Cup of Salvation: A Bible Study on Psalms

WHILE THE CUP OF SALVATION PODCAST IS ON HIATUS, ENJOY THIS CLASSIC EPISODE! At first glance, Psalms 115:6, which describes pagan gods as not hearing or smelling, seems to state […] The post Cup of Salvation Classic: No Buttons to Push to Arouse the Gods first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

WHILE THE CUP OF SALVATION PODCAST IS ON A FOUR WEEK SUMMER HIATUS, ENJOY THIS CLASSIC EPISODE! “Pagans were not stupid.” With these rousing words, Rabbi Pesach Wolicki claims that […] The post Cup of Salvation Classic: Relying On My Rabbit's Foot – Inside the Pagan Mind first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

WHILE THE CUP OF SALVATION PODCAST IS ON A FOUR WEEK SUMMER HIATUS, ENJOY THIS CLASSIC EPISODE! At first glance, Psalms 115:4 seems to say nothing but the blindingly obvious: […] The post Cup of Salvation Classic: In G-d (and Money) We Trust first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Sometimes, we're fortunate enough to experience a direct and obvious gift from G-d; other times, we are brought low and experience suffering. Should we welcome suffering, or ask for it […] The post (51) G-d's Mysterious Gift to Us first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Unusual Biblical grammar does not mean that the Bible was poorly written; it means that we have to work to uncover its deeper meaning. Psalms 116:6, which has always perplexed […] The post (50) Redemptive Suffering first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 116:6 is usually translated, “The L-rd protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me.” But once again the translators missed the boat, and in so doing […] The post (49) The Silver Lining of Suffering first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

What's going on? Psalms 116:5 has three textual anomalies, and the translators pretty much ignore them. Moreover, the name of G-d in this verse is NEVER associated with the attribute […] The post (48) Bad Bible Translations: Gross Negligence, Laziness, or Something Else Altogether? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

One of the challenges in reading the Bible is the lack of stage directions; sometimes, it's hard to know what tone and inflection is implied. But Rabbi Pesach Wolicki and […] The post G-d Hears the Spelling (Episode 47) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

THE NEW CUP OF SALVATION PODCAST – NOW DROPPING WEEKLY! There are times when it seems obvious that it's right to pray. But what about those instances where prayer seems […] The post When You Don't Deserve to Pray (Episode 46) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Back in our controversial “Praisegate” episode, Rabbi Pesach Wolicki asserted that the night – a symbol for times of suffering – is the wrong time to praise the Lord. But […] The post Nighttime is the Right Time (Episode 45) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Bible translators will have a field day with this episode of the Cup of Salvation! The beginning of Psalm 116:1 is normally translated as “I love the Lord”… which would […] The post Loving the Lord for a Reason (Episode 44) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

The entire basis of the Cup of Salvation Podcast is the assumption that Psalms 113-118 form a single thematic whole called “Hallel.” But doesn't Psalm 116 prove the opposite, as […] The post Is Cup of Salvation Based on a False Assumption?! (Episode 43) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Biblical promises of exile and redemption, from G-d's covenant with Abraham to Moses' End Times prophecy in Deuteronomy 30, include Israel's achieving great wealth. But why? Isn't it enough to […] The post The Mission Statement for G-d's Kingdom on Earth (Episode 42) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

One of our most controversial podcasts was episode 6, when Rabbi Pesach Wolicki suggested, based on Psalms 113:3, that night is not the proper time to praise G-d. Many people […] The post PraiseGate: Did Rabbi Wolicki Limit Praising G-d? (Episode 41) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Listeners to the Cup of Salvation Podcast know that the hosts regularly demonstrate that the standard translations of the Bible often miss the nuances of the Hebrew; but Psalms 115:18 […] The post Hallelujah. Yep, That's A Hebrew Word, Too (Episode 40) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Why would a Biblical verse relate the most obvious thing in the world?! Psalms 115:17 reads, “The dead do not praise the Lord…” – a sentiment either blindingly obvious, or […] The post The Walking Dead (Episode 39) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Heresy in the Bible?! Psalms 115:16 tells us that the heavens belong to the Lord, while the earth was given to humanity – a statement that implies either the heretical […] The post Heaven on Earth (Episode 38) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalm 115 opens with the words, “Not to us, O Lord… but to Your name give glory” – and this theme resonates throughout the psalm. But the latter verses present […] The post All for the Lord… So Bless Us?! (Episode 37) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

