Psalms

[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in Psalm 119, and the 57th verse.

[0:21] Thou art my portion, O Lord. I have said I would keep thy words.

[0:35] Psalm 119, and the 57th verse. How glad I should be if I could feel assured in my heart that each of you dear young people was in the same frame of mind that the psalmist was in when this word welled up in his breast.

[1:12] Thou art my portion, O Lord. And his mind was made up as to the life that he desired to live.

[1:24] He desired to live inside the covers of the word of God. And that is the deep down meaning of what he declares.

[1:36] I have said there was a day in his life when he said it, and out of the abundance of the heart the mouth was speaking.

[1:48] I have said that I would keep thy words. And now I want, as the Lord should help me for a little while, to say something that might be helpful to you dear young people.

[2:09] And first of all, looking at the word portion, I would give you this counsel, that there is a portion which is for this life only.

[2:31] All earthly portions, however good they may be and lawful to possess, are passing and perishable.

[2:43] Sometimes you see on the railway platforms, especially where the goods platform is, perishable goods.

[2:59] And that is how you must regard the things of this life. God does in his infinite mercy bestow them upon us, but they are for this life only.

[3:16] And they come in the category of time things. Do remember that. Health is a portion to prize.

[3:30] Many people learn the value of it through being deprived of it to a great degree for a while. And it is good for you who possess such a portion and can say, I am quite well, thank you, when you are asked as to how you are.

[3:49] You should say thank you to God also, because the word of God says, O bless our God, ye people, cause the voice of his praise to be heard, which holdeth our soul in life, which is equivalent to saying also, who maintains us with that measure of health, which he has pleased to grant to us.

[4:19] Health is a portion, but you all know, no present health can health ensure for yet an hour to come. No medicine, though it all can cure, can always balk the tomb.

[4:36] Wealth is a portion that many people follow hard after. If so be, they can have such a portion, and when they get it, they have only got one concern as a rule, and that is to enlarge their portion.

[4:58] Having piled up 1,000, they go on, if so be, they can have 2,000. And if it should be 100,000, they look round to see if they can make it yet 100,000 more.

[5:14] There is that kink in human nature, dear young people, how sad our state by nature is.

[5:25] And wealth is such a portion, but it can be a portion which used to write can bring glory to God and good to our fellow creatures.

[5:40] And for people who are taught of God, who do possess such a portion, and have somewhat of this world's goods, some wealth, then it becomes them to weigh matters up before God as to their responsibility as to what they will do with it.

[6:07] Because it is to do good, to do good to those who are in need, not to continue to seek to pile it up and make it a bigger portion still.

[6:22] No. No. The word of God says, there is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that withholdeth more than is meat, and it tendeth to penurve.

[6:40] But then, wealth, if such a portion should be yours, you will hold it so long, as long as you live, and then you will leave it.

[6:54] And it may be said in the burial service, as a rule it is, we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we should carry nothing out.

[7:07] Therefore, neither you or I will carry out any earthly portion, whatever, it must all be left, and you must go forth into eternity, just as you are before God.

[7:25] A very solemn consideration, I think about it sometimes, more than sometimes too, in my life's evening time, there is a moment to come when you will step outside yourself, and you will leave behind your body, your clay tabernacle, in which you have lived so many years, and that being all that is mortal of you, will be laid in the grave, oh, that it might be well laid therein, when the time shall come, but you will step outside of it, you, your soul, your personality, and you will step into eternity, and where you will be then, when you step into it, you will be as long as eternity shall last, and there is no end to it, forever and ever, it is, as I said, a very solemn consideration.

[8:33] There is another portion that seems much sought after nowadays, but after all, it is only blowing bubbles, and looking at the pretty colours, and there you can discern what they are, the bubbles burst, and now, there is a portion, I said, which many people seem so anxious to possess, and that is fame, oh, to be this and that, in the world of sport, it may be, or in other worlds, the musical world, to have their names in the headlines, and to climb up the tree, and have fame, and yet, when all is said and done, if that should be only your portion in this life, fame, a name to live, and you do have your name in the headlines, and for a little while, are thought to be someone outstanding, and you have popularity for your portion thereby, what will the preacher say over you, when all that is mortal of you, is laid in the grave, all flesh is grass, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and now that is the truth of the matter,

