Psalm 16
Sunday, 31 March 2024
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
The Psalm is full of confidence in the trust David has in God Almighty who would deliver and preserve his life. While reading the whole Psalm we see that though death was at arm’s length, David had great confidence in his God in such a crucial situation, because he set his Lord always before him (V8). Both Peter (Acts 2:25-31) and Paul (Acts 13:35-37) quoted from this Psalm to refer to Christ’s resurrection— the total fulfilment of V.10 seen in Jesus who rose from the dead without any bodily corruption.
The hope of resurrection fills the heart of every believer in Christ Jesus, whose resurrections lends credibility to that fact. The author of Hebrews writes of Christ Jesus thus: Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. (Heb.2:14-15).
Besides this Psalm provides assurance to those who go through dark days of life, not seeing a single ray of hope in the immediate circumstance of physical or mental brokenness—they too can trust the Lord to bring them through as David did. Jeremiah 32:27 says, “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord?”—yet haven’t we exhausted all 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 Declarations of the Lord:
- V1 - in You I put my trust; Though David was at the brink of being killed, he chose to trust in Lord rather than trust in his soldiers or weapons. Psalm 33:17 says that horse is a vain help for deliverance. Whatever be the situation, cast you 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 deeds 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 promise was not just for the priests, but for all who would trust God.
Benefits of David’s confidence
- V9 – my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; He experienced great joy within himself. In John 15:11 Jesus reminds us that we won’t have fullness of joy unless we abide in Him, and that involves keeping His commands and putting our full trust in Him.
- V9 – 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. John 11:25 reminds us that all who believe in the Lord Jesus will live even after dying. David was sure that God loves him and won’t let him go to Sheol. 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
- V11 – You will show me the path of life; only God can show us the correct path of life which extends till eternity. 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 God himself—‘I and the Father are one’ (John10:30).
Can we be confident in our Lord irrespective of our situation? Remember the Spirit of God who raised Christ from the dead, lives in you and gives you life (Romans 8:11). Therefore let your heart be glad as you rest in hope in the promises of God!
Prayer: Thank You Lord Jesus for your resurrection power working in every circumstance of my life to give me victory! Amen