O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance. (Psalm 16:5-6)
In the secular world, inheritances are distributed to the beneficiaries according to the wishes of the testator. That means that some might receive more than others, depending on the relationship that existed, or it might mean that the estate is divided up among the beneficiaries in equal shares. The Hebrew word translated as “portion” leans toward the latter; the word translated as “cup” might also be rendered as “share.”
When it came to dividing up real estate in the ancient world, parcels of property were measured and sectioned off by lines or ropes. So you can just imagine a beneficiary hoping that the lines to measure off their part of the estate would reveal a good and promising inheritance. David used this imagery to express his gratitude for the LORD’s Presence in his life as one would celebrate receiving their inheritance from their benefactor.
David’s share of the “estate” is more than anyone could hope for, not defined by lands or currency, but by the LORD Himself. When it fell to him to receive his portion in this life, it was the greatest inheritance anyone could receive, initiated and maintained by the Hand of God. That is to say, David acknowledged that his life had been guided by the LORD from the start and his expectation was that the LORD would continue to do so — i.e. “maintain my lot.”
For all who determine to turn from their own way to pursue the Almighty and draw nearer to Him, the LORD will guide us on this path. Seeing that this intimacy is His desire, when God sees the spark within us to live holy, He equips and empowers us to do so. If we continue in this faithfully, He will continue to fill our lives with His Presence until we are, as Paul said, temples of the Holy Spirit.
That being so, it is also implied that we who desire to draw close to Him are as the priests of old who, you might recall, were not given lands in Israel as the other tribes. Instead of properties and riches, their inheritance was the LORD (Deuteronomy 18:1-2) and so then, here is the point. As followers of Messiah, our goal is not to have a mansion in Heaven; rather it is to be forever in the Presence of the Almighty. What greater inheritance could we hope for?
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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