[10:12] I said, all earthly portions, are passing, and perishing, and how came that to be, let us go back, in our minds, ask God to help you to do it, to Eden's garden, and see, how God in his great wisdom, his kindness, placed Adam and Eve therein, in the midst of all the happiness it was possible for a creature to live in the midst of it, and enjoy it, and that was, to be their portion, while they lived in Eden's garden, and God placed them under a law, you can do this and that, but you must not do this, and now they were made with what is called a free will, the only two people who ever did possess it, they were perfect creatures, coming from their creator's hands, and as his creatures, they had a free will, so that when God placed them under a law, they were able to keep it, and they could think their own thoughts, alas, and break it, disobey it, sin, and you know what the word of God tells us, sin entered into the world, and death by sin, so death has passed upon all men, for that all have sinned, and when that happened,

[12:10] Adam and Eve's wonderful portion of happiness was marred altogether, and they could no longer be allowed to live in Eden's garden, and enjoy it, and the Lord God drove them out, and placed an angel with a fiery flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way that led to the tree of life, and so they lost that wonderful portion, whereby they could walk with God as you have been singing, walk with him as creatures, walking with their creator, and enjoy happiness beyond any preacher's words to describe, but Eve listened to the tempter, and Adam listened to Eve, and what we call the Adam fall took place, and do let me tell you this, it was such a fall, was the Adam fall, that we have not reached the bottom of it yet, you look round the world, as you see it, what you know of it, nowadays, what you read about it, hear about it, on the radio, and you see, that the

[13:32] Adam fall, was like dropping a stone in a pond, the ripples began to go out, and out, and out, and they have been going out, ever since the Adam fall took place, and they are still going out, and they have not yet reached the uttermost bank, where they will be stayed, the Adam fall, is a deep abyss, and no preachers can tell you much about it, even though they are ordained of God, to preach to you, but the Adam fall, is a very terrible reality, oh thou hideous, monstrous, sin, what a curse hast thou brought in, all creation groans through thee, pregnant cause of misery, and now, just another word or two about earthly portions, what shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world, and that be his portion, and he lose his own soul, however much he may gain as an earthly portion, he has always got something in the back of his mind, and when he lies awake at night, he cannot help thinking about it, and that is, there is a day to dawn, as I have told you, when he will leave it all, and he does not like to think about it, no, and I can tell you this, when you see a worldling die, you know that a worldling, when he comes to die, is never satisfied with what his portion has been, as he has journeyed on through life, his earthly portion, oh, it yields him no satisfaction, whatever, but there he is, going out of time, before his maker, disappointed, and disillusioned, and it is too late, for him to be able, to enter into this line of things, the psalmist tells us, thou art my portion, oh,

[16:02] Lord, do think on it, and now, the saviour, set that great truth before us, when he said, lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal, for where your treasure is, your portion, there will your heart be also.

[16:44] Let your consciences tell you, dear young people, where is your heart? What portion have you got your heart set upon?

[16:56] is it to be this and that in life as you journey through it and to lay up for yourselves treasures upon earth? What did the saviour say?

[17:09] He speaks about the moth. These illustrations may seem to you to be strange, but then they drop from the saviour's lips, and now the moth is to represent time.

[17:25] You see, you are now in life's morning. It will not be long before you will be in life's afternoon, and before you can hardly think very much about it, you will find you are passing into life's evening time.

[17:41] So, hasten the years, along life's journey, and go back into the past. The moth represents time.

[17:52] You know a moth works very quietly, makes no noise, and so the pendulum goes on swinging in the clock, and day is succeeded by night, and the next day dawns, and so it comes to pass that even at this time, we are coming very soon, to the end of 1966, and yet, oh very swiftly, the days have gone by.

[18:26] Time, then, is represented by the moth, but it says, rust duff corrupt, and now you find this, you would have a great difficulty to find on the earth, a man who has got an earthly portion, wealth, I mean, treasure, laid up, and find that man to be contented with what he has got.

[18:57] You would not find one in ten thousand, nor in a hundred thousand, who was contented with what he had hoarded up as an earthly portion.

[19:09] I am speaking now of one who is just a worldly. no, no, there is this rust, and now that represents anxiety, disappointment.

[19:25] A man who has got an earthly portion, great wealth, he is ever on the stretch to make it greater still, and if he should lose a little, or the market should be bad, and other matters are rising, then he is filled with anxiety as to how he shall maintain his earthly portion of wealth, which he prizes so much, and which is his idol.

[19:54] But then, most of all, the Savior said, where moth and dust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal, now, I will tell you who this thief is.

[20:17] And he spake a parable unto them, saying, the ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully, and he thought within himself, saying, what shall I do?

