Psalms 16:5 · Bible study
Psalms 16:5 Commentary: Yahweh My Portion, My Cup, My Secure Lot
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Study Psalm 16:5. Why the psalmist calls God his 'portion' and 'cup'. Exegesis, Hebrew word study, and application for faith and life.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The psalmist declares Yahweh to be his sole, sufficient, and secure inheritance, fulfilling the type of the Levites and rejecting the false portions of idolatry.
- Key words: Portion (H4490 מָנָה), Cup (H3563 כּוֹס), Lot (H1486 גּוֹרָל), Maintainest (H8551 תָּמַךְ).
- Main debate: Is the voice primarily David the priest-king, the Messiah typologically, or the righteous individual?
- Theological theme: The Sufficiency of God. Covenant security. Contrast between God's blessing and the curse of idolatry.
- Best use: A profound text for meditation on Christian contentment and assurance, as a confession of trust in God alone.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.
KJV King James Version 1769
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Jehovah is the portion of my share, and of my cup, Thou--Thou dost uphold my lot.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Perfect thou my goings in thy paths: that my footsteps be not moved.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Jehová es la porción de mi parte y de mi copa; tú sustentarás mi suerte.
O SENHOR é a porção da minha herança e o meu cálice; tu sustentas a minha sorte.
L’ Éternel est mon partage et mon calice;
Der HERR aber ist mein Gut und mein Teil; du erhältst mein Erbteil.
De HEERE is het deel mijner erve, en mijns bekers; Gij onderhoudt mijn lot.
L’Eterno è la parte della mia eredità e il mio calice; tu mantieni quel che m’è toccato in sorte.
Pan jest cząstką dziedzictwa mego, i kielicha mego, ty zatrzymujesz los mój.
Утверди шаги мои на путях Твоих, да не колеблются стопы мои.
耶和華 是我的產業，是我杯 中的分；我所得的，你 為我持守。
The Lord is my heritage and the wine of my cup; you are the supporter of my right.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 16:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Psalm 16:5 functions as a profound claim of total sufficiency in God, framed by two stark contrasts. The first contrast is with the idolaters of verse 4, who choose 'another god' and will receive a 'cup' of sorrow (Keil & Delitzsch). The psalmist's cup is Yahweh himself. The second contrast is drawn from the Levitical tradition. Numbers 18:20, cited by the Cambridge Bible and Gill, states the Levites have no land inheritance, the Lord is their portion. By adopting this language, the psalmist renounces any earthly security and declares God alone to be the property that defines his life and the refreshment that sustains it. The word for 'portion' (מְנָת, menot) and 'lot' (גּוֹרָל, goral) anchor the claim in the concrete imagery of land division, while the verb for 'maintainest' (תּוֹמִיךְ, tomikh) assures that God holds this inheritance fast (Gill, Cambridge). The cumulative effect is a confession that God is not merely a source of good, but the whole and unshakeable good of the person who trusts him.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Messianic / Covenant Head: The NT application of the whole Psalm to Christ (Acts 2:25-31) and the Davidic covenant frame encourage a typological reading.
- Levitical Priest Typology: The direct verbal parallel with Num 18:20 and Deut 10:9 frames the psalmist's declaration in priestly terms.
- General Piety / Wisdom: The universal application of the language of satisfaction and trust in God, common to all believers.
What is clear: The psalmist deliberately and publicly chooses Yahweh as his supreme good over against all idols, and declares his total security in God's keeping.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The speaking voice of the Psalm | The verse reflects a person of profound trust who has rejected idolatry for God. | Some (Clarke, Gill, Henry) read this as a direct prophecy of Christ the Messiah. Others (Barnes, Cambridge) focus on David's personal experience as a type of the righteous believer. |
| Meaning of 'Portion and Cup' (inheritance vs. provision) | Both terms refer to God as the ultimate good the psalmist possesses and enjoys. | Some (Cambridge, Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) tie 'portion' strongly to the Levitical land-inheritance tradition (Num 18:20). Others (Barnes, Wesley) see 'cup' as the daily provision of a feast and 'portion' as a general lot in life. |
| The verb 'Thou maintainest my lot' | God is responsible for the security of the psalmist's inheritance. | The Cambridge Bible notes the verb form is grammatically anomalous. Some translate it as God *holding* the lot (preserving it), while others (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) see it as God *drawing out* or extending the lot (enlarging the inheritance). |
| Context of Idolatry (v.4 vs. v.5) | Verse 5 is a direct contrast to the sorrows that come from serving other gods. | Whether the 'other gods' are literal deities of the Philistine or Canaanite pantheon (as in David's flight, suggested by Lange) or a broader metaphor for any spiritual adultery. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Levitical tradition forms the immediate background. When the land of Canaan was divided by lot, the tribe of Levi received no territory. Yahweh himself was their inheritance (Num 18:20, Deut 10:9). The Cambridge Bible, Gill, and Jamieson-Fausset-Brown all apply this directly to the verse. The psalmist is therefore speaking as one who has set aside any claim to an earthly portion and chosen God instead.
