Psalm 16 English Standard Version You Will Not Abandon My Soul A Miktam of David. 16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. David once again is crying out to the LORD for safety, refuge and "salvation." David says something interesting here that the LORD (that's the covenant name of God) is his Lord (that's a title for the one who is ruler or king over you) and that He is the provider of every good thing that David has and that David sees. There is nothing good apart from Him (and no one good apart from Him).
It is those that the LORD has declared righteous and called saints that are found to be "excellent" in His sight and whom He delights in. Why? Not because of their own identity or works, but because of the identity and work of the Son that has been transferred to them (put on their account). The godless people have miserable lives where they do not feel that they have anything good, because they do not have God and only God is good (See Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19). They may try to replace God with many other things, but everything comes up short. David talks about their being people who shed innocent blood and like that being an offering to the false gods that they worship, but David will not participate in that, nor will he even give them the satisfaction of being named by David, because they love to be recognized and get attention for themselves. David then says that the LORD is the one who gives him his provision for what to eat and the measure of what he is to drink in his cup (in Psalm 23, he'll say that his cup is filled to overflowing), and that the LORD has apportioned David's lot in life (physically where he lives and in a larger picture, everything that comes David's way comes from the LORD). David says that he will be content and thankful for everything that the LORD provides because he knows that ultimately the LORD will give him a beautiful inheritance in the kingdom of God that falls in pleasant and peaceful places. David chooses to bless the LORD night and day for the provision that He has provided, His instruction that He has given (we have this today through the Word of God), that He will never leave or forsake David (He's always at David's right hand--the most trusted position for any advisor who you need access to immediately because you rely on them and trust them completely). David said because of all these things that He has from the LORD (and I think his positional salvation is included in this statement), David said that he will not be shaken. He knows that he is kept safe and secure by God and that his inheritance is secure. He need not fear man, nature, or the forces of evil because the LORD is on his side. This next verse is interesting because we may assume that David is talking about himself here, but we know later that David is speaking prophetically about Jesus when he says, "You will not let your holy one see corruption." David is in a tomb and his body has decayed, but Jesus' body never got to the point of decaying because He was only dead for three days and three nights. It is in the hope of that resurrection that David seemed to know about through the holy spirit that David had a hope that he too would likewise be resurrected and not left in Sheol ("The Grave" or "the place of the dead" in Hebrew) forever. In this he rejoices and knows that even his flesh (not just his spirit) is secure that one day he will have a resurrection body that will be a part of the kingdom of God--we will not just be disembodied spirits. All of us--heart, soul, mind, and strength can worship together at the good gifts from God that we have and the good things that He has promised to us that we are certain that He will deliver to us. The LORD has made known the path of life (the way of salvation unto eternal life). Isn't that interesting that David knows that Way so many years before Jesus says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6). David says that it is His relationship with God where David can experience the presence of the LORD that brings him great joy, and David knows that there is an abundant supply of every good and perfect gift that comes from above. All David needs to do is trust in and rest in the LORD, and stand upon His promises. Comments are closed.
|
Daniel WestfallI will mostly use this space for recording my "journal" from my daily devotions as I hope to encourage others to read the Bible along with me and to leave a legacy for others. Archives
January 2025
Categories
All
|