[20:30] Because I have no room where to bestow my fruits. And he said, this will I do, I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

[20:46] And I will say to my soul, he talked with himself, soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years.

[20:58] Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.

[21:12] Then who shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.

[21:25] Do you see? Death is the thief, and he may come to die, he may come tomorrow, he will inevitably come some tomorrow, therefore, oh, that you may be concerned to have something altogether of more value than ever any earthly portion can be, because an earthly portion must be according to its nature, passing and perishing.

[22:07] And think of this word which came to my mind and which Job said, when a few years are gone, I shall go hence the way I shall not return.

[22:21] And now, the Saviour spoke about having a portion with the lost, and those who simply live their life to possess an earthly portion, which is summed up in time things, and time things alone, and to live a life after the flesh, the things of the flesh, when they come down at length to the end of life's journey, it will be to possess a portion with the lost.

[22:55] No preacher can tell you a millionth part of what it means to be lost. The thing is impossible. As long as God shall God remain, so long shall last hell's lingering pain.

[23:12] So long the joys of heaven shall be, oh long delights, long misery. And now, I want to come to this portion, which is not for time only, but for eternity too.

[23:29] Whoever this dear psalmist was, and no preacher can tell you who he was, because the Spirit of God is not recorded, who was the psalmist that was inspired to pen this psalm 119.

[23:45] But there came a time in his life, I should judge it was in his life's mourning too, when he found in his heart an aching void which this world could not fill, when a great truth broke in upon his heart, his conscience, like you sometimes sing, Jesus is the one thing needful, I without him perish must, gracious spirit make me heedful, help me in his name to trust, and with pleasure in him as my portion, both, thou art my portion, O Lord, and I think of Moses, and Moses was one of the most outstanding men that ever lived, and God ordained that he should be raised up to do a great work and you see divine sovereignty in how he was saved as a babe in the bulrush ark and yet brought up as the son of

[24:59] Pharaoh's daughter, it was possible for him to possess an amazing earthly portion because at that time Egypt was a great empire, but Moses when he come to yours, something happened, there was something which took place in Moses breast, and the outcome of it was he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and being really an Israelite, an Israelite indeed, to live as an Egyptian, a worldling, and seek only an earthly portion, he was helped to turn his back on it all, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

[25:55] you and I can never tell how wonderful that choice was, and what Moses really turned his back on, because he was almost on the bottom step of reigning on Egypt's throne, no, no, he turned his back on it, and if he had his foot on the step, he stepped down, end, he desired above all, thou art my portion, O Lord, I have said that I would keep thy words, and though the Israelites then were like slaves, and just a vast host of brickmakers, yet he went and took his place amongst them, and God honored him, and raised him up to be Israel's leader in the wilderness for forty years until at length his work was done, and they entered into the land of promise, but now I want to come to this viewpoint of the subject, thou art my portion,

[27:14] O Lord, I'm going to take the word Jesus, and just give you one adjective for each letter of the word as to what kind of a portion Jesus Christ is known to be, found to be, by all those who have the mercy to be sinners, born again, and now Jesus, you might think of this, Jesus is a joyful portion, there are some people, some of them in their own denominational life, I'm not fitting any caps on, but they do not seem to have much joy in their religion, and in their profession of the name of Jesus, but it is not because there is no joy to be known and felt, no, no, I have often thought of a word that dropped from Jesus' lips, ask, and ye shall receive, what does he say then, that your joy may be full, will, and look at it from this viewpoint, if you could only feel, some of you dear young people, who can say,

[28:42] I believe you can, thou, O Christ, at all I want, and now, if the Spirit of God should help you to feel, that you have indeed a part and lot, in what was done on Calvary's cross, and you could see Jesus and say, my Lord, and my God, you would be filled brimful of joy, joy worth the name, brimful, and running over, you would find it, what the word of God says, joy unspeakable, you would not be able to describe it, joy unspeakable, and full of glory, yes, oh, you must never think that people who believe as we do, and we do hope some of us, we are numbered with the people of God, but you must never think of us as killjoys, no, no, we are not killjoys, but we do possess a right standard in our hearts and consciences of what is joy, and it is that joy that we desire to realize in our souls experience, what do you sing sometimes, eternal source of joys divine, to thee my soul aspires, oh, could I say the

[30:09] Lord is mine, it is all my soul desires, Jesus is a joyful portion, and now, look at it from this viewpoint, I like to think of what happened at Philippi, and there you read, and Paul and Silas sang praises to God at midnight, and the prisoners heard them, and their feet were fast in the stocks, and their backs were sore with stripes unjustly laid on, but at midnight, their hearts were warm with the love of God, and they could sing praises to God, and they could rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer for his name, oh, they found Jesus then to be a joyful portion, but, look at Paul again, and now, what do we find?

