Section 57

Vers. 57. O Lord, thou art my portion, I have determined to keep thy words.

Vers. 57. O Lord, thou art my portion, I haue determined to keepe thy words.

Here the man of God protesteth that the Lord is his portion; and he further saith, that he will keep Gods commandments. All will say that God is their portion, and that their chief desire is to be in his favour: but David severeth himself from others, when he saith, that he will keep the commandments. And hereby he is assured, that the Lord is his portion, because he maketh his word his chief desire. We shall then know that we make God our portion, when we have this delight to hear the word, &c. and those that have not a delight in the word, they make not God their portion. The like saying is part 15 vers. 2. Let us then always examine and try our hearts to Godward by the word: if we say that he is merciful, then let us see if we believe his promises: if that he is just, then that we believe his threatenings. Thus if we can set the word aloft, it is a sure argument that we have made God our portion. Again, if we can be grieved, when neither promises nor threatenings can affect us, and we are desirous that they might: this showeth that we have a longing desire to have God our portion.