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A satisfied man
by Adam Bennett Psalm 16:5-6 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. Human life can be an experience of perpetual dissatisfaction in which we strive to satisfy ourselves. Entertainment eventually bores us - so we buy a bigger television. Work is unfulfilling - so we try different jobs. Relationships do not satisfy - so we jump from one to the next. The Psalmist writes like a satisfied man. That's not to say he is without trouble and has a perfect life. This Psalm starts recognising his dangers and asking God to preserve him (v.1). But, he is satisfied in God. In the first verse he remarks, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." And then, in the verses quoted, he says that God is his beautiful inheritance. There is nothing he wants more than God. Psalm 73:25 says, "Whom have I in heaven but you?And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." Knowing God, he is confident that all his desires are satisfied because God "satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things." (Psalm 107:9) The Psalmist provides good reasoning. In the final verses of this Psalm he justifies his satisfaction in God by remarking that his flesh dwells secure (v.9), and that God"makes known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (v.11). In God himself is security, life, joy and pleasure. This is what it means when we are told to, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4) To delight in God is to have all our desires fulfilled and satisfied. Copyright Adam Bennett 2009. More articles are available at http://godward-thoughts.blogspot.com/ Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com |