Sunday, January 1, 2012

Psalm 16:5


Copyright Ó 2011 J. Neely
Psalm 16:5

5 The LORD [Yahovah] is the portion [manah] of mine inheritance [cheleq] and of my cup: [kowc] thou maintainest [tamak] my lot. [gowral] KJV-Interlinear

5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; Thou dost support my lot. NASB

Portion of my inheritance, ‘manah cheleq,’ refers to a distribution, or portion or lot, or share as when something is divided up between the victors of a difficult conflict. The booty goes to the victor.  The spoils go to the victor.

From the prior verse, where idols are the confidence of the spiritually naïve, from which idols or preferences of the world which cannot provide anything, so then the Lord, who is very real and powerful and able, can provide an inheritance, or share not of just things in this world, but of an entirely new universe. One far, far better than this one.

The world around you provides nothing for you but a temporary dwelling between the time before you existed (the time of your birth), and the time when you leave this world (your death).

You did nothing for this world before you were born, and the world did nothing for you, did not even know you, prior to your birth.  And when you die, you leave it all behind you, no matter what you have or don’t have.  Nothing goes with you.

The Pharaohs tried to take their possessions with them into their tombs, but grave robbers go those things.  The Pharaohs left only dust and bones in the tombs, and their souls went elsewhere, but without their things.  All of their idols, all of their harem's, all of their gold and possessions, could do nothing for them after death.

Neither can the things of your hearts delight, whatever it or they may be.

Of my cup, is a reference to the refreshment of the day.  It could be a drink or an activity or possession or occupation or pursuit, of which you pursue day in and day out during your life.

Your daily activities, whether productive in your eyes or unproductive because they are a waste of time in repetitious activities, these things of ones daily life do not provide that which is expected or presumed in ones life.  They are neither fulfillment nor permanent.

But the Lord, the written word, which one must have in order to possess the Lord, is the single and only permanent possession that exists anywhere.

Maintenance of ones lot, refers to the ongoing and daily looking after of ones affairs and possessions.

The world cannot maintain ones possessions.  Wealth and prosperity have come and gone throughout the ages.  The wealth of the Pharaohs have long ago disappeared.  The wealth of kings have long ago disappeared or diminished.  The wealth of successful business men of ages past, have vanished.  And they certainly do not support the dead who are no longer among us.

God on the other hand, looks after all that you have, all that is valuable and permanent, all that will be with you in the next life.

Your next life is certain. You cannot avoid it.  You cannot skip it.  You will have only that which God brings with you, and nothing else.

You will have your soul, your spirit (if you have believed in Christ), and your doctrine (if you have learned anything during your life).

And along with that doctrine, your spiritual production if you have grown up at all in your spiritual life.  Your production is the basis for your eternal reward.  Something that you will receive (or not receive) when you stand before Christ, at the Judgment Seat of Christ.

That is your lot, your portion, your distribution, your share.  That is, if you are smart enough to look to God, Christ, doctrine and the obligations placed on you for your spiritual life, now.

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