Psalm 119 vs 49-72 - My portion

Read: Psalm 119 vs 49-72

Today we come to our third stopover in Psalm 119, and there’s a word in this section that I find to be very rich, a word with a wide embrace and a steadying presence. It’s the word ‘wherever’ and it’s found in vs 54:

‘Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge’.

Often the life of faith is lived out in places that are far from ideal. You think of Moses growing up in Egypt, David praying in mountainous caves, Daniel and his friends working in Babylon, Jesus in the wilderness, Paul and Silas locked up in prison. It’s very easy in all kinds of areas of life to ling to be in the right place, to hope for that perfect moment, that ‘just right’ environment. But the Bible takes away these allusions from us; real faith is lived out where you are, real faith doesn’t wait for tomorrow.

Christian faith is a ‘wherever faith’. I remember hearing the words of an African Proverb: ‘Where I am planted there I will flourish’. That’s the picture at play here in Psalm 119. In this part of the Psalm is not in an easy place; they speak of suffering (vs 50), being mocked (vs 51) and needing comfort (vs 52), they are far from being in an ideal place. But their testimony is that wherever they make their bed, in that place they have a song in their heart that comes from following God’s decrees. Being in ‘the right place’ as pictured in this Psalm is not about geography, or circumstance, it’s about a relationship. 

‘You are my portion’ (vs 57) that’s what the greatest desire of this writer is, and so they can quite literally be anywhere in the world (vs 64), and yet have the preciousness of knowing that they are in the right place with God (vs 72), as they set their hearts on following Him as he has revealed Himself in His word.  

Prayer: LORD you are my portion. Help me to set my heart on obeying your commands. Wherever I find myself may following your word be the song of my heart. In Jesus' Name. Amen.