A blessing for adding… something? Anything? Who knows? Why would Psalms mention that G-d is adding, without telling us what is being added? And what does this have to do […] The post “May the Lord Add Upon You”: What is Being Added? (Episode 36) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Christian Zionists are often puzzled when they see Jewish people who have less allegiance to the State of Israel than they do – or are even openly anti-Zionist. What are […] The post When Jews are Anti-Zionist (Episode 35) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

All parents want their children to admire people who deserve such admiration – but too often, the most admired individuals in the world are those who have attained the greatest […] The post The Right Role Models for our Children (Episode 34) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:12 states, “The Lord Who remembered us will bless…” – but doesn't the very concept of remembering imply that there is a possibility of forgetting? What does Scripture mean […] The post Does G-d Ever Forget? (Episode 33) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

The holiday of Hanukkah is famous for its nightly candle lighting, but there's an equally important Jewish practice that also takes place during the eight days of the holiday: the […] The post Universalism, Particularism, and the Jewish Mission to the World (Episode 32) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Although G-d “fulfills the desires of those who fear Him,” and promises to teach them His secrets and the secret of the covenant, it's difficult to understand why these particular […] The post Ignore the Theology, Embrace the Mystery (Episode 31) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:11 says, “O fearers of the Lord trust in the Lord; He is their helper and their shield” – a nice sentiment indeed. But as usual, David Nekrutman and […] The post Do You Fear The Lord, or Are You a Fearer of The Lord? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:10 tells “The House of Aaron” – that is, the priestly tribe – to trust in the Lord… a message relayed to the entire People of Israel in the […] The post Individual Leaders, Collective Nation (29) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:9 describes G-d as the “helper” and “shield” of Israel. Is that the same as a savior? What exactly is G-d helping us with? Who is the verse speaking […] The post Helper and Shield (Episode 28) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:9 instructs Israel to trust in the Lord, but does that mean to believe in Him, or something more subtle? Rabbi Pesach Wolicki and David Nekrutman suggest that trust […] The post Trust in Him (Episode 27) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 115:8 is most commonly translated as a prayer asking G-d to make idolaters like their idols. But Rabbi Pesach Wolicki's unique (and exact) translation – “Like them shall be […] The post You Are What You Worship (Episode 26) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

(Unfortunately, we are unable to release a new episode today, as cohost David Nekrutman is mourning his father, who passed away this week. We extend our sympathies to him.) Psalms […] The post Cup of Salvation Classic: Is It Ever Wrong to Praise the Lord? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

In this classic episode from 2017, David Nekrutman and Rabbi Pesach Wolicki discuss what Jews think of Christians, what motivates Christians who support Israel, and the current state of Jewish […] The post Cup of Salvation Classic: The Current State of Jewish-Christian Relations first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

When we read verses like Psalms 115:7, which rejects typical pagan attitudes, we often feel that we can safely join with King David in mocking such silly beliefs. But as […] The post G-d is Not a Vending Machine: Removing Paganism from Our Biblical Faith (Episode 25) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

At first glance, Psalms 115:6, which describes pagan gods as not hearing or smelling, seems to state the obvious. In that case, why would Rabbi Wolicki claim, “I believe that […] The post No Buttons to Push to Arouse the Gods (Episode 24) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

