Psalm 119:57-64

Psalm 119:57-64

My Portion

I.                    When the Lord is our portion, we have everything we need, but we must consider our ways, and delight in and keep His Word (Vv. 57-60)

a.       The Psalmist refers to God as His “portion”. This common biblical real estate language describes the apportioning of the land in Canaan to God’s people. In the apportioning process, God didn’t give the priests and Levites any inheritance in the land, but stationed them in strategic places throughout the land so that they might lead the people in the worship of Him. Through this process, God gave Himself as the inheritance of the Levites and priests and communicated the reality that no piece of property or any other thing could ever truly satisfy the needs of His people. Only taking firm hold of the reality of God as the inheritance of His people can truly supply our needs and produce satisfaction in life. However, this isn’t something that can be appropriated through our effort and works, but must be acquired by receiving it as a gift from God. Like the Psalmist, we must consider our ways, see the futility of our circular pursuit of satisfaction in life, confront our sin, repent, and turn to God for His grace and mercy. This work of justification in our lives provides salvation, but it’s also the key to the blessing of satisfaction in life. We can only be truly rich in life when our hearts desire is the abundance of God’s grace in Christ above all else. The Lord being our portion in life through salvation in Christ is not only the means by which all our needs are met, it’s also the continual goal of our lives. As we grow deeper in understanding who God is as He’s revealed in Christ, and grow deeper in relationship with Him, our experience of His provision is realized even more deeply. As a result of seeing the magnificent glory of God’s promises in His Word, the Psalmist sought God’s favor or “face” with all his heart, and called on God to be faithful to His Word. In light of the complete provision and overwhelming love of God revealed through His promises, and the great blessings of provision and grace to those who are His, the psalmist delighted in living obediently to God’s Word. God proved His love for us and desire to provide for all our needs by giving us His only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins, and to be the only Way to be reconciled and united with Him so that we might receive the full blessing of His merciful, gracious, and loving provision in our lives. We must continually see the deficiencies in the desires of our own hearts and the promises of the world, and urgently, and passionately seek God more deeply in His Word. When the Lord is our portion, we have all we need! (Vv. 57-60; Numb. 18:20-24; Deut. 18:8-9; 12:12; Josh 13:33; Ps. 16:5-6; Eccl. 1-3; Jer. 10:16; 29:12-13; Lam. 3:24-25; Matt. 7:7-11; John 3:16; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:28, 32; 11:33-36; 2 Cor. 8:9; Eph. 2:1-10; Col. 2:9-14; 2 Pet. 1:2-4; 1 John 5:1-5, 13-15)

II.                 When the Lord is our portion, we have everything we need, so we mustn’t take for granted God’s blessings of fellowship with other believers, and even the smallest of His lovingkindness (Vv. 61-64)

a.   God alone provides for all our needs, but that doesn’t mean that the will relent, or that our spiritual adversary won’t continue to attack and persecute our satisfaction in Christ, and play on our dissatisfied human nature. So the more the world ratchets up its attacks, the more we must cling to God’s Word and desire to know Him more deeply through it at all times. Like the Psalmist, we must seek out the company of those who also belong to the Lord, desire Him more than anything in life, and treasure His commandments, keeping them diligently because God provides all His people needs through His Word and the fuller knowledge of Him. We have the fullest knowledge of God possible on this side of eternity through God’s revelation of Himself in Christ. And through seeking God’s face in Christ in His Word as our greatest desire and fullest source of joy, God provides for needs by opening our eyes to the wonder of His magnificent glory, provision, and lovingkindness revealed in even the finest details of life. It’s not only the “big” things and the “good” things in life which testify to God’s glory and lovingkindness, His great goodness is revealed in the things we take for granted or take credit for every day. We not only take these blessings for granted, but often assign them too much significance in our lives, and when they fall short, we lose the blessing they would otherwise provide. Instead of producing joy, satisfaction, and peace, they only produce dissatisfaction, restlessness, and bitterness. Only when the Lord is our portion, do we have everything we need in Him, and see His blessing in every area of life! (Vv. 61-64; Gen. 3:1-13; Lam. 3:20-23; Matt. 6:19-34; 7:24-27; 10:26-31; John 10:10; Gal. 5:16-17; Eph. 1:9-14, 18-23; 6:1-17; Phil. 3:7-16; 4:4-8; Col. 1:13-23; 2:6-7; Rom. 8: 18, 28-29; 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 4:6-12, 16-18; Heb. 1:1-3; 3:7-19; 4:12-16; 10:19-25, 32-39)