Psalm 73:26
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Psalm 73 records Asaph's struggle with the prosperity of the wicked until he saw their end in the sanctuary. Verse 26 is his settled conclusion: God Himself is his lasting good.
What Does Psalm 73:26 Mean?
This verse is the calm center of a storm. Asaph admits something most people try to hide: "My flesh and my heart faileth." Both the outer body and the inner self run down. Yet the same sentence pivots on "but" to a reality that does not run down -- "God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever." The failing is honest, but it is not the final word.
The whole psalm leads here. Asaph nearly lost his footing envying the prosperity of the wicked, until he entered the sanctuary and saw their end. The lesson he carries out is that visible advantages are temporary, but God Himself is permanent. The word "portion" comes from the language of inheritance -- when the land of Israel was divided, each tribe received a portion, but the Levites were told that the LORD was their portion. Asaph claims that promise for his own soul: God is not merely a giver of good things, but the good thing itself, the lasting inheritance that outlasts the body. So when strength drains away, the believer is not left empty. The very core that fails finds a new and unfailing center in God, who holds the heart up and remains its possession forever.
In the Original Language
"Strength" here is the Hebrew tsur, literally a rock or crag, picturing God as a solid cliff the failing heart leans on; "portion" is cheleq, an allotted share or inheritance.
Cross References
“The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”
- Lamentations 3:24
“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;”
- Psalm 18:2
“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9
Application
On days when both body and willpower run out, anchor your identity not in your own strength but in God, who remains your portion when everything else fails.