Psalm 16
Sunday, 6 June 2021
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
-Psalm 16: 9-10
This psalm reflects the joy David experienced in his life, because of his trust in God and fellowship with God, even though he faced many distressing dangers in life. While reading the Psalm we can see that even at a near-death situation, David had great confidence in God and His protection. Even in such crucial situation David has set his Lord always before him (V8).
If we look back in our lives when the days were dark and we couldn’t see a single ray of hope, were we able to put our trust in our Lord as David did? It may have been a financial breakdown, a deadly disease, a broken relationship, a false accusation. Jeremiah 32:27 says, “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord” but still didn’t we use all our power and resources to get things in our own way? Let this Psalm help each of us to learn how David put his confidence in God.
David’s confident declaration about the Lord
V1 - in You I put my trust; Though David was almost about to be killed by Saul, he chose to trust in Lord rather than trusting in his soldiers or weapons. Psalm 33:17 says that horse is a vain help for deliverance. Whatever may be the situation, cast your cares onto the Lord and He will sustain you, (Psalm 55:22)
V2 – my goodness is nothing apart from You; David knew that at his very best – all of his goodness – was nothing apart from God. All our righteous deed are like filthy garments (Isaiah 64:6)
V5 – You are the portion of my inheritance; God said to the priests in the days of Moses, ‘I am your portion and your inheritance’ (Numbers 18:20). David understood that this was a promise given not only to the priests, but also to all who would trust God.
Benefits of David’s confidence
V.9 – my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; He experienced great joy within himself. In John 15:11 Jesus reminds us that we will not have fullness of joy unless we abide in Him, and that involves keeping His commands and putting our full trust and confidence in Him.
V.9 – my flesh will rest in hope, You will not allow my soul in Sheol; David was confident about God’s care and blessing in the life beyond. The Bible clearly teaches us that all who believe in the Lord Jesus will live even after dying (John 11:25). David was sure that God loves him and will not let him go to the place of the dead. God loves each one of us and so He gave His only Son so that we may not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
V.11 – You will show me the path of life; only God can show us the correct path of life which extends till eternity. In John 14:6, Jesus says, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’. Jesus says He is the only Way and He said it so affirmatively because He is the Creator, God himself. ‘I and the Father are one’ (John10:30). Jesus said, ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9). We can know God through Him!
Can we be confident in our Lord irrespective of our situation? Can all our answered prayers be an evidence that Lord is on our side and all our unanswered prayers, an evidence that God knows what is best for us? Can we look forward to the eternal blessing promised to us? If we can, we will find the same gladness in our heart which David did.
Let us declare: ‘I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord’. -Psalm 27:13-14