God Is Enough - Nov. 30th, 2025

Passage: Psalm 119:57-64 (KJV)

Central Idea of the Text (CIT): The psalmist affirmed the Lord as his portion and vowed to obey His Word, remaining faithful through adversity and identifying with God’s people under the Lord’s mercy.

Sermonic Proposition: We must recommit to wholehearted obedience to God, enduring trials faithfully and walking in fellowship with His people.

Statement of Purpose: Consecrative - I want my hearers to recommit to wholehearted obedience in light of God’s steadfast mercy.

Introduction

This past week at Thanksgiving, many of us gathered around tables brimming with food. Perhaps as dessert was served, you found yourself eyeing the portion of pie on your plate—and maybe comparing it with your siblings’ slices! It’s human nature to care about our portion. We want our fair share and a little extra if possible. But consider this: what if you could have a portion so satisfying that you’d never worry about anyone else’s slice? The psalmist of Psalm 119 declares he has exactly that. In verse 57 he exclaims, “Thou art my portion, O LORD.” In other words, “God, You are enough for me!” He’s saying that having the Lord is having everything. When God is your portion, you have all you will ever need. You won’t be scrambling for the leftovers of this world, because your inheritance is secure in Him.

This evening, we continue our Savoring the Psalter series by savoring the Cheth stanza of Psalm 119 (verses 57-64). In the Hebrew acrostic structure of Psalm 119, each of these eight verses begins with the letter Cheth, emphasizing that they belong together as a unit. In this stanza we see a beautiful progression of themes, moving from personal commitment to the Lord (choosing Him as our portion and walking in obedience) to communal fellowship with God’s people (being a companion of all who fear Him), all framed by an awareness of God’s abundant mercy filling the earth. Here the psalmist opens his heart to show what a life looks like when God is our greatest treasure.

Because the Lord is our portion, we should obey Him with all our hearts, cling to Him in our trials with grateful trust, and walk in close fellowship with His people, ever mindful of His merciful love. Let’s explore four marks of a life that finds its “portion” in the Lord, and as we do, I pray we will each be challenged to recommit our hearts to obeying God in light of His steadfast mercy to us.

I. Treasure the Lord as Your Portion (vv. 57-58)

The psalmist begins with a bold declaration:

Psalm 119:57 KJV

57 CHETH. Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.

In the Old Testament, one’s “portion” referred to their allotted inheritance or share in the land, essentially, their source of livelihood and security. To say God is your portion means you consider Him your most precious possession, your source of true life and satisfaction. The Levites in Israel had no land portion because the Lord was their portion (Numbers 18:20), and here the psalmist claims that privilege for himself. He is utterly satisfied in God. As one commentator writes, “The Lord is everything you need… having infinite wisdom to direct, infinite grace to sustain, infinite power to protect, and infinite love to care and comfort.” Is that our testimony too? Can we say with conviction that if we have the Lord, we have enough?

Notice that obedience flows out of this relationship. “Thou art my portion… I have said that I would keep Thy words.” The order is important: first “Thou art my portion,” then “I will keep Thy words.” Loving devotion precedes loyal duty. We don’t obey God in order to gain Him as our portion; we obey because He is already our portion! The psalmist isn’t bargaining with God; he’s delighting in God. Because he has all he needs in the Lord, he gladly pledges to keep God’s Word. Jesus affirmed this principle: “If a man love Me, he will keep My words” (John 14:23). When you truly treasure the Lord, obedience becomes not a burden but a blessing. His commandments are not grievous when your heart is satisfied in Him.

In verse 58, the writer says,

Psalm 119:58 KJV

58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

To “intreat [God’s] favour” literally means to seek God’s face. He is pleading for God’s presence and grace with everything in him. The Hebrew word for “intreated” here carries the sense of intense longing, it can even mean “to grow weak or sick” with desire. In other words, he yearns for God so much it hurts! This is wholehearted, not half-hearted casual devotion; he is desperate for the Lord’s blessing. And what gives him the boldness to ask? God’s promise: “according to Thy word.” He prays, “Lord, be merciful to me as You have promised.” His confidence is in God’s steadfast word of promise to show mercy to those who seek Him.

Do we treasure the Lord as our portion? Do we truly believe that knowing Him is better than any earthly gain? When the Lord is your portion, you won’t be shopping around for satisfaction in sin or in the approval of others. You’ll be able to say, “I have all I need in my God.” One Puritan writer, Thomas Brooks, advised believers facing temptations to remember this truth. He said, “When Satan or this world tempts us to go astray… answer, ‘The Lord is my portion.’”