The word 'lot' (גּוֹרָל, goral) reinforces the land-division imagery. Casting lots was the standard method for assigning tribal territories (Joshua 14, 19) and for making decisions in the sanctuary. By using this language, the psalmist frames his relationship with God as a deliberate, sacred allotment.
Against this stands the dark picture of idolatry in verse 4. Those who 'give gifts to another god' multiply their sorrows. Their drink offerings are blood. The psalmist refuses even to speak their names. Keil & Delitzsch note the sharp antithesis: the saints are already 'glorified' in the psalmist's eyes, while a 'future full of anguish' awaits the apostates. In a polytheistic world, choosing one god over others had concrete social consequences. The 'cup' and 'portion' were the tangible benefits, or curses, a deity was expected to provide. Psalm 16:5 is a radical monotheistic confession sharpened by lived risk.
Textual Notes
The Masoretic Text for Psalm 16:5 is well-preserved, with no major ancient variants threatening the core meaning. The most notable point discussed by scholars is the grammatical form of the verb 'maintainest' (תּוֹמִיךְ). The Cambridge Bible notes this form is anomalous, leading some critics to argue for a reading that translates not as an action of God ('you maintain') but as a description of God's character ('you are the possession of my lot'). The majority of translations retain the active verbal sense of God holding the lot fast, supported by the semantic range of the root tamakh meaning 'to grasp, hold, support' (Gill, Lexicon).
Reception History
Jewish exegesis, reflected in the Targum Psalms, read this as a declaration of the righteous person's devotion to the Torah and the Land. Christian interpretation was deeply shaped by the Messianic reading of the whole Psalm, particularly verse 10 ('You will not abandon my soul to Sheol'). The title 'Michtam' was read by Calvin and others as a golden inscription worthy of Christ's resurrection. Matthew Henry calls it a 'golden psalm' speaking plainly of Christ. Adam Clarke and John Gill explicitly hear the voice of the Messiah in verse 5, receiving the cup of suffering and the portion of the redeemed from the Father. In the Anglican and Reformed traditions, this verse has been a standard text for preaching on Christian contentment and the doctrine of assurance, emphasizing that God himself is the believer's true inheritance.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Radical Choice: The psalmist chooses God as his portion over every earthly inheritance, echoing the Levitical priests who had no land but had God themselves. This is not a passive preference but a deliberate decision to define his life by God alone.
- The Generous Provision: God fills the cup of his people. It is not just survival he gives, but a 'cup' of comfort and joy that overflows (Psalm 23:5), contrasted sharply with the 'cup of sorrow' that awaits the idolater (Psalm 11:6).
- The Secure Future: The Hebrew verb "tamakh" means to grasp, hold fast, or support. God holds our lot. Our ultimate security is not in our ability to hold onto him, but in his unshakeable grip. It is God who made my lot secure.
Five-point outline
- The Portrait of Identity: God is the portion. He defines who we are and to whom we belong. Like the Levites, our primary identity is not in our possessions but in our God.
- The Provision of Joy: God is the cup. He is the source of our satisfaction and gladness. True joy comes from him, not from circumstances.
- The Protection of Destiny: God is the one who maintains the lot. He guards our inheritance and holds our future firmly in his hands.
- The Problem of Alternatives: The 'other gods' of verse 4 multiply sorrow. Every substitute portion we chase disappoints in the end. Only God satisfies.
- The People of the Promise: This confession is made in the context of the congregation of the saints (v.3). Satisfaction in God is not a private experience but a shared life of worship.
