The phrase “God is my portion” is a biblical concept that conveys the idea that God Himself is the supreme inheritance and reward for the believer. It speaks to the sufficiency of God to meet all of our needs and the satisfaction we find in Him alone. This phrase appears numerous times throughout Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament. Let’s explore the meaning and significance of this important spiritual truth.
God as Our Portion in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the idea of “portion” had special meaning in the context of inheritance laws. When a man died, his estate would be divided up among his sons and this allotment of land and wealth was called their “portion” (Deuteronomy 21:17). The firstborn son especially was entitled to a “double portion” of the father’s estate as his privileged inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17).
Against this cultural backdrop, the Old Testament writers began applying the metaphor of “portion” to describe the Lord as the supreme inheritance for His people Israel. For example, Psalm 16:5 says, “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.” Here David expresses his confidence and delight in God as his abundant and protective provider. In Psalm 73:26, we read, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” The term “portion” communicates that regardless of earthly prosperity or deprivation, God alone is the psalmist’s true reward.
Similarly, Psalm 119:57 declares, “You are my portion, Lord; I have promised to obey your words.” For the psalmist, choosing to follow God’s ways was far more valuable than material wealth. God Himself was the greatest treasure he could inherit. Jeremiah used this same imagery in Lamentations 3:24, “The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him.” Here the prophet affirms his faith in the Lord’s goodness despite extremely dire circumstances.
Perhaps most famously, Numbers 18:20 records God’s words to Aaron the priest: “I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.” God was not just one inheritance among many, but was to be Aaron’s singular possession, satisfaction and reward. The same promise applied to the whole tribe of Levi in Deuteronomy 18:2. For the Levites, God Himself was their portion in place of any specific allotment of land.
This Old Testament background reveals that to say “God is my portion” expresses singular devotion to God as one’s supreme possession and prize. To declare the Lord as one’s “portion” means finding full satisfaction and contentment in Him above all else.
God as Our Portion in the New Testament
While the specific terminology of “God as my portion” is not used in the New Testament, the same concept is clearly present. Jesus repeatedly warned against loving material wealth and called His followers to find their ultimate security and identity in God the Father and eternal realities rather than earthly things (Matthew 6:19-21, John 6:27).
Paul declared in Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Here he expresses confidence in God’s complete sufficiency to provide for him, using language reminiscent of the Old Testament “portion” metaphor. Similarly, in 2 Corinthians 6:10 Paul says, “We have nothing, yet possess everything.” Though deprived of physical comforts, through union with Christ Paul possessed the infinite spiritual treasures of knowing Christ.
Perhaps the clearest New Testament equivalent to the phrase “God is my portion” is Revelation 21:3, describing the glorious future hope for believers: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” Here we see that the ultimate inheritance for Christians is not heavenly real estate but the direct presence of God Himself.
Thus, while the exact terminology differs from Old to New Testaments, the fundamental truth remains that God Himself is the supreme joy, reward, and satisfaction of His people. Whether in this life or the next, our greatest treasure is to know, enjoy, and walk with God our portion.
The All-Sufficiency of God as Our Portion
To claim “God is my portion” means experiencing the complete adequacy of God to meet our needs to the fullest. Consider the following ways this is true:
- God is the portion who alone can satisfy our soul’s deepest longings. Earthly pleasures all prove unsatisfactory. As Augustine famously prayed, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”
- God as our portion means contentment regardless of earthly circumstances. As the apostle Paul said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation” (Philippians 4:12).
- God is an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). He remains constant when all else fades.
- God surrounds His people with His steadfast love and favor. “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11)
- God will fulfill the truest and deepest desires of our hearts when we delight in Him. “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
Understanding God as our supreme portion revolutionizes how we view both blessings and hardships. It reshapes what we consider worthwhile in life. With the infinite God as our portion, we cannot be destitute no matter our circumstances. We need nothing beyond Him.