What is my portion? What am I relying on for security and joy? If it is anything less than the Lord Himself, I will be disappointed. But if God is truly my portion, I can echo the psalmist’s pledge: “I promise to obey Your words, Lord. You’ve given me Yourself, so I gladly give You my life.” This Thanksgiving, as we counted our blessings, did we remember to count God Himself as the ultimate blessing? He has given Himself to us in Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the bread of life; he that cometh to Me shall never hunger” (John 6:35). When we have Christ, our souls can be forever satisfied.

II. Turn from Sin and Obey Without Delay (vv. 59-60)

These verses describe the psalmist’s response to God’s grace: genuine repentance and eager obedience. In verse 59, he says,

Psalm 119:59 KJV

59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

He took time for honest self-examination. He considered the path his life was on, the choices he was making, and where those would lead him. This kind of reflection is crucial for repentance. Many of us go through life without ever stopping to evaluate our spiritual direction. But God often uses life’s struggles and the conviction of His Word to make us “consider our ways.” The prodigal son in Jesus’ parable, for example, “came to himself” in the pigsty and said, “What am I doing? I will arise and go to my father” (Luke 15:17-18).

So he says, “and turned my feet unto Thy testimonies.” This is a beautiful picture of repentance: a change of direction. He made a U-turn back toward God’s Word. True repentance involves both “thinking on our ways” (a change of mind) and “turning our feet” (a change of behavior). As one preacher put it: “Regret is when you acknowledge you did wrong. Remorse is when you feel sorry about it. Repentance is when you turn around and do right.”

Furthermore, notice that the psalmist took personal responsibility in this process. “I thought… I turned my feet.” He wasn’t passively waiting for God to force him onto the right path. He chose to do something about his direction. Our relationship with God involves a willing heart. While the Holy Spirit convicts and enables us, we are not robots—each person must respond to God’s call. Psalm 119:59 implies what the New Testament states: we must “repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance” (Acts 26:20). Much to the chagrin of a hyper-Calvinist, the Psalmist here was “not irresistibly dragged” back to God against his own will; he “served the LORD from his will.” In other words, God didn’t grab his feet and turn them; the Psalmist himself turned toward God’s testimonies, albeit empowered by grace. This is a crucial point: our obedience is a personal choice. God gives us the grace, but we must decide to act on it. No one slides into holiness by accident. We must intentionally “turn our feet” to align with God’s Word.

Verse 60 goes on:

Psalm 119:60 KJV

60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

In plain terms, he obeyed right away. Once he knew the right thing to do, he hurried to do it. Delayed obedience is disobedience. How often do we fall into the trap of intentions without actions? Charles Spurgeon once said, “We are too often in haste to sin; O that we may be in greater hurry to obey.”

Let me illustrate this with a brief true story. A woman in St. Louis noticed a few bees buzzing around in her attic, but she did nothing about it. Over the summer, those few bees became a hive full of thousands. One day, the entire ceiling caved in under the weight of honey and combs, filling the house with angry bees and a terrible mess. She learned a painful lesson: procrastination can be costly. In the same way, if we delay in dealing with sin or delay in obeying God’s voice, small problems can become spiritual catastrophes. Every moment we linger in disobedience is a moment of fellowship with God lost and a chance for sin to harden our hearts.

Remember, the joy of obedience follows the choice of obedience. Once you’ve made that U-turn and started moving toward God’s will, the only regret you’ll have is that you didn’t do it sooner! So whatever God is calling you to change or to do, do it now. Trust Him and obey without delay.

III. Stay Faithful and Thankful in Trials (vv. 61-62)

Psalm 119:61 KJV

61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law.

Here, the tone shifts to the pressures and pains the psalmist is facing. He mentions “the bands of the wicked,” indicating he was either bound, trapped, or plundered by evil men; the translators have given us a note that this word “bands” can also be rendered “companies,” so that makes me envision something more like being hemmed in and surrounded by wicked people, and in a sense feeling cutoff, and pressured, with nowhere to turn, with no one else to stand with you. Yet, look at his response: “but I have not forgotten Thy law.” He didn’t forsake God’s Word even when things got really bad.

It’s one thing to obey God’s Word when life is smooth; it’s another to hold fast when you’re under attack. As a wise counsel goes, “Your job is to obey God’s commands; let God take care of the obstacles.” Picture an airplane pilot trying to land in rough weather. The control tower tells him what to do, but he sees a pole on the runway and panics. The tower responds, “You obey the instructions; we’ll clear the obstructions.” God’s Word gives us our instructions. If we follow Him, God will handle the obstructions in His time. We can trust Him even when we feel trapped.

