Embrace the Word for Wednesday, October 7, 2026
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Psalm 119 is a celebration of God’s Word. Psalm 119:57-64 continues the exploration of the “blessed” life. Each verse in this eighth stanza begins with the eighth letter of the Hebrew alphabet (which is khet). The Psalmist’s appreciation for the LORD frames this eighth stanza, as the Psalmist begins with speaking of the LORD being his “portion” (119:57), and concludes with being surrounded by the LORD’s “steadfast love” (119:64). The seventh and eighth stanzas are coupled together as they share mention of the “wicked” (119:53,61), as well as the references to praising the LORD at “night” or “midnight” (119:54,62). The first sub-stanza of the eighth stanza celebrates with joy that the LORD is his “portion” (119:57-60), while the second sub-stanza acknowledges the presence of others who operate within the overall context of God’s love (119:61-64). The eighth stanza emphasizes the keeping of God’s Word in both sub-stanzas (119:57,60,63).
Psalm 119:57-64 opens with a confession of the LORD’s sufficiency in his life: “The LORD is my portion” (119:57a). The declaration pertaining to a “portion” is a familiar notion in the Old Testament. The notion of “portion” was used literally in regard to the territorial allocations that the Israelites received from the LORD as they entered the Promised Land. Each of the tribes were given specific allotments of land except for the tribe of Levi. The Levities had a special portion: “And the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land, neither shall you have any portion among them. I am your portion and your inheritance among the people of Israel” (See Numbers 18:20). For the Levites, having the LORD as their “portion” symbolized that everything they needed was to be found in the LORD Himself. Ultimately, this is the realization for all of God’s people. The LORD is the greatest need of His people in that He is the One who provides for all that they need. Provision may come through an allocation of land but it still comes through and from the LORD. The Psalmist has already acknowledged that he was a “sojourner on the earth” (119:19). So, as it turns out, whichever tribe the Psalmist was from, he came to the realization that his dwelling place was in the presence of the LORD.
Out of the realization that the LORD is his “portion,” the Psalmist is eager to obey God’s Word: “I promise to keep your words” (119:57b). Actually, the keeping of the Word brackets the first sub-stanza: “I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments” (119:60). If the LORD is his “portion,” that is, the One who is sufficient for all of his needs, circumstances, and challenges, then it stands to reason that a strong resolve to keep God’s Word is a must. Actually, it is an urgent must: “I hasten and do not delay.” There would be something quite off about desiring the LORD to be his “portion,” and yet having little interest in obeying the LORD who is his “portion.” The Psalmist models an eager urgency to live obediently to the LORD through conformity to His Word. And yet this enthusiastic resolve to live obediently is grounded in a humble dependance upon the LORD’s grace: “I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (119:58). The Psalmist is openly admitting that his faithful obedience to the LORD and His Word is possible only by the gracious work of the LORD in his heart—a gracious work that comes about by the LORD turning His face toward him in favor and blessing. But the Psalmist’s enthusiastic resolve not only drives him to depend upon the LORD; it also prompts him to evaluate how he is actually living: “When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies” (119:59). The Psalmist’s resolution to obey what the LORD says, requires that he reflect on how he is actually living. Thus, the Psalmist practices careful self-examination of his “ways.” Where his “ways” are not in conformity with the LORD’s ways, the Psalmist turns. This turning could consist of areas of serious repentance, or it might be more subtle areas where he realizes the need to refine his way of life. Whichever best describes the nature of his turning, the Psalmist is determined to walk obediently with the One who is his “portion.”
The Psalmist transitions from joyfully celebrating that the LORD is his “portion” (119:57-60), to acknowledging the presence of others who operate within the overall context of God’s love (119:61-64). The Psalmist has already been referring to the “wicked” who have scorned him, plotted against him, and taunted him (119:23-24,42). Now he adds that they have sought to trap him: “Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law” (119:61). The Psalmist is in imminent danger from people who have no regard for the LORD and His Word. But for the Psalmist, his safeguard is remembering to practice God’s Word. Even though the wicked seek to destroy him, they cannot destroy his commitment to the LORD. The pressures from without can and do exert much strain on the heart, but such pressures are never determinate to the heart. In fact, in response to the pressures of the serious threats around him, the Psalmist optimistically praises the LORD: “At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules” (119:62). Perhaps the time reference of “midnight” suggests that the doubts and worries of his danger only grew stronger as the night lingered. If so, then the choice to praise the LORD at “midnight” reflects a routine of spiritual disciplines in order to combat his fears. In addition to these possibilities concerning “midnight,” another interesting likelihood is that the Psalmist was aware of the LORD’s pattern of judging the wicked and rescuing His people at about midnight: “At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead” (See Exodus 12:29-30). Whatever the combination of reasons behind the decision to rise at midnight to praise the LORD, the Psalmist simply acknowledges that the decisions of the LORD are always right.
But the Psalmist does not encounter only the wicked, he also experiences support: “I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts” (119:63). The Psalmist’s loyalty to the LORD binds him in fellowship with others who desire to be loyal to the LORD. Much of Psalm 119, through it descriptions and recounting often appears as though it is only about the Psalmist and the LORD. Certainly Psalm 119 does stress the personal nature of a relationship with the LORD; but this Psalm also spotlights the vital role that other believers must have in the fullest development of a personal relationship with the LORD. A personal relationship does not mean a privatized relationship. The LORD uses a community of people in each of His people’s lives, and he uses each of His people in the lives of a community of people. The Psalmist draws attention to the chief quality that the LORD desires in His congregations: “those who keep your precepts.” The tie that practically binds the LORD’s people together is their shared devotion to obey God’s Word. In spite of being surrounded by the wicked, it is within the context of the Psalmist experiencing companionship and support from other believers that he has a fresh awareness of the LORD’s deep, devoted, and durable love for him: “The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!” (119:64). With this fresh realization of God’s love, which is also a fresh realization that the LORD is his portion, the Psalmist has a renewed desire for faithfulness to God’s Word.
As we reflect on Psalm 119:57-64, we can consider the importance of fellowship with God’s people as an essential means of strengthening our faithfulness to the LORD and obedience to His Word. The LORD has established, in and through the gathering of His people, the Spiritual resources that every follower of Christ needs to grow and develop. The Lord Jesus Christ has arranged His church in such a way that a mutual “one-anothering” to each other is His will. The writer of the Book of Hebrews, who was very burdened at the prospects of believers walking away from the Lord and His gathered people, called for one-anothering as an antidote against spiritual atrophy: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (See Hebrews 3:12-14). The daily ministry of mutual encouragement is the Lord’s means to counteract the hardening, deceiving aspects of remaining sin. One-anothering is also a prescription for promoting spiritual development: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (See Hebrews 10:24-25). The ministry of stirring each other up is the Lord’s means to strengthen our practice of showing love and doing good works. We all simply need companions “who fear you, of those who keep your precepts.”
That’s all for Embrace the Word for Wednesday, October 7, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Friday, October 9, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 119:65-72.