How does Lamentations 3:24 connect with Psalm 73:26 about God as our portion? Key Verses • Lamentations 3:24 – “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.” • Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Setting the Scene • Lamentations comes out of national catastrophe: Jerusalem lies in ruins, yet Jeremiah still declares hope. • Psalm 73 shows Asaph wrestling with the prosperity of the wicked until he enters God’s sanctuary and gains eternal perspective. Understanding “Portion” • Portion (Hebrew ḥēleq) points to an allotted inheritance—what truly belongs to a person (cf. Numbers 18:20; Psalm 16:5). • For Israel, land was the usual inheritance; for the Levites, and for every believer, the Lord Himself is the inheritance that never diminishes. Parallel Threads Between the Two Verses • Same Confession, Different Circumstances – Jeremiah: utter external loss, yet inward confidence. – Asaph: inner turmoil over injustice, yet final surrender. • Same Object of Trust – “The LORD … therefore I will hope” (Lamentations 3:24). – “God … my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). – Both ground stability not in possessions, health, or circumstances but in the unchanging character of God (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). • Same Resulting Assurance – Hope (Lamentations 3:24): a settled expectation of future mercy. – Strength (Psalm 73:26): present sustaining power. – Together they reveal that God as portion meets both future and present needs. What We Learn About God as Our Portion • Sufficiency—in devastation or disappointment, He is enough (2 Corinthians 12:9). • Permanence—earthly portions perish; God is “forever” (Psalm 73:26; 1 Peter 1:4). • Exclusivity—He will not share first place; He Himself is the treasure (Matthew 6:21). • Accessibility—available to every believer, not just a privileged few (John 1:12). Implications for Daily Life • Anchor hope in God’s person, not changing conditions. • Measure wealth by relationship with Him, not by material assets. • Replace envy or despair with worship, like Asaph in Psalm 73:28. • Face physical weakness with confidence that eternal inheritance remains secure (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Concluding Connection Lamentations 3:24 and Psalm 73:26 join hands to declare that when everything tangible fails, the believer’s true inheritance—God Himself—stands untouched, supplying present strength and future hope. |
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