Now, verse 62 is truly astounding:

Psalm 119:62 KJV

62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

This is devotion in the darkest hour. Midnight represents the deepest part of the night, when others are sleeping, when it’s dark and quiet. Remember, in ancient times they didn’t have electric lights; people usually slept soon after sundown. For someone to rise at midnight intentionally was uncommon and showed extraordinary zeal. This man loves God’s Word so much that even in inconvenient moments he’s thinking about it and praising God for it.

Notice two things: when he praises and why he praises. When is “at midnight,” which implies not only inconvenience, but perhaps also symbolizes times of trouble or sleepless concern. And why does he praise? “Because of Thy righteous judgments.” That is, because of God’s Word and God’s ways which are always right. He finds comfort in knowing that God’s judgments (decrees and decisions) are righteous and just.

Midnight praise has power. It lifts our eyes off the chains and onto Christ. It declares, “Lord, I trust You even now. Your ways are right and good even when I hurt. I thank You because You are righteous and faithful.” That kind of thanksgiving in trial confounds the enemy. Satan expects suffering to make us bitter and forget God. But when, instead, we remember God’s law and give Him thanks, we defeat the enemy’s purpose and bring glory to God.

Friends, let’s determine that we too will stay faithful and thankful in our trials. Don’t let hardship make you drop your Bible or muzzle your praise. Remember that our God works the night shift! He is awake with you. His promises still hold. Sometimes the sweetest worship comes not on sunny Sunday mornings but in the midnight of a hospital room, or the midnight of loneliness, when you whisper, “Lord, I thank You that You are here and Your Word is true.” That is a powerful testimony that God indeed is your portion, because even when everything else is taken, you still have Him, and you still have a song.

IV. Keep Fellowship with God’s People (vv. 63-64)

The psalmist now turns to his relationships. In verse 63, he testifies that he chooses his friends carefully:

Psalm 119:63 KJV

63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

He values fellowship with like-minded believers. All through this psalm, the writer has talked about his love for God’s law; here he indicates he is not alone, there are others who fear the Lord, and he sticks with them. This is the biblical principle of godly companionship. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed,” says Proverbs 13:20. The people we “rub shoulders with” will influence our attitude and behavior.

There’s also an implied inverse: “I am a companion of all who fear You” means “I am not a companion of those who mock or reject You.” He separates from the wicked and sticks close to the faithful. His true fellowship, the ones he does life with, are God-fearing people. He refuses to let close relationships with ungodly people pull him away from his convictions. “Be not deceived, evil communications corrupt good manners,” as 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns. By contrast, good company strengthens good character.

This emphasizes the importance of Christian community for us. If this man after God’s own heart says, “I’m a companion of all who fear God,” how much more do we need the fellowship of other believers! We were not meant to walk the Christian journey alone. God designed the church as a community where we encourage one another, learn together, and hold each other accountable. Hebrews 10:25 urges us not to forsake assembling together, but to exhort one another, “and so much the more as ye see the day approaching.” We truly need each other’s fellowship and encouragement in these days. The psalmist knew that isolating himself would be dangerous, so he stuck with those who kept God’s precepts. Build deep, godly friendships. As a church, let’s be a network of companions who fear God and help each other keep His Word. When you’re down, let a brother or sister lift you up. When you’re strong, come alongside someone who is struggling. We’re companions on this pilgrimage.

Mattoon put it well: “We need all the encouragement we can get in these days. That’s why it’s smart to be a companion of those who love the Lord… God did not intend for us to be isolated, alone, or aloof from other believers.” In fact, coming to church isn’t just about getting a blessing; it’s also about being a blessing.

Now verse 64 brings this stanza to a climax of praise and a prayer for continued growth:

Psalm 119:64 KJV

64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

First, he proclaims that the whole earth is full of God’s mercy. What a wonderful perspective! Despite living in a world where wicked people exist and trials happen, the psalmist looks around and sees the overflow of God’s mercy everywhere. It’s like he’s saying, “Lord, everywhere I look, even across this fallen earth, I still see evidence of Your unfailing love.” Indeed, every sunrise, every breath we take, every undeserved blessing is a sign that the earth is filled with God’s mercy (His lovingkindness). He has not left Himself without witness.

One commentator made a beautiful contrast here: in Isaiah 6:3, the angels around God’s throne cry, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.” Angels, who have never sinned, focus on God’s glory filling the earth. But redeemed human beings can sing something even angels marvel at: “The whole earth is full of God’s mercy.” The angels see His glory; we, as recipients of salvation, especially see His mercy and grace. When humanity rebelled, God in His loyal love sent His Son to save us, a mystery of mercy angels desire to look into! Truly, everywhere the gospel goes, the earth is being filled with the mercy of the Lord. Even tonight, in our hearts, we are experiencing that mercy. We must never forget that we stand here only by God’s mercies. It’s of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22). Thanksgiving may be behind us on the calendar, but for Christians, gratitude is never out of season!

