Kept By The Resurrected King

He is Risen! Thank you for being here at First Baptist Church, today. My name is Cody and I’m the Pastor here. If you have your Bible and I hope that you do, please turn with me to Psalm 16. Today we are talking about security. That’s a big topic in our culture today, isn’t it? We talk about securing the border, securing voting, securing food, social security, someone takes a shot at the president and we ask about what happened to the security.

We all want security, right? It’s why we own guns to secure our rights and protect ourselves. Let me ask… in a world full of uncertainty— job loss, sickness, death— where do you find your security? Security gives us us assurance for protection, our health, and future. Money, relationships, jobs, health… one of things I hear about more and more is people trusting themselves, right? You know… people’s resilience, intelligence, the will to “hustle” to secure their future and “pull yourself up” kind of mentality which is a positive mentality, right? But what I’ve learned is that people tend to falter under the weight of life.

Have you ever let yourself down? I know I have. If you’ve ever started a diet and failed then you know you’ve let yourself down, right? “But the cheese curds at Culver’s are so good!”

We disappoint ourselves perhaps with wrong or even sinful choices. I knew a man who built a successful company, working tirelessly. He gained millions but lost his marriage, his children, and eventually his health.

We all search for security, but the truth is, nothing in this world—money, health, or even our own grit—can truly sustain us. That’s why today, we turn to Psalm 16, where David shows us the unshakable security that’s found in God alone. 

You may be thinking, Cody, this isn’t a Gospel! This isn’t a resurrection passage! It most definitely is. Both Peter and Paul used this passage to preach the resurrection in the book of Acts. Because while this passage was written and is about David, it finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus.

Now, Psalm 16 is what’s called a Miktam. All of the psalms referred to as a Miktam speak to difficult times in David’s life, yet they also reaffirm David’s confidence that the same Lord that called him to be king of Israel would also secure his life.

David calls God his “refuge” in verse 1, “My Lord” in verse 2 which means God is the only object of his devotion. He refuses to go after other gods or even mention them in verse 4, he calls God his favorite thing in verse 5. In verse 7 he says that God is His authority as a teacher and from David’s relationship with God we see confidence that God would keep him safe.

Today we are talking about being Kept by the Resurrected King and what that means for you today. Please stand with me in honor of God’s Word as we read Psalm 16:8–11

Psalm 16:8–11 ESV

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.

Psalm 16:8 says, “I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” David set the Lord always before him. This is the marker of God being your refuge. 

Is God in front of you? Imagine you're hiking through a dense forest with no clear path. The trees are thick, and it's easy to lose your way. But you have a compass in your hand, and as long as you keep it before you, checking it constantly, you know you'll stay on course toward your destination. Setting the Lord always before you is like that compass. Keeping the Lord before us means intentionally fixing our focus on Him—His guidance, His presence, His truth—every step of the way. Just as a hiker trusts the compass to avoid wandering aimlessly, we trust God to keep us steady, no matter how confusing or challenging life gets. When we make God our constant reference point, we find unshakable confidence because He is right there with us, guiding every decision.

The primary way we can set the Lord before us is by having a growing relationship with the Lord. Do you trust in the Lord? What is your compass? In your daily choices, do you set the Lord before you or do distractions come in and determine your direction? 

A few practical steps you can take to keep the Lord before you is to spend time seeking the Lord in prayer and fasting. When you are confused about which direction to go the absolute worst thing you can do is trust your heart or your gut. The Bible says that your heart is deceptive and you know what your gut is full of. Prayer aligns our heