into the lowest valleys." - William Secker. We are called to show the same generosity towards other people that God has shown us in sharing the fullness of his kingdom with us. Our cup overflows that we can fill others' as ours has been filled.
In some parts of the East it is customary to anoint visitors with fragrant perfumes as a sign of love and respect. We see something like this in the above passage from John, and something akin to this tradition is probably what David refers to here in this verse.
One might expect a masters' name to be written on his servants hands as a sign of ownership, but never the other way around, yet Isaiah 49:16 says that God has marked us on his hands. Similarly here where we assume it our place to love and adore God, he anoints our heads.
Oil of priesthood
But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. - 1 John 2:20
Oil was also used in the Old Testament to anoint the heads of the high priests to set them apart for the Lord. But now we are "a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" [1 Peter 2:5], and so we are continually anointed by the Holy Spirit, given knowledge and courage and gladness. We must remember that this priesthood is only possible through Christ, because he intercedes for us before God.
Cup of abundance
And my God will meet all your needs
according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19
Along with being anointed with oil, a visitor in the East may well also be given a cup of wine, filled until it runs over as a sign of being offered an abundance of all the host can offer them while they are guests. The same offer God makes to us, and what an offer - our host can offer everything, and moreover he expects us to stay forever!
Truly we lack nothing, because we know that the God of the universe loves us enough to not spare his Son for us, and therefore surely will freely give us all things. Our cup overflows.
Cup of blessing
Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down,
shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. - Luke 6:38
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