The Responsibilities of Having God as Our Portion
If God is truly our portion, this profoundly impacts how we should think, live, and prioritize. Consider the following implications:
- Having God as our portion means pursuing fellowship with Him as life’s highest priority. We will devote ourselves to seeking His face in prayer, studying His Word, obeying His commands, and enjoying intimacy with Christ.
- God as our portion requires holiness. We must yield areas of sin and compromise that grieve our Holy God. We must offer ourselves fully to righteousness in proclaiming “God is my portion.”
- This truth produces selfless generosity. When God alone is our reward, we will hold earthly goods loosely and generously share with others.
- Having God as our portion spurs us to eternal perspective. It reminds us that pursuits with merely temporal impacts are unworthy of our devotion. Kingdom priorities take first place.
- God as our portion fuels boldness in witness. If God is our supreme treasure, we cannot remain silent about Him. Out of our abundance we speak of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ.
While the phrase “God is my portion” represents sweet intimacy with God, it also represents high accountability. It is both a statement of grace and a summons to obedience. We who claim this God as our own must walk worthy of such a high calling.
Examples of Bible Characters Who Found God as Their Portion
Throughout Scripture we find stories of saints who discovered the power and joy of having God Himself as their supreme reward and confidence:
- David: As we have seen, David frequently declared His delight and trust in God as His bountiful portion. Despite great persecution, he found joy and refuge in God’s presence.
- Jeremiah: The weeping prophet endured rejection and national disaster, yet maintained hope through claiming God alone as His portion (Lamentations 3:24).
- Paul: In whatever state he found himself, Paul persevered through God’s strength and proclaimed, “I count all things as loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).
- Jesus: As the Son of God, Jesus shared glory with the Father before time. He revealed supreme obedience to God’s purposes even to death on the cross. He found singular joy in doing His Father’s will (John 4:34).
These and many more examples display lives fully devoted to the quest of knowing God intimately as life’s highest aim. May God give us grace as we follow in their footsteps.
The Blessings of Having God as Our Portion
Why is it so wonderfully meaningful and transformative to be able to say sincerely “God is my portion?” Consider the following incredible blessings that flow from having God as our supreme inheritance in life:
- We are freed from slavery to worrying about worldly provision or the search for satisfaction in earthly pursuits.
- We gain the security of knowing we have everything we truly need in our relationship to God and His faithfulness to us.
- We are ushered into the presence of Almighty God – a privilege beyond all imagining.
- We participate in the divine nature through intimacy with God (2 Peter 1:4). Our character is progressively transformed to Christlikeness.
- We receive eternal rewards, pleasures, and satisfaction that infinitely outshine anything this fleeting world could possibly offer (Psalm 16:11).
- God promises to work all things together for our good when we love and trust in Him as our portion (Romans 8:28).
These blessings only scratch the surface of the benefits and privileges of knowing God intimately as our truest inheritance and companion both now and for eternity.
Key Scriptures About God as Our Portion
Here is a sampling of Bible verses that reveal the beauty of God as the supreme portion and possession of His people:
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. – Psalm 16:5-6
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that 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
But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. – Psalm 73:28
The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. – Lamentations 3:24
I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. – Philippians 3:8
These key passages remind us of the sweet intimacy, hope, and treasures that are found in belonging to God fully and declaring Him our supreme portion.
Summary of Why God as Our Portion is So Meaningful
In summary, the biblical metaphor of “God is my portion” powerfully expresses:
- God’s complete adequacy to meet all our needs for joy, fulfillment and security
- The surpassing worth of knowing God above all else
- The call to find our primary identity, contentment, and devotion in God
- The freedom in realizing God alone fully satisfies our soul’s deepest longings
- The responsibility to live wholeheartedly for the Lord who is our treasured possession
- The promise of enjoying intimate fellowship with God – our great reward
To declare from the heart “God is my portion” is to find the purpose, security, hope, and home that we are created for. It is to discover the pearl of great price who alone can perfectly fill that God-shaped void in our souls (Matthew 13:46). There is no sweeter declaration that a redeemed sinner can make this side of eternity than confessing through faith and obedience that the Lord God Almighty is our own true portion forever.