The Lord is my Portion

 

Psalm 119::57-64

 

October 20, 2022

 

Heth

The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.  I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.   When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.   Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.   At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.  The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

 

The eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Heth, I looked for meaning in my Holman Study Bible, and then on the internet.  I took this from the internet; “the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Heth (or Cheth) stands for the chesed (loving-kindness) of the Lord. It's a concept often translated as “steadfast love” in the ESV.”

 

The Lord is my portion, He is all I need, what has the world to offer that compares to His loving kindness?  Once I grasp this truth in 1 John 2:17,” And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”  Scripture is very clear this life is like a mist, it is here today and gone tomorrow, but the Word of God abides forever.  The Psalmist is promising the Lord that he will obey the teaching of the Scriptures. What is meant by, “I entreat your favor with all my heart”?  Have you given thought to 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”   The Bible answer man had this insight, that often faces in the Old Testament means “presence.”  But unlike the Psalmist we have the Holy Spirit of God living in us, that is all who by faith and grace that God has given to put our lives in Jesus' hands.

 

“When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.   Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.” Maybe the Psalmist understood that his flesh was always looking to man, to wealth, to be in charge of his own life.  But what is wrong with those who go by the title Christian, have we no understanding of the evil one who not only lies but whom Jesus called the Father of lies?  A real dude and he loves to do all in his power to steal your faith in a God with whom he is well acquainted for he once enjoyed being one of the archangels.  But he was jealous of his Creator and what to be equal with God or even above God.  He led a revolt in heaven and was cast out and now he is about stealing, killing, and destroying.  As an observer of this world, I say he is getting his job done.  

 

Yes, we all have flesh, and they are all different, but the father of lies has your number and mine. He talks to us in a voice that sounds like ours and if not on guard we will buy into his lies.  Two, that work; did God really say, and you deserve better than you are getting?  Let me throw in a third, you are of no value to anyone, do your family and friends a big favor and kill yourself.  If any of those came in a voice you were not familiar with you would run for help, and that is why we need Jesus and His Word.  

 

If you have no understanding of your flesh, ask the Lord, to show you, for it is recorded in Galatians 5:17, NIV: For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice