Psalms Chapter 16 A Poem by David.
1 Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.
2 My soul, you have said to the LORD, "You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing."
3 As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.
5 The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.
10 For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.
Footnotes
- Verse 10 (Sheol)
- Sheol is the place of the dead.
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Psalms Chapter 16 A Poem by David. Guide
This is a song of satisfaction. The singer is not one who is unfamiliar with peril. The opening sentence is a sigh, revealing the consciousness of peril. Toward the close, the shadows of Sheol and the terror of corruption are recognized. Yet these things find a place here only that they may be cancelled by the facts which create a sense of triumph over all peril. Jehovah is the one and all-sufficient good and the saints are friends of the singer because they are also friends of Jehovah.
With those who exchange Jehovah for another god the psalmist will have no fellowship. The fact that Jehovah is the supreme good is developed in descriptive measures. He is a present good and the hope of all the future. A present possession, creating pleasant places and perpetual power. As for the future, the last enemies will not overcome. Beyond victory over them is the presence of the King and the place of His right hand with fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. The hope of this singer found its perfect fulfilment only in the Man of perfect trust, and through Him in all who share His life through the mystery of that death from which He came triumphantly to enter into the eternal joys.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Psalms Chapter 16 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- This psalm begins with expressions of devotion, which may be applied to Christ; but ends with such confidence of a resurrection, as must be applied to Christ, and to him only.
Verses 1-11
David flees to God's protection, with cheerful, believing confidence. Those who have avowed that the Lord is their Lord, should often put themselves in mind of what they have done, take the comfort of it, and live up to it. He devotes himself to the honour of God, in the service of the saints. Saints on earth we must be, or we shall never be saints in heaven. Those renewed by the grace of God, and devoted to the glory of God, are saints on earth. The saints in the earth are excellent ones, yet some of them so poor, that they needed to have David's goodness extended to them. David declares his resolution to have no fellowship with the works of darkness; he repeats the solemn choice he had made of God for his portion and happiness, takes to himself the comfort of the choice, and gives God the glory of it. This is the language of a devout and pious soul. Most take the world for their chief good, and place their happiness in the enjoyments of it; but how poor soever my condition is in this world, let me have the love and favour of God, and be accepted of him; let me have a title by promise to life and happiness in the future state; and I have enough. Heaven is an inheritance; we must take that for our home, our rest, our everlasting good, and look upon this world to be no more ours, than the country through which is our road to our Father's house. Those that have God for their portion, have a goodly heritage. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, and look no further. Gracious persons, though they still covet more of God, never covet more than God; but, being satisfied of his loving-kindness, are abundantly satisfied with it: they envy not any their carnal mirth and delights. But so ignorant and foolish are we, that if left to ourselves, we shall forsake our own mercies for lying vanities. God having given David counsel by his word and Spirit, his own thoughts taught him in the night season, and engaged him by faith to live to God. Verses (8-11), are quoted by St. Peter in his first sermon, after the pouring out of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, Ac 2:25-31; he declared that David in them speaks concerning Christ, and particularly of his resurrection. And Christ being the Head of the body, the church, these verses may be applied to all Christians, guided and animated by the Spirit of Christ; and we may hence learn, that it is our wisdom and duty to set the Lord always before us. And if our eyes are ever toward God, our hearts and tongues may ever rejoice in him. Death destroys the hope of man, but not the hope of a real Christian. Christ's resurrection is an earnest of the believer's resurrection. In this world sorrow is our lot, but in heaven there is joy, a fulness of joy; our pleasures here are for a moment, but those at God's right hand are pleasures for evermore. Through this thy beloved Son, and our dear Saviour, thou wilt show us, O Lord, the path of life; thou wilt justify our souls now, and raise our bodies by thy power at the last day; when earthly sorrow shall end in heavenly joy, pain in everlasting happiness.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.