Text: Psalm 119:57-64
Eighth stanza of Psalm 119 – The theme of this lesson is: “The Lord is my portion” (Psalm 119:57). What does this mean? How is it connected to the psalm’s overall theme of God’s word? This lesson considers these questions.
What is a “Portion”? (v. 57)
- Hebrew word (chêleq) means one’s share/territory/possession – can be used to refer to that which is awarded by God (and is used this way in this context)
- This could be vied in terms of God grace and His blessings for us – but more than that; all good things come from Him (James 1:17); but our hope and trust must be in God, not what we get from God, particularly of this life (1 Timothy 6:17)
- The Lord is our portion – our share (Hebrews 3:14); our territory (Colossians 1:13); our possession (Colossians 1:12)
- How can we have the Lord as our portion? … this gets back to the theme of the word – the word tells us of God’s goodness, His grace that has been extended, and the hope we have; the word also tells us what we must do to receive the Lord’s reward (Hebrews 5:9)
- Recognizing that the Lord was his portion, David vowed to keep His words (v. 57)
We Must Seek God’s Favor (v. 58)
- To seek God’s favor first requires us to recognize the need for His favor – all have sinned (Romans 3:23); the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23); we could do nothing on our own to make things right, so Christ was sent (Romans 5:6, 8, 10)
- We must seek God’s favor because forgiveness is conditional – non-Christians must be baptized into Christ to receive forgiveness (Acts 2:38; 22:16); Christians must repent and pray to God for forgiveness (Acts 8:22; 1 John 1:9)
- David sought God’s grace “according to [the] word” (v. 58) – did not seek special treatment (cf. Luke 16:27-31); we must believe in the power of God’s word (Romans 1:16)
We Must Obey God’s Word Without Delay (v. 59-60)
- Receiving God’s grace and seeking His favor requires obedience on our part (Titus 2:11-12) – we must examine ourselves (v. 59; 2 Corinthians 13:5), repent (v. 59), and keep God’s commandments (v. 60; James 1:22)
- Do this without delay (v. 60) – salvation is an urgent matter; must not be put off (Acts 16:33; Matthew 25:13)
We Must Never Forget God’s Law (v. 61-62, 64)
- Even when we suffer at the hands of the wicked (v. 61) – remember God’s law (1 Peter 3:14-15)
- Even while it is night (v. 62) – remember God’s ordinances/judgments (Psalm 119:55, 148)
- Reflect upon the blessings of creation (v. 64) – reminder to trust God and seek His kingdom (Matthew 6:26-33)
We Must Surround Ourselves with God-Fearing People (v. 63)
- “The Lord is my portion” (v. 57) – not just for one, for all who follow Him (cf. 2 Timothy 4:8)
- We are in this together (Philippians 1:27) – be of one spirit, one mind, striving together
- As much as possible, we should surround ourselves with godly people – in the assembly (Hebrews 10:25); from house to house (Acts 2:46)
- Do not be “unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14, KJV; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:33)
Conclusion
- For the faithful, the Lord is our portion – we have received His grace and look forward to realizing our hope
- We can seek His favor through His word – we must do so urgently, mindfully, and together