[31:11] Paul is about to lay down the sword of the spirit, which he had wielded so well, and his labors were closing, and he tells us, for I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand, I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, should give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also, that love his appearing, but I must hasten on, Jesus is not only a joyful portion, he is an everlasting portion,

[32:12] I told you about earthly portions being perishable, you may have them, and use them, until you may be ninety years of age, but then you will have to let them go, and go before your creator, just as you are, but if you have this wonderful mercy, Christ in you, the hope of glory, you will find that to be an everlasting portion, if you would like something which might instruct you, and interest you, and maybe do you good, you will be surprised, I think you will be, as you look into the word of God, how often the spirit of God uses the adjective everlasting, Jesus is an everlasting portion, and now the word of God speaks about an everlasting foundation, everlasting love, everlasting mercy, everlasting righteousness, everlasting joy, everlasting life, everlasting salvation, everlasting strength, everlasting peace, everlasting consolation, everlasting life, and everlasting glory, do think of it, the Lord will give grace, and glory,

[33:45] Jesus is an everlasting portion, wonderful it is to contemplate, and now the next letter S, stands for suitable, Jesus is a suitable portion, and that is for whatever your circumstances may be, and now, you might have an earthly portion, you might have LSD piled up, but there will come into your life sometimes a crisis, service, maybe God will lay affliction upon you, and you will find all the LSD in the world will not avail you one iota, you need God to appear on your behalf, as he alone can do, then you realize the little value there really is in an earthly portion, when you need aid, and that aid, to be aid, worth the name, must be divine aid, and now

[35:00] Jesus Christ is a suitable portion, so you find words like these, casting all your care upon him, for he careth for you, trusting him at all times, all times, ye people pour out your hearts before him, God is a refuge for us, some years ago I told you about a traveler, who was found dead in the desert, which he had been crossing, he was a traitor, and by his side there was a large bag filled with diamonds, but he died for want of food, and especially want of water, and though his bag of diamonds was worth a great sum, it was not a suitable portion for him where he was, because his provisions ran out, and his water failed, and he died, in such circumstances, but dear young people, wherever you are, you will find whatever your circumstances, if Jesus

[36:19] Christ is the portion that you desire to choose, oh, that you might have grace to do so, you will find there can be no case but what he can appear, on your behalf, and no circumstances, however complicated they may be, but what he can make crooked things straight, rough places plain, level down the mountains, and make his goodness to pass before you in the way, Jesus is a suitable portion, but I must hasten on, and now Jesus is also an unbounded portion, you will find the spirit of God in the word of God uses very striking wording at times, him that is able to do exceeding abundantly, above all that we can ask, or even think, and now, if you have this

[37:25] God to go to, God incarnate, you will find that Jesus Christ as you journey on, will be to you an unbounded portion.

[37:39] There is a word here which I will read to you that will show you just what a portion, unbounded portion, Jesus Christ is to people taught of God.

[37:54] the apostle Paul said to the godly Corinthians, therefore let no man glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, these are just men ordained of God to preach the gospel to you, and others like-minded, says Paul.

[38:16] The gospel is preached that you shall be comforted and confirmed as you journey on through life. That is one part of the portion, the gospel of Christ.

[38:28] Now he says, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come, all are yours, and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's.

[38:46] You see how happy the people of God should be when they consider as grace is given what their portion really is.

[39:00] Here he says the world is yours. Well, there is a sense in which the world is indeed yours. If you are taught of God that is, I leave the if with you.

[39:12] You look round the world at the present time and you see hell let loose. But God looks at the world and he made it and his eye runs to and fro.

[39:28] The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, them that hope in his mercy and his eye is upon every individual in whom his good work is begun.

[39:42] And he says I will set mine eyes upon them to do them good. And whatever may happen in the world and there is much going to happen in the world in the immediate future as I judge and some of it will be very unhappy to live in the midst of it and look upon it worldwide.

[40:07] But if you have got Jesus Christ as your portion you can look up and remember the Lord reigneth and the world is yours.

[40:19] What it really means is this it shall be well with them that fear God. What cheering words are these their sweetness who can tell in time and two eternal days it is with the righteous well.

