“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Psalm 73:26
Dear Ones:
It was David, over two-thousand five hundred years ago, who wrote: “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot.” (Ps. 16:5) The psalmist who wrote Psalm 73, and David, are saying the same thing, as their knowledge and experience of God according to that knowledge, were very similar. What was that experience, and what was the basis, or truths, which enabled them to believe? Both authors begin with a declaration of God, and their alignment with that truth. For the author of Psalm 73, he begins: “Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.” (73:1) Here is a man who believes in the inherent goodness of God, and that God reveals His goodness to His people, in particular, to those, “…who are of a clean heart.” (v.1) Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, will declare the same thing: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” (Matt. 5:8) Even in David’s psalm 24, he writes that those who will ascend into the hill of the Lord, and stand in His holy place, have “…clean hands, and a pure heart.” (v.4) The knowledge of the goodness of God, revealed in the access that He gives to the believer to know Him, is remarkable and overwhelming. Even the conditions of coming to God in a right attitude of heart and mind are by the provision of God. He grants cleansing, and purity of heart, to the one who will seek Him for it. The basic premise and truth upon which the psalmists grasp their “way” to God is the revelation of His nature as GOOD, and the provision according to that truth, the thorough cleansing by the precious blood of Christ. All of the sacrifices that God prescribed for Israel’s fellowship with Him, were to be realized, and culminated, in the ultimate sacrifice of Christ on the cross. That day, the sealed, and certain, way to God was inaugurated for man to come to God. The bedrock for faith, in the greatest revelation of its working, was laid bare for all men to see, and respond in faith. Not only would the psalmists be given grace to look forward to that Messiah and Christ, that Savior of the world, to work, but they understood that all would become possible because Christ’s accomplished work. When the Psalmists wrote their psalms, these songs of their experience, which reflected the great truths of God, and His relationship and communion with man, they took their stand on the Rock, the truth of Christ, the Rock of God’s goodness and provision.
As man would approach God, and look through the veil of his limited knowledge, he was brought to see that he was created to find, and possess, God as his “portion,” that ample answer and provision of all that he would need in mind, heart, soul and body, for time and eternity. This “portion” would exceed all understanding, but provide man with the blessing of an eternal, secure experience of true LIFE, with the certain hope: “…then shall I know even as also I am known.” (1 Cor. 13:12) With regard to the “security” aspect of this knowledge of God, Paul would write: “…He is able to KEEP that which I have committed to Him,” (2 Tim. 1:12) and “…(nothing) shall separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)
The second thing that the Psalmists would discover, as God would teach them of Himself, is that He was their power and strength. David would write: “…because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” (Ps.16:8) This is the same abiding strength which God gives in the midst of the flood, and change of circumstances: “…God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved.” (Ps. 46:5)
Lastly, the psalmists discovered something of the privilege God gives to men. Hence, there is great cause to sing, pray, praise and worship God.
Dear Father, Teach us Thy ways, and strengthen our hearts to partake of Thee. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad