Psalm 16

SLIDE 1 This is a very personal hymn of joy that focuses on the goodness of God. David used the personal pronoun “my” is used over a dozen times in it. He talks about his joy in verses 9 and 11 and his delight in verses 3 and 6. God is his Lord, his portion, and his cup. David finds his delight only in God and confesses that everything good in his life has come from God. Some wonder if this psalm was written shortly after God gave David the promise of an enduring throne. That promise was eventually fulfilled in Jesus, the son of David.

The preface to the psalm says that it is:

A miktam of David.

This is the first use of Michtam in the Psalms and will be repeated in the inscriptions of psalms 56-60. There’s no agreement to the meaning of the word or else we’d have a translation of the word. Some think it might mean engraved in gold, to cover, secret treasure, or a poem containing pithy sayings. For what it’s worth, all six of the Michtam psalms end on a happy and triumphant note.

This is also a messianic psalm. Peter quoted from it in his message on Pentecost in Acts 2 saying these verses referred to Jesus. Paul also used lines from this psalm in his sermon in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia in Acts 13.

As David praised God for his grace and goodness, he presented three descriptions of God and all three may be applied to Jesus Christ today.

SLIDE 2 First, God is the Lord of life.

So David prays:

1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. (Psalm 16:1)

David begins by asking God to preserve him or to keep him safe. The Hebrew word for “preserve” means “to hedge about (as with thorns); to guard; to protect.” If it’s true that David wrote this after God promised he’d have a descendant on the throne forever, David wasn’t ask this because he was in danger as we’ve seen in other psalms. Instead, David makes this request because he knows how much he needs God. David goes on to list four blessings that are our because of the goodness of God.

SLIDE 3 First, because of God’s goodness we have what we need.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” (Psalm 16:2)

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift. Our very lives are dependent on God. It is God who gives us life and breath. As Paul said in one of his sermons: SLIDE 4

[God] is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. (Acts 17:25)

God doesn’t need anything from us, but everything we need is dependent on God. We are in constant need of God’s care and oversight. David understood that and so he called on God to keep him. Perhaps paraphrasing this verse, James wrote that: SLIDE 5

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights. . . . (James 1:17a)

Someone has written that if we have anything that we think is good, and it doesn’t come from God, it isn’t good. That’s because as James and David are telling us, everything good comes from God. That also means that apart from God we have nothing that is good. And we should note that God is our highest good and greatest treasure. As the psalmist asks: SLIDE 6

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25)

SLIDE 7 Second, because of God’s goodness we have companionship.

3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” 4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips. (Psalm 16:3-4)

We can’t live the Christian life alone. We’re part of a great spiritual family and we need each other. A common verse that’s sometimes used to encourage believers to meet together is from Hebrews 10. SLIDE 8

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

This passage is often used to warn us about skipping church, but it’s not because of what we might imagine. It’s not because of harm it might do to us, but because of harm it might do to others. In skipping church we fail to love others. We think about how we can be blessed when we gather together but the emphasis in this passage is about how we can be a blessing. It’s not first about getting but about giving. David says concerning those who follow God that they are his delight. SLIDE 9

As in previous psalms David describes two groups of people: those who follow God (the saints or holy ones) and the unbelieving worshippers of idols.

The saints are those who trust God and obey his covenant. They are the ones who are set apart for the Lord. They take seriously God’s command to be holy. It’s a command given in Leviticus and is repeated almost a half dozen times in the Bible. We are to be holy as God is holy. Israel was to be a kingdom of priests. God set up the Levites as a tribe of priests, but the whole nation of Israel was to be kingdom of priests before God even as the church is today.

David called them the noble ones. The NASB says “the majestic ones.” It was a word that spoke of nobility as in chieftains and kings. It carries with it the idea of nobility and glory. Does anyone feel very noble or glorious? Despite our faults and failures, believers are God’s elite, his nobility on earth in whom he takes delight.

This is how David refers to those who follow God and it should give us an idea of how we ought to relate to each other. Paul made a similar plea in his letter to the Galatians. SLIDE 10

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. SLIDE 11 2 Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. . . . SLIDE 12 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. SLIDE 13 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:1-10)

We must love one another and use our God-given abilities and resources to minister to the family of God and encourage each other.

SLIDE 14 However, like David, we must not compromise with those who disobey God and worship idols. If you’re wondering, today those idols take the form of money, success, and fame. Multiplied gods only bring multiplied sorrows. As a result, David didn’t even want to speak the names of the false gods or of those in Israel who forsook their covenant with God.

Having said that, we should seek to lead unbelievers to Jesus. We are not to be isolationists. Jesus left us in this world to be salt and light; but we must be careful not to be defiled by their sins. No church is perfect, because no believer is perfect; but we can still give thanks for the people of God and seek to encourage them all we can.

SLIDE 15 Third, because of God’s goodness we have an inheritance.