Illustration hooks
- Heirlooms and heritage: An inheritance parcel of land or a family name defines someone's story. The psalmist says his true story, his boundary line, is God himself.
- A rich meal and a full glass: The 'portion and cup' image grounds abstract theology in physical provision. God satisfies us as a good feast satisfies a hungry body, and as cool water revives a dry throat.
- Security systems and insurance: We invest heavily in maintaining our lot in life. Verse 5 invites us to admit that ultimate security is a Person, not a policy.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How do I know if I am really making God my portion, or just hoping he will bless my earthly portions?
- If God is supposed to be my inheritance, why do I still feel restless and unsatisfied in my faith?
- Does choosing God as my portion mean I should avoid planning for my earthly future?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 16 stands at the boundary between trust in God and rejection of idols. Verse 5 is the hinge. The psalmist makes a deliberate public confession: Yahweh, not the gods of the nations, is his appointed lot. This opens a powerful small-group conversation about where we find our deepest satisfaction and security.
Discussion questions
- Observation: What specific things does the psalmist say Yahweh is to him in verse 5?
- Observation: Read verse 4. What kind of 'portion' and 'cup' do the idolaters receive?
- Interpretation: Numbers 18:20 says the Levites have no inheritance in the land; the Lord is their inheritance. Why might the psalmist borrow this language from the priests?
- Interpretation: The Hebrew verb for 'maintain' (tamakh) means to grasp or hold fast. What does this tell us about who is responsible for keeping our salvation secure?
- Application: What are the 'portions' and 'cups' people in our culture chase after for happiness?
- Application: Verse 5 says 'You made my lot secure.' How does seeing our security as a gift from God change the way we handle anxiety?
- Application: How can sharing in a church community help us 'hold fast' to God when we are tempted to look for satisfaction elsewhere?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Deuteronomy 32:9 | For Yahweh’s portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. |
| Psalms 2:6 | “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.” |
| Psalms 9:4 | For you have maintained my just cause. You sit on the throne judging righteously. |
| Psalms 11:6 | On the wicked he will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup. |
| Psalms 21:7 | For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved. |
| Psalms 21:12 | For you will make them turn their back, when you aim drawn bows at their face. |
| Psalms 23:5 | You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over. |
| Psalms 61:6 | You will prolong the king’s life. His years will be for generations. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
10 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke reads this verse as the Messiah speaking. Christ claims the Lord as his portion, meaning his whole mission is to redeem humanity. The cup represents the suffering he accepts for their sake, which later becomes the cup of blessing in remembrance of his death.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes draws a sharp contrast between the Lord and idols: the psalmist finds his entire portion and inheritance in God alone, not in any false god. The cup that cheers and sustains him is the Lord himself, not sensual pleasures or worldly comforts. God himself preserves this precious lot for him.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David, though unable to benefit God, still devotes himself entirely and rejects superstitions because full happiness rests in God alone, who supplies every good thing. The title "mictam," he explains, suggests the psalm is like gold or a pillar inscription meant for eternal remembrance.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator highlights the Hebrew ambiguity: Jehovah is either the Psalmist's allotted share of land or the cup that satisfies his deepest needs. The unusual verb form may instead declare God Himself to be the possession of the Psalmist's lot, recalling the Levites who received no earthly inheritance but had Jehovah as their portion.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou shalt mainteine my lot.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill reads this verse as Christ speaking, using the Levitical priest's relationship to God as his inheritance. He suggests a dual meaning: God himself is Christ's portion and delight, or that Christ's portion refers to the elect given to him by the Father, whom God preserves from falling.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB finds in this passage an allusion to the daily supply of food and to the tribe of Levi, who had no land inheritance because God Himself was their portion. He also reads the word "maintainest" as God drawing out and enlarging the psalmist's lot, not merely preserving it.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch contrasts two kinds of people: the saints whom David loves, and the apostates who exchange the true God for idols and reap only sorrows. For the believer, like the Levite who received no land, the Lord Himself is the all-sufficient portion and inheritance. David will not even speak the names of false gods.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that this psalm is not merely a personal expression of hope but a prophecy from David as a prophet.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley points to ancient feast customs where each guest received a portion of meat and wine in their cup, and to the practice of dividing land by lot. He sees the psalmist rejoicing in God as his personally assigned and fully satisfying portion, desiring no other happiness.