The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse offers a profound insight beyond just choosing God: it highlights that God isn't just a static "inheritance" but an active sustainer of our lives and circumstances. The phrase "you hold my lot" reveals God's personal engagement, actively managing and preserving the life He’s assigned to us, ensuring we don't lose what He’s given.
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a prayer of trust and devotion, likely offered during a time of danger or persecution. The psalmist declares his commitment to God and his rejection of idolatry, setting the stage for a profound affirmation of God's sufficiency as his ultimate good. He then looks forward to the resurrection and the joy of God's presence in the future, framing his present contentment in light of eternal hope.
In ancient times, land was everything – your livelihood, your security, your identity. What happens when your greatest 'inheritance' isn't land at all, but the Lord Himself?
A Heritage Unlike Any Other
When the Psalmist declares, 'The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup,' he's tapping into the concept of inheritance, deeply familiar to his people. In the Old Testament, land was divided by lot among the tribes of Israel. This 'lot' was their inheritance – their guaranteed provision and security from God.
But here, the Psalmist elevates this idea. His inheritance isn't a physical piece of land, but the Lord Himself. This means God isn't just a provider, but the very source of all good things, the ultimate possession that satisfies every need.
More Than Enough
Think about it: if God is your inheritance, you have everything. He is your security, your provision, your joy. This choice sets the Psalmist apart from those who chase after idols or worldly wealth, recognizing that true fulfillment is found only in relationship with the Creator. He’s not just getting something from God; he’s getting God.
Life often feels like a mixed drink – sometimes sweet, sometimes bitter. How does the Psalmist view his 'cup,' and what does it mean that God 'holds' it?
God's Provision and Protection
The phrase 'and my cup' adds another layer to the imagery. In ancient Near Eastern culture, a cup often represented one's daily allotment, provision, or even their destiny and condition in life. It was what was poured out for you.
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The Psalmist isn't just saying God gives him good things; he’s saying God is the good thing that fills his cup. It signifies complete satisfaction and enjoyment found in God's presence and provision, whether that's blessings or even the challenges that sustain life.
Divine Custody
The powerful conclusion, 'you hold my lot,' speaks to divine security. God doesn't just assign our portion; He actively maintains and holds it. This means our spiritual inheritance, our portion in God, is not subject to our own weak grasp or the whims of fate. God Himself is the keeper of our lot, ensuring its safety and preservation against any force that might try to take it away. It’s a promise of unwavering divine protection over the inheritance He has given.
Understand the original words
cheleq · Hebrew Noun
The portion or share of land assigned to a person, often used metaphorically for one's inheritance, destiny, or that which satisfies the soul. In Scripture, the Lord is presented as the supreme inheritance of the believer.
kos · Hebrew Noun
A vessel used for liquid, but often used in Scripture as a metaphor for a person's experience, destiny, or the divine judgment/blessing assigned to an individual by God.
goral · Hebrew Noun
A measure or inheritance determined by God. It reflects the theological belief that God is sovereign over the circumstances, location, and destiny of His people.
This passage directly parallels the idea of God being the 'portion' and 'inheritance,' specifically in reference to the Levitical priests who received no land but had the Lord as their sustenance.
Deuteronomy 10:9This verse echoes the concept of God being the inheritance of the Levites, emphasizing that God Himself, not material wealth, is their exclusive portion.
Matthew 20:22Jesus uses the metaphor of a 'cup' to refer to suffering and destiny, similar to how the Psalmist speaks of God holding his cup, implying God's sovereign control over both blessings and trials.
John 6:35Jesus declares, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty,' which powerfully connects to the idea of God as the ultimate satisfaction and fulfillment, the true portion and cup.
Philippians 3:8Paul describes counting everything as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus his Lord, reflecting the Psalmist's profound contentment and choice of God above all other possessions or delights.
calvinPsalms 16:5-6: "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."
Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup; thou sustainest my lot. 6. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. Here the Psalmist explains his sentiments more clearly. He shows the reason why he separates himself from idolaters, and resolves to continue in the church of God, why he shuns, wit…
clarkePsalms 16:5: "The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot."
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance - The Messiah speaks. Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance; I seek no earthly good; I desire to do the will of God, and that only. It is God who has given me this lot - to redeem mankind - to have them for mine inheritance. From him I have received the cup of suffering, which I shall drink for their sake, through which I shall impart to them the cu…
This verse offers a profound insight beyond just choosing God: it highlights that God isn't just a static "inheritance" but an active sustainer of our lives and circumstances. The phrase "you hold my lot" reveals God's personal engagement, actively managing and preserving the life He’s assigned to us, ensuring we don't lose what He’s given.
This psalm is a prayer of trust and devotion, likely offered during a time of danger or persecution. The psalmist declares his commitment to God and his rejection of idolatry, setting the stage for a profound affirmation of God's sufficiency as his ultimate good. He then looks forward to the resurrection and the joy of God's presence in the future, framing his present contentment in light of eternal hope.
This psalm is a prayer of trust and devotion, likely offered during a time of danger or persecution. The psalmist declares his commitment to God and his rejection of idolatry, setting the stage for a profound affirmation of God's sufficiency as his ultimate good. He then looks forward to the resurrection and the joy of God's presence in the future, framing his present contentment in light of eternal hope.
"The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot." — This verse offers a profound insight beyond just choosing God: it highlights that God isn't just a static "inheritance" but an active sustainer of our lives and circumstances. The phrase "you hold my…
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Last reviewed October 2026