[Save me] O LORD, From men of the world who have their portion in this life, And whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness. Ps 17:14-15
I don’t know about you, but my heart leaps when I read this scripture. Sayings like this are the reason God loved David so much despite all his faults. You can see David’s heart in this scripture, “God, I want to be like you.”
In the Psalm before this one, Ps 16, David says in v. 5: O LORD, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup.
When you go to eat dinner everyone gets their portion. The table is set and the bowls of food are set in the middle of the table. Your stomach can only hold so much, so you must choose. The table is vast and the choices are many. Some reach for the bowl of riches. Some reach for the bowl of fame. Some reach for the bowl of temporary pleasures, which fill you for a little while, but leave you wanting. Some reach for the bowl of ease and comfort; some reach for the bowl earthly pursuits and achievements. Some even reach for the bowl of earthly good works, which outside of faith are nothing but filthy rags in the sight of God.
In Ps 17:14 David speaks of the men who ‘have their portion in this life.’ David talks about how their fill is in their abundance of children. They lay up treasure for their children as an inheritance, but they don’t know how to be rich towards God or how to lay up treasure in heaven. They reach for the bowl of earthly goods and have their portion from the plate of the pursuits of this life.
But David is different. He says in Ps 16:5, “You are the portion of my inheritance.” And then he says, “I will see your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.” Ps 17:15
The bible speaks of eternity in heaven as our inheritance. It speaks of the streets of gold and the gates of pearl. The bible speaks of crystal river and the tree of life. It speaks of the mansions that are built for us by the Lord Himself. But David doesn’t speak of those things as his inheritance (although those things are part of it), but David says, “I will see Your face, I will be like You. That is my desire and my satisfaction.”
David knew God in a way that few men ever have. The dimly light revelation of God that he had was so magnificent that the appetite of his soul was wet for more. He knew this life could only bring so much. He knew this life was simply a precursor to what was to come.
Notice that David’s life wasn’t known by what he had done. Yes, he had many achievements, but God called him because he was a man after God’s own heart and he was known as the ‘sweet psalmist of Israel.’
The lesson that we need to learn from this is this: Make God your portion. Don’t make the things of this world your lot. Don’t even make your calling your lot. Seek God so you can know Him, and for no other reason. Let everything else stem from that. This is what God desires. And then notice what the bible will say about you:’ “the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Daniel 11:32)
Hal Chaffee 