the Lord is my portion; i promise to keep your words. [psalm 119:57]
i promise. have you ever said these words to God? you might ask what good our promises are to God! and at first glance, it does look ridiculous, as though God needs to be convinced that we will uphold our end of the deal. God, if you choose me, I promise to keep your words, i promise to never fail again. but i think our psalmist is not this naive. he knows the tendency of his heart to wander [vs 36], and he knows his temptation toward earthly things [vs 25-26], and he knows his love for God is not nearly full enough [vs 32].
so i believe this promise is for the psalmist rather than God. he is speaking his own resolve to be committed to his Maker so that in his own mind there is no turning back. why? because he wants his portion and he knows it is God himself. God’s presence and glory are the end goal for this man, and so he speaks his earnestness to do whatever it takes to pursue Him. he desires to leave no ship unburned, he desires to leave no doors of temptation half way open. and so he promises.
how often do you have this kind of resolve in turning from sin and pursuing your satisfaction in Christ? maybe you have a door you’ve still got open right now. just in case. maybe you’ve confessed sin before God but not to others who can hold you accountable. maybe you’ve confessed to others but not repented before God. maybe you moved that app off of your home screen but didn’t delete it. maybe that account is still open. maybe you didn’t exactly say no to that relationship.
it’s time to burn the ships. resolve to say no to the opportunity for sin and never look back! the Lord is our portion!
therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. [hebrews 12:1-2]
~ arwen eastman