“Pagans were not stupid.” With these rousing words, Rabbi Pesach Wolicki claims that our usual assumption that pagans were merely silly and foolish prevents us from understanding the real polemic […] The post Relying on My Rabbit's Foot: Inside the Pagan Mind (Episode 23) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

At first glance, Psalms 115:4 seems to say nothing but the blindingly obvious: “Their idols are silver and gold; the work of human hands.” But Rabbi Pesach Wolicki tells David […] The post In G-d (and Money) We Trust (Episode 22) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Did King David know how to write properly?! Because most translators act as if he made a simple mistake in composing Psalms 115:3! But instead of “correcting G-d's grammar,” Rabbi […] The post The King's Speech (Episode 21) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

In Psalms 115:2, King David, somewhat echoing Moses after the episode of the Golden Calf, seems concerned for G-d's reputation. Why should G-d care about what people think about Him? […] The post Does G-d Need a PR Agent? (Episode 20) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Christians and Jews have spent millenia debating whether G-d's promises to Abraham were contingent upon Israel's good behavior, or whether they would take place no matter what. In this episode […] The post Is G-d's Covenant Eternal or Conditional? (Episode 19) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

In a choice of ending a psalm between two miracles – water from a rock or the splitting of the sea – it would make sense to go the Charlton […] The post King David at the Hard Rock Cafe (Episode 18) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 114:7 describes the Lord as the “God of Jacob” – a phrase which appears only nine times in the Hebrew Bible, and all of them from the pen of […] The post God of Jacob, not God of Israel? (Episode 17) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Many of the translations of Psalms 114:5 invoke negative language into the verse such as “What ails you, O Sea?” or “What's wrong.” However, the Hebrew original does not indicate […] The post Missed in Translation (Episode 16) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 114:4 tells us that the Mount Sinai “danced” at the moment of the great Revelation of the Torah. But Exodus 19:18 states that Mount Sinai “trembled violently.” So which […] The post Rejoicing with Trembling (Episode 15) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 114:3 tells us that during the Exodus from Egypt, “The sea looked and fled, the Jordan turned back.” But while Israel crossed the Sea as the culmination of the […] The post Two Prototypes of Miracles (Episode 14) first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalm 114:2 states, “Judah was His holy one, Israel His dominions” – but as the Bible very rarely uses the name “Judah” to refer to the entire people of Israel, […] The post Episode 13: The Definition of Holiness first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalm 114 verse 1 states, “When Israel came out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign tongue…” Isn't this verse needlessly repetitious? What is the difference […] The post Episode 12: Jacob's House, Egypt's Culture, and a World Series to Remember first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalm 113 explains that G-d is the Lord of history, that He cares about individuals as well as nations, and that the pagan perception of how gods interact with the […] The post Episode 11: Unity Behind The Diverse Themes of Psalm 113 first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 113:9 is almost always translated as, “He makes a barren woman who dwells in a home into a joyful mother of children.” But Rabbi Pesach Wolicki points out that […] The post Episode 10: A Barren Woman… OF the Home?! first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 113:8 tells us that G-d lifts up the poor, and “He seats with nobles, the nobles of His people.” But strangely, the verse omits the pronoun, and doesn't say […] The post Episode 9: Who is a Noble? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 113:7 describes G-d as raising the “poor” from the “dust,” and the “needy” from the “trash heap.” Is this seeming repetition merely poetic, or is the Psalmist transmitting a […] The post Episode 8: Who is Poor and Who is Needy? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Many believers accept that G-d is in control of everything in our world, but what does that mean in practice? Does G-d actually involve himself in the minutiae of everyday […] The post Episode 7: Does G-d Sweat the Little Stuff? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.

Psalms 113:3 seems to indicate that there are times to praise G-d, and times when it is wrong to praise Him. How can this be? Doesn't G-d deserve our praises […] The post Episode 6: Is It Ever Wrong to Praise the Lord? first appeared on Cup of Salvation.