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Response
Psalm 142 follows the typical structure of an individual psalm of lament. The writer, David, is being pursued and taking refuge in a cave. His faith is being tested to its limits. Amid his heartfelt pleas for mercy and assistance, David calls out to the Lord with hopeful anticipation of rescue: “You are my shelter, my share in the land of the living” «I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. », (Psalm 142:5).
When David referred to the Lord as “my portion in the land of the living,” he drew from a modified tradition of the Levite tribe. While God allocated and apportioned the Promised Land among the twelve tribes of Israel, the Levites did not receive an inheritance (Deuteronomy 10:8-9). Instead, they were designated to care for the ark of the covenant and minister in the tabernacle. As priests, they were to be sustained by a portion of the people’s offerings.
The Lord instructed the Levites, “You will not have an inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them. I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites” «And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel. », (Numbers 18:20, ESV). Subsequently, the declaration “the Lord is my portion” began to surface in the prayers and psalms of the Israelite people: “LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my destiny secure” (Psalm 16:5;see also Lamentations 3:24).When the psalmist acknowledged, “You are my portion, LORD,” he meant that God was the basis of his existence and everything he needed « Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. », (Psalm 119:57).
The full force of David’s phrase “my portion” is brought to light in the New Living Translation: “Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life’” «I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. », (Psalm 142:5, NLT).
The word “portion” can also refer to that which is near and dear to a person. The people of Israel are called the portion of the Lord: “For the LORD’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance” «For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. », (Deuteronomy 32:9). Likewise, God is Israel’s portion: “He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel, the people of his inheritance—the LORD Almighty is his name” «The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name. », (Jeremiah 10:16). The Lord has chosen us to be His portion, and we have chosen Him to be ours.
Traced back to the Levite tradition, the “land of the living” refers to the land of Israel, the territory God gave as an inheritance to all the tribes except Levi. With no physical land to claim as a source of provision, the Levites professed, “I have no other support for my existence but the help that comes from you, God.” This psalm of Asaph apprehend
Is the sentiment: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:25-26).
“The land of the living” refers to this present world in which we reside. It pertains to life on this side of the grave. In Psalm 27:13, David remained confident that he would “see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” He believed that God would hear his cries and answer his prayer before he died. Therefore, he would wait for the Lord and trust in Him «Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.», (Psalm 27:14).
Wisdom literature describes a person’s “portion” as one’s lot in life (Job 20:29;Job 27:13;Ecclesiastes 9:9). God becomes our portion in the land of the living when we confess and agree with David that God is all we want and need in this present life: “LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine” «The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. », (Psalm 16:5, NLT).
Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The Lord is our all-sufficient portion. God fills himself; and if God is all-sufficient in himself, he must be all-sufficient for us. It is not easy to satisfy man’s desires. . . . But all that we can wish for is to be found in our divine portion” (Morning and Evening: Daily Readings, November 16, London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1896). When we, like David, can say, “Lord, You are my portion in the land of the living,” it means we trust God with the whole of our lives. We delight ourselves and are satisfied in.Honor Him as He is our everything (Psalm 37:4; Ecclesiastes 5:18-20).