In light of God’s abundant mercy, the psalmist ends with a humble request: “Teach me Thy statutes.” This has been a recurring prayer throughout Psalm 119. This is our song, and when we sing, often, we come back to a refrain that we cling to that drives melody home to our heart. If there’s no music to this, it’s just droning on, but the musicality of this warms the heart strings. We see here a humble, lifelong learner’s attitude. No matter how far we’ve come, there is always more to learn of God’s Word. The psalmist doesn’t assume he has “arrived.” He wants to keep growing, and he knows he needs the Lord to instruct him. Pride would make him unteachable, but humility keeps him seeking. “Lord, teach me!” Teach me how to walk in Your ways; teach me more depth of understanding in Scripture; correct me where I’m wrong. A heart that loves God as our portion will want an ever-closer walk with Him and a deeper grasp of His truth.

Application:

Value the community of believers and remain teachable in God’s Word. We grow best together. There’s safety and strength in numbers, in the fellowship of the church. Make it a priority to build those relationships. And as you do, keep a humble heart that hungers for God’s Word. Don’t ever feel you’ve learned “enough” Bible or that you can coast on yesterday’s knowledge. The moment we stop learning is the moment we start backsliding. It’s been said, “If your Bible is collecting dust, your heart will start to rust.” Keep your Bible open and your mind attuned to God’s instruction. When God’s people gather, whether in worship, Sunday School, Bible study, or even a casual fellowship, seize those opportunities to learn and grow. And do it all with gratitude.

Conclusion

As we step back and look at this Cheth stanza, we see a portrait of a believer whose life is centered on the Lord as his portion. He has made a personal commitment: “God, You are mine and I am Yours.” From that flows everything else, persistent obedience, repentant living, resilient praise, and loving fellowship. We’ve considered four marks of such a life: treasuring the Lord above all, turning and obeying without delay, staying faithful and thankful in trials, and keeping fellowship with God’s people while continually learning His Word. This is a life of wholehearted devotion. It’s the kind of life God is calling each of us to pursue. It’s not a life free from trouble (the psalmist had wicked enemies and midnight tears), but it is a life grounded in something, Someone, that trouble cannot take away.

Remember: God is enough.

We truly are family here at First Baptist. Like pilgrims on the same road, let’s link arms as we walk toward heaven, encouraging one another to keep going and keep growing. I am so grateful that God’s mercy has placed us in a community of believers. As verse 64 reminds us, everywhere we look we can see God’s mercy at work, including right here in His church, among His people who care for one another. Let’s never take that for granted. Let’s each strive to be the kind of companion that spurs others on to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). If you know someone who is struggling, reach out. If you need spiritual friends, get involved, there’s a place for you here.

Finally, if you are listening and you have never personally trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you don’t yet know the joy of saying, “The Lord is my portion.” All the blessings we described, the confidence, the comfort, the companionship, flow from a saving relationship with God through Christ. On our own, we have no claim to God’s favor; we, like straying sheep, have gone our own way. But in His mercy, God sent His Son Jesus to die for our sins and rise again, so that all who turn from sin and trust in Him are forgiven and brought into God’s family. Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this psalm, He is the Word made flesh, our portion and our Savior. Because of Jesus, we can experience God’s steadfast love that fills the earth. If you don’t know Him, I urge you: come to Jesus tonight. Let Him be your portion. He will fill your life with good things, with forgiveness, peace, and eternal life. Then you too can say, “O Lord, You are mine, and I am Yours.”

By God’s grace, let’s be those people. God is enough, may our lives show that we truly believe it. “Thou art my portion, O LORD.” Amen.

Closing Prayer:

O Lord, You are our portion. You are more than enough for us. Thank You for Your Word that guides us, for Your mercy that sustains us, and for Your people who encourage us. Forgive us for when we have strayed or delayed in obeying You. By Your grace, we turn our feet back to Your path. Strengthen us to keep Your commandments without delay. In our trials, help us to remember Your law and to offer You grateful praise even at midnight. Bind our hearts together with all who fear You, make us true companions in Christ. And Lord, please continue to teach us Your statutes. Give us humble, teachable spirits that delight in Your truth. We recommit ourselves to You tonight, wholeheartedly, in view of Your steadfast love. Seal these lessons to our hearts by Your Holy Spirit. Let our lives sing, “Thou art my portion, O LORD.” We love You and we thank You for loving us first, through Jesus Christ our Savior. It is in His name that we pray. Amen.

[Source: adapted from study notes including Rod Mattoon, Treasures from Treasured Psalms, Psalm 119, vol. 3.]