Psalm 16 Devotional
By Pastor Lawrence

Even though the first and only petition David offers in this psalm is one of protection or deliverance from some unspoken threat that could potentially end in his death, the vast majority of it seems to be a prayer of praise in joyous confidence that the Lord will continue to be his delight in life. Initially, he asks God to preserve his life for He knows that God is his only refuge and the only one to whom he can turn in times of difficulty. He says to the Lord emphatically, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” If as Christians we fully believed this, we would never sin, for sin is merely an attempt to find some other joy apart from God, and to find some good apart from his holy laws.

Furthermore, if we fully loved the Lord, we would also wholeheartedly love His people, the “saints in the land,” delighting in them just as God does. However, when sin and doubt creep in, we share in the sorrows of those who run after false gods, turning our hearts toward vain idols and using our tongues to speak of worthless things. Here, David is reminding us of the futility of the godless life.

But when the Lord is genuinely our refuge and delight, we seek no earthly substitute to fill our hearts, as God alone becomes our chosen portion, the fullness in our cup, and our exceedingly great reward. When we walk in the Spirit, we eagerly heed God’s counsel, attentively listen to His instructions, and wholeheartedly trust in His promises that He will neither leave nor forsake us. When we keep the Lord in our sight, our hearts are filled with joy, our entire being rejoices, and even our flesh remains secure, knowing that we will not be separated from God in death.

Twice in the book of Acts (2:25-28 and 13:35), Luke quotes from this psalm to emphasize Christ’s resurrection as the ultimate realization of David’s hope and confidence. David’s assurance in his flesh stemmed from the understanding that Christ would come in the flesh to address his sin and resurrect his body from the grave. Therefore, when David prayed for his life to be preserved from evil, he looked forward to the day when Christ would safeguard his flesh not only from temporary dangers but for all eternity, ensuring that his body would not decay. And indeed, Christ came not only to reveal the path of life but also to establish Himself as the resurrection and the life, the true source of human joy, and the great high priest who leads us into God’s eternal pleasures forevermore.