Psalm 119:57-64

HETH

The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy. 
~ Ps. 119:64

In this section of Psalm 119, Charles Spurgeon notes that David takes firm hold of God Himself,

1. appropriating Him (v. 57)
2. crying out for Him (v. 58)
3. returning to Him (v. 59)
4. solacing himself in Him (v. 61-62)
5. associating with His people (v. 63)
6. sighing for personal experience of His goodness (v. 64)

"I would counsel every Christian to answer all temptations with this short saying,

'the Lord is my portion.' 

~ Thomas Brooks

.

Thou art my portion, O LORD. God is all sufficient; get him for your "portion", and you have all.

~ John Mason, 1694

 

Many will say with David, that God is their portion; but here is the point: how do they prove it?

If God were their portion, they would love Him;

if they loved Him they would love His word;

if they loved His word they would live by it and make it the rule of their life.

~ William Cowper

 

A good point to ponder: 

is God's word the rule of your life?

 

 

 

 

Be merciful to me according to Your word.

~ Ps. 119:58

Here in verse 2, David reflects upon his prayers to God, and renews his petition. 
He prays, "Be merciful to me, in the forgiveness of what I have done amiss, and in giving me grace to do better in the future."  ~ Matthew Henry

 

 

I entreated Your favor with my whole heart.
~ Ps. 119:58

As Walter Marshall notes, prayer is chiefly a heart work. God hears the heart without the mouth, but never hears the mouth acceptably without the heart.

"But the Lord said to Samuel, '. . . for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."  ~ I Sam. 16:7

In verse 63, David reminds us of the value of God's people in our lives; like-minded believers with whom we can share our faith and be accountable for our actions.   

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• The Lord is my portion - all I need
• God is merciful according to His word - not according to anything I might bring
• The Lord delights in my obedience to His commandments
• God's judgments are righteous

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord that He is my portion and all I need, and that He is merciful to me according to His word, not mine!

 PRAYER:

     O Lord, I pray with David and claim that You are my portion.  Be all that I need, and may I never look for another.  I entreat Your favor with my whole heart, and pray that You will be merciful to me and my family according to Your word. 

     I bless You for the Christian friends in my life, friend with whom I can share my faith and to whom I can be accountable for my actions.  They are kind blessings from Your hand, and I pray that I will be a good friend to them as well.

     I pray, Father, that You will teach me Your statutes, and that Your Holy Spirit will make my heart sensitive to my sin - that I will ponder all my ways and turn my feet to Your testimonies. 

     The earth, O God, is full of Your mercy - how I praise You and love You, Lord!  In Jesus' name I pray ~ Amen