[40:34] Whatever tomorrow holds in store nothing can overturn that great truth it shall be well with them that fear God. And now says the apostle Paul life is yours.

[40:49] And so it is. God has ordained how long you shall live. And you will live to that length of life. And if it should be a long life he may show you that scripture with long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.

[41:08] Then says Paul death is yours. And so it is. When death comes to people who have got Jesus Christ as their portion how does he come not as a terror.

[41:22] No one him writer says and now his office is to wait between the saints and sin a porter at the heavenly gate to let the pilgrim in.

[41:36] All those who have Jesus Christ for their portion die in the Lord. And now says Paul going on things present whatever your circumstances may be at the present time God will make them to be yours as he overrules them and makes all things work together for good in your circumstances.

[42:03] promises and you must be like Manoah and his wife and the angel did wondrously and Manoah and his wife looked on. And then he says things to come are yours.

[42:17] And you will find this if you read about prophetical truth that there are great things recorded in the word of God concerning the church of Christ in times yet to come and those things recorded in the word of God will not fail to be fulfilled.

[42:38] Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Aye says Paul the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours in year Christ and Christ is God's.

[43:01] And now the last letter S Jesus is a satisfying portion. Oh you can see many people who have got earthly portions.

[43:15] They live in houses of their own and they're well furnished and they have this and that which world lends prize. But you look at their countenance and you still see discontent, disappointment.

[43:31] They're not satisfied with what their portion is. Oh but if you have Jesus for your portion you will indeed be satisfied beyond words to describe.

[43:46] There you will get ease for a guilty conscience, rest for a troubled mind, healing for your guilty soul. You will feel like Simeon when he was led by the Spirit to go into the temple when Jesus was taken there and he took the dear babe in his arms and said, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy salvation.

[44:21] O the psalmist David said I shall be satisfied when I awaken thy likeness.

[44:34] He knew that Jesus was his portion while he was journeying on through this life but he wanted to enter into that experience.

[44:45] Beloved, now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is.

[45:02] A joyful portion an everlasting portion a suitable portion an unbounded portion a satisfying portion but I must come to thee amen thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words and now I give you just a word on that viewpoint of the subject the psalmist had it in his heart that he wanted to live the life of the righteous and I hope quite a few of you dear young people have the same feeling and now I have said that I would keep thy words you find in the word of God especially in Ezekiel you find it too that

[46:05] Moses was given the pattern of the tabernacle and told to see that thou make all things according to the pattern show thee in the mount and David said to Solomon that the spirit of God gave him the pattern as to how the temple was to be built and Ezekiel has a word which is a good word to think about you dear young people think about it in your everyday life and he speaks about a building no preacher can tell you much about that because it is a mystical building and we must not speculate but he does say this and there is no speculation about that let them measure the pattern and now if you would keep the words of God it must be your concern in what you do where you go what you say the company that you keep also what saith the scriptures and to live in accordance with what saith the scriptures and you see the psalmist had got his mind made up and you remember that man that Bunyan tells us about in his pilgrim's progress who came up to the man sitting at the table with a book and he says put my name down sir and when it was recorded he drew his sword and began to fight the good fight of faith and there was one who came as a pilgrim and evangelist went to him and gave him kindly instruction and he found that the pilgrim wanted to find the wicked guy and he said to him do you see yonder light and the pilgrim said

[48:03] I think I do I think I do and he said follow that light and it will bring you to where you desire to be and now the psalmist said thy word is a lamp unto my feet a light unto my path and there is a great word too in the book of Joshua that I sometimes like to read where it says this book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein listen for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success oh that you might be concerned with a deep down concern dear young people to be able to join with the psalmist thou art my portion oh lord i have said that i would keep thy words and might it be your prayer lead me in thy truth and teach me and i read you a little hymn which is a favorite of mine and sometimes you sing it and it will give you a real outline of what jesus christ is as a portion to be prized there is a safe and secret place beneath the wings divine reserved for all the hairs of grace oh be that refuge mine the feeblest saint may there abide uninjured and unawed while thousands fall on every side he rests securing god the angels watch him on his way and aid with friendly arm and satan roaring for his prey may hate but cannot harm he feeds in pastures large and fair of love and truth divine all child of god oh glorious heir how rich a lot is thine a hand almighty to defend an ear for every cold an honoured life a peaceful end and heaven to crown it all the lord bless you dear young people and grant that such a religion may be granted you if it be the will of

[51:09] God then come what will it shall be well living and dying amen hope in happiness we come to, let see