Psalm 16
1 A Miktam of David. 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. (ESV)
A reminder of how a Christian behaves in complete confidence in God.
The faith that was in David’s heart must be in the heart of the Christian.
He delights in:
- God’s Preservation.
Like David, we also see the assault on society, but we must ask God to preserve us and must take refuge in Him. - God’s Person.
Apart from God we have nothing good. David trusted in whom and what God is in Himself. We must learn more about Him – what He revealed in the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit – His attributes. - God’s People.
The saints that gather to worship and praise God. - God’s Purity.
It’s mankind’s sinful desire to be their own gods and worship self. We want God’s purity in how we worship Him. - God’s Portion.
There’s the world, the flesh, the devil and there is God. What or who is your portion? Your flesh is going to perish – is it your portion? The world and its stuff? You don’t want the devil to be your portion. God is David’s portion. Let the LORD be your portion as well. - God’s Pleasure.
In the acts of creation and redemption, the Lord has drawn the lines in pleasant places through our Justification, Sanctification and Glorification. - God’s Precepts.
He has given us His Word in accordance to which we must live. - God’s Preservation.
Everything that are shaken and rots is due to sin. Verse 10 speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ who took on Himself the penalty, power and presence of sin. It is only by embracing God’s protection and salvation in the Lord Jesus that we will be preserved. - God’s Path.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life. - God’s Pleasures.
The pleasures of the world will pass away, but the pleasures of God will remain forever.
We hear Christ as our Prophet, receive Him as our Priest and Sacrifice and obey Him as our King.