ALL GOOD GIFTS

Psalm 16
ALL GOOD GIFTS
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (v.6)

When we were looking for a piece of land to build a retreat centre, our attention was attracted to an advertised property. The land area was sizeable. It was situated next to the sea which was an ideal location. The asking price was surprisingly low. We went off enthusiastically to look at it. To our disappointment, the property was a mangrove swamp!

The "boundary lines" were wrong. If that piece of land had been somewhere else, on more solid ground, it would have served our purpose well. As it was, a swamp could hardly be a "pleasant" or "delightful" place.

The psalmist finds himself in a happier situation. "LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup...." (v.5). The language is apparently that of food. He is given a choice portion at the table, and the cup, a symbol of hospitality. But "portion" could also refer to land, as the following verse about "boundary lines" implies. Whatever it is, David finds himself blessed by the LORD. In a beautiful touch of poetry, he describes how the lines have fallen for him in pleasant places.

We can learn from David the way to receive blessings from the LORD. Firstly, he recognises God as the giver: "LORD, you have assigned." It is God who assigns or bestows good gifts upon us, whether it be a sumptuous meal or a new house. We cannot take good things for granted or attribute them to chance or luck.

Secondly, he returns God his appreciation. "I will praise the LORD," he says, "Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices" (v.7,9). The whole psalm throbs with gratitude. So should our heart for every blessing from above.

No gift should be appreciated above the Giver.