Pr Joshua Yong

Psalm 73:25-26 – “Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
26 My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”

 We know that God is good, but do we sometimes wonder – “is God good to me?”

In Psalm 73, the psalmist fell into despair because there were things which he was unable to understand and he felt as if his steps were slipping; he had no footing to stand on (v.2). The psalmist observed and saw the prosperity of the wicked and was envious. The wicked were proud and boastful; they were corrupt and greedy; they blasphemed against God. Yet despite all these, they prospered in the world (v.3-12).

Seeing these things, the psalmist felt that he had kept himself pure in vain, and that despite his purity, he still experienced afflictions (v.13-14). As a result of this, he felt troubled. He said in verse 16 – “when I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.”

Do we also sometimes feel this way? We wonder why the wicked prosper and the righteous suffer. We become discouraged in service and disappointed in our Christian walk. How should Christians deal with such feelings?

The psalmist found his answer when he went into the sanctuary of God (v.17). It was his place of communion with God. The psalmist sought God, and he understood. The answer was a rebuke to him. He realised he should not have doubted God. The rest of the psalm describes the psalmist’s understanding  which became his comfort and hope. He understood that: a) God is just and will judge the wicked (v.18-20); b) The Lord guides the righteous and will receive him to glory (v.21-24); c) The righteous has God as his everlasting portion (v.25-28). 

We shall consider what it means for God to be our everlasting portion. To have God as our portion means to have God as our “inheritance”. It means that God is what we have and possess.

1. My Satisfying Portion (v.25)

In verse 25, the psalmist expressed – “whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.” Heaven is a place of great beauty and glory, but God must be the one we seek in heaven. Heaven may have streets of gold and pearly gates, but if God is not there, will it still be heaven? Nothing but Christ can satisfy us in heaven. 

There are many things that earth can offer us, but our desire must be God. Earth may offer position, riches, power, possessions, and security, but without God, these things are temporal and short-lived. They are illusions. Can these things fulfil and satisfy? We see how the world pursues after these things. Many succeed in acquiring them. But are they truly content and satisfied?  God must be our supreme and true desire. When our desire is the Lord, we will never be disappointed.

Do you long for and desire after God before anything else? Do you have an appetite for the things of Christ? Are you longing for heaven and to see your Saviour?

When we have God as our satisfying portion, even if our health, wealth, or anything else is taken from us, we will remain content and at peace. Only born again believers can experience this eternal satisfaction.

2. My Sustaining Portion (v.26)

In verse 26, the psalmist described our need for divine sustenance. Verse 26 says, “my flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart…” To “fail” means to “finish” or to “come to an end”. It means to expire or be spent. The flesh is the physical body; strength and heart refer to the will and determination. These things will fail. Physically, we have so many limitations. We experience daily the frailties and weaknesses of the human body. Our heart will fail us. Are we really so strong in the will that we will not feel tired, discouraged or sad? In ourselves, our resolve and determination will fail. Our flesh and heart cannot sustain us.

But the psalmist said, “God is the strength of my heart.” The word “strength” is “rock” which is a description of immoveable support, sustenance and safety. It is firm and secure. God is the rock of our heart; He is the fortress of our soul. Even when our faith is weary and weak, God is the one who holds us firm and fast.

Are you trusting in God as your sustaining portion, such that in times of sorrow, sickness, afflictions, weakness, disappointments and hurt, you will still rest in God as your sustaining portion?

3. My Everlasting Portion (v.26b)

Verse 26b also tells us that God is our everlasting portion – “… my portion for ever.” To have an everlasting portion is to have a portion that cannot be taken away and be lost. Is there any inheritance on earth that man can guarantee or safeguard? We see how the inheritance of earth is snatched away and lost all the time. But if God is our portion, then it is a portion that can never be snatched away. If God is our everlasting portion, it also tells us that God will never forsake us. This thought ought to bring much assurance and comfort to the Christian.

Does not this thought bring you much comfort and assurance? We must have a longing to draw nearer and nearer to God. We praise God not because He has given us health or blessed us with a job. We praise God because He is our God and is our everlasting portion. In Him we should rest secure.

Thou my everlasting portion,
More than friend or life to me;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.
Close to Thee, close to Thee,
Close to Thee, close to Thee;
All along my pilgrim journey,
Savior, let me walk with Thee.

                        - Fanny Crosby