5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. (Psalm 16:5-6)

We’ve talked recently about our inheritance in 1 Peter and Ephesians. David speaks of an inheritance as well. After the Israelites conquered the Promised Land, each tribe except Levi was assigned a special inheritance. Because they served in the sanctuary and ate of the holy sacrifices, the priests and Levites had the Lord as their inheritance. David saw himself in that privileged position as well. David says that God is his cup of blessing, his lot or inheritance. It wasn’t in houses or land, gold or silver, David’s greatest blessing was God himself.

You remember the parable Jesus told of the farmer who, after bringing in an abundant crop one year, began to plan for his retirement. But Jesus said that before he could enjoy it he died. Everything he worked for went to someone else. Jesus then commented: SLIDE 16

This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God. (Luke 12:21)

It may make life easier to possess great wealth, but not have the Lord is real poverty and to enjoy the gifts of God but ignore the giver is wickedness. SLIDE 17 We are thankful for God’s blessing, but we have to realize the biggest blessing God has given us is himself. That may sound like an odd thing to say but I think this past year has been an illustration of just how true it is. Because of COVID there have been lockdowns and the real fear of spreading or catching it. As a result many have felt isolated from family and friends. What you want most is not for them to send you a gift, but to see them. For those loved ones you haven’t seen in a while their presence and not their presents are the real gift.

David rejoiced that God was his inheritance and that his inheritance was secure. As far as the tribes went, there were sometimes arguments about property lines. Land marks could be moved or destroyed or an inheritance of land lost. But David didn’t have to worry about his.

SLIDE 18 And fourth, because of God’s goodness we have good counsel.

7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:7-8)

I don’t know about you, but I find it easy to make bad decisions so good advice is always welcome. David says he gets good advice or counsel from God. God instructed and counseled David and told him what to do and how to do it. David says he even went to “night school” to learn the will of God. We don’t see it in our English translations, but the word night is actually plural “dark nights” or “night after night” he was learning from God, his heart or conscience instructing him.

The word “instruct” carries with it the idea of discipline and chastening. David says he learned many lessons when God lovingly chastened him. That’s what the author of Hebrews says God does because of his love for us. SLIDE 19

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. (Hebrews 12:7-8)

Then he concludes this part saying: SLIDE 20

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

It might not be fun, but disciplines is a sign of God’s love and beneficial to us.

SLIDE 21 David calls God the Lord of Life. Next, David says that:

God is the conqueror of death.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, 10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. (Psalm 16:9-10)

This is the verse that may sound most familiar. It’s the one quoted by Peter and later by Paul. They both saw it referring to Jesus. But David took this promise personally. He wasn’t just talking about what would happen to the Messiah one day, he was referring to his own death. David took comfort in knowing that God would not will not leave his soul among the dead or allow him to rot in the grave. It gave him great hope.

Paul wrote about our hope in resurrection and imagined if Christ’s resurrection wasn’t true. He said that if there’s no resurrection then those who have already died are lost. And then he says: SLIDE 22

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19)

But Jesus did rise from the dead. He conquered death and the grave. That’s why as Peter said we have a living hope.

SLIDE 23 David could face death with a glad heart and soul and could rest in the grave with hope knowing that one day he would have a new glorified body.

SLIDE 24 Third, David calls God the joy of eternity.

11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (Psalm 16:11)

The noted philosopher and Harvard University professor Alfred North Whitehead once asked a friend, “As for Christian theology, can you imagine anything more appallingly idiotic than the Christian idea of heaven?”

Personally, I can’t think of anything greater. We read Johns description of heaven in the Book of Revelation. John talks about streets of gold and gates of pearl. He talks about a place where there will be no death or mourning or crying or pain. Can’t you imagine a better place?

But the focal point of heaven is not the gold or pearls. It’s not even angels or our new glorified bodies. That is not what will bring joy and gladness. The central glory and joy of heaven is God. John wrote about the happenings in heaven saying: SLIDE 25

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. SLIDE 26 They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:9-11)

In heaven we will be in God’s presence and experience the fullness of his joy and pleasures forevermore. SLIDE 27 That’s what heaven is about, not white-robed saints with halos and harps resting on little white clouds. That’s sometimes what people think about heaven, but it’s not the description we find in the Bible. Warren Wiersbe writes:

In our glorified bodies, we shall be like Jesus Christ, and we shall worship and serve him forever. The pleasures of heaven will be far beyond any pleasures we have known here on earth; and as we enjoy the Lord and serve him, we will not be restricted or encumbered by time, physical weakness, or the consequences of sin. So magnificent are the glories of heaven that the apostle John had to ransack human language to find words to describe it.

This psalm begins with David asking God for help.

1 Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. (Psalm 16:1)

It ends with his assurance that God will not only keep him safe on the throne, but also in death because God is:

The Lord of Life,

The Conqueror of Death, and

The Joy of Eternity

God is indeed everything we will ever need.