Psalm 16:1-11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. – Psalm 16:11
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The author of this psalm, King David, was the second king of the united kingdom of Israel. He had an incredibly rich life experience. As a young shepherd boy, he was despised and looked down upon, yet he was chosen by God. Psalm 16 is more than a personal confession of David’s deep trust in God. It also invites us into a deeper understanding of who God is and the grace He longs to pour out on His people.
This psalm is often referred to as a “Messianic Psalm” because it is quoted in the New Testament in reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both Peter and Paul cite it when proclaiming the risen Christ. As Peter preached: “Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ” (Acts 2:30–31)
The psalm opens with David’s cry: ” Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” David made a deliberate choice to find his refuge in God, making God the centre of his life. Through the ups and downs of his life, David was confident in God’s protection and provision. His declaration that “there is no good apart from God” is not merely poetic, it is a fundamental truth for us as well.
In verse 4, David issues a sobering warning: “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply…” (v. 4a). Anything that takes God’s place in our hearts is an idol. Even good things, if they become ultimate things, can pull us away from the One who is our true refuge and joy. The spiritual principle is found in verse 5: “The Lord is my chosen portion…” (v. 5). God had given Israel the Law to guide and govern their lives, that they might choose life and walk in His ways. Yet the Law could not solve humanity’s deepest problem. It could not cleanse sin, nor could it purify and renew the heart to make it holy and upright. The Law could not produce God’s holy people or help them fully grasp that apart from God, there is no good.
But what the Law could not do, God in His grace has done. The Creator of the universe is willing to be “my portion” (v. 5). Even when we fail to value the boundaries He sets for our good, God remains faithful to complete the work He began in us. He shows us “the path of life”, the road that leads to eternal life. What the Law could not accomplish, God’s grace has made possible. Through Christ, we are free from the bondage of sin and are given a joyful heart, a glad spirit, and a secure future!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your mercy and unfailing love. Through the resurrection of Christ, You have broken the chains of sin and opened the way for us to walk in freedom. Because of Him, we can know the joy of a heart made whole, the gladness of a spirit renewed, and the peace of dwelling securely in Your presence. Help me to fix my eyes on You and to keep You at the centre of my life. For apart from You, I have no good thing. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
Click to read
The author of this psalm, King David, was the second king of the united kingdom of Israel. He had an incredibly rich life experience. As a young shepherd boy, he was despised and looked down upon, yet he was chosen by God. Psalm 16 is more than a personal confession of David’s deep trust in God. It also invites us into a deeper understanding of who God is and the grace He longs to pour out on His people.
This psalm is often referred to as a “Messianic Psalm” because it is quoted in the New Testament in reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both Peter and Paul cite it when proclaiming the risen Christ. As Peter preached: “Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. ” (Acts 2:30–31)
The psalm opens with David’s cry: ” Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” David made a deliberate choice to find his refuge in God, making God the centre of his life. Through the ups and downs of his life, David was confident in God’s protection and provision. His declaration that “there is no good apart from God” is not merely poetic, it is a fundamental truth for us as well.
In verse 4, David issues a sobering warning: “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply…” (v. 4a). Anything that takes God’s place in our hearts is an idol. Even good things, if they become ultimate things, can pull us away from the One who is our true refuge and joy. The spiritual principle is found in verse 5: “The Lord is my chosen portion…” (v. 5). God had given Israel the Law to guide and govern their lives, that they might choose life and walk in His ways. Yet the Law could not solve humanity’s deepest problem. It could not cleanse sin, nor could it purify and renew the heart to make it holy and upright. The Law could not produce God’s holy people or help them fully grasp that apart from God, there is no good.
But what the Law could not do, God in His grace has done. The Creator of the universe is willing to be “my portion” (v. 5). Even when we fail to value the boundaries He sets for our good, God remains faithful to complete the work He began in us. He shows us “the path of life”, the road that leads to eternal life. What the Law could not accomplish, God’s grace has made possible. Through Christ, we are free from the bondage of sin and are given a joyful heart, a glad spirit, and a secure future!
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for Your mercy and unfailing love. Through the resurrection of Christ, You have broken the chains of sin and opened the way for us to walk in freedom. Because of Him, we can know the joy of a heart made whole, the gladness of a spirit renewed, and the peace of dwelling securely in Your presence. Help me to fix my eyes on You and to keep You at the centre of my life. For apart from You, I have no good thing. In the victorious name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.