God, the Portion of His People!

(William Nicholson, "God the Portion of His People!" 1862)

"The Lord is the portion of my inheritance!" Psalm 16:5

This passage describes the wealth and happiness of believers; and in that respect, their infinitely superior state to that of the wicked.

God has given Himself to be their Portion forever. God, as the portion of His people, promotes their honor and interest, for He makes them kings, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ! They are His special people, His treasure, His jewels, etc.

Through God's grace, every Christian is rich — inconceivably rich — eternally rich — really rich!

With God as his portion, the believer is supplied and upheld by His providence and grace, and raised above the fear of need. "The LORD is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want." Psalm 23:1

Behold the believer's portion:
Divine Life to quicken him.
Supernatural Light to illuminate him.
Infallible Wisdom to counsel him.
All Power to aid and defend him.
Spiritual joy to cheer and encourage him.
Heavenly bread to feed and sustain him.
Glorious robes of righteousness to clothe him.
Excellent graces and virtues to adorn him.
God Himself to guard and protect him!

A saint lives upon God, in whom all fullness dwells! God gives . . .
 pardon to the guilty,
 liberty to the captive,
 life to the condemned,
 health to the sick,
 light to the blind,
 food to the hungry,
 the robe of righteousness to the naked soul,
 rest to the weary,
 strength to the weak,
 and riches to the poor.

How superior is the saint's spiritual portion to all the portions of the world, which are corruptible and unsatisfying! God is an immortal, immense, infinite portion — and therefore satisfying. Who can compute the value of this portion?

Earthly portions have much evil frequently mixed with them; they are a bitter-sweet — they have many snares. But God is a pure unmixed portion — there is nothing in Him but goodness! 

Earthly portions are common to men, to the vilest of men, etc. But God is a special portion; He gives Himself only to His own redeemed people. They alone can say, "For this God is our God for ever and ever; He will be our guide even to the end!" Psalm 48:14

Other portions are but for a time — they pass away, or are lost. Riches make themselves wings, and fly away. But God is a never-failing portion; not only a portion now, but a portion hereafter . . .
  our present and yet a future portion,
  our portion while we live,
  our portion when we die
  our portion to all eternity! 

"Whom have I in Heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever!" Psalm 73:25-26

"You are my portion, O LORD!" Psalm 119:57