8/9/09

Did You Say...'The Lord Is My Portion'?

Ps. 142:5 'I cried unto thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion...''

In sharp contrast to the sentiments expressed in the above scripture, Ps. 17 verse 14 speaks of "men of the world, which have their portion in this life". The writer of the 142nd Psalm understood that it is impossible to walk with God while at the same time walking in lock step with this ungodly world. These are two different paths with two different destinations. You cannot have both. Trials and tribulation, though, await any who may venture to tread that narrow path of separation from this world to find their portion in the Lord. So be it.

With that thought, famous Scottish theologian of many years past Thomas Boston exhorts the true Christian pilgrim to reflect often upon that day when he, as did the author of the 142nd psalm, said with his own mouth..."Thou art my refuge and my portion".

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From the 142nd Psalm, by Thomas Boston:

"I said." This imports,

1. A remembrance of the solemn transaction, Ps 103:18.
This is a deed never to be forgotten, but always to be kept in remembrance. But, O ye who have said this, remember,

a) What you said. You said that God in Christ should be your refuge, that under the shade of his wings you hid yourselves, and that, renouncing all other refuges, as refuges of lies, you did betake yourselves to the covert of Christ's righteousness, and that there ye would abide for your portion; which was a formal acceptance of and laying hold on the covenant.

b) To whom you said it. To God in Christ speaking to you in the gospel offer, and inviting you into the refuge. What men say to their superiors, they think themselves specially concerned to mind. And surely what ye have said to God, ye ought in a peculiar manner to remember, and awe your hearts with the consideration of the majesty of the party to whom ye said it, Ps 16:2: "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord"; for he is not one with whom we may deal falsely....continue

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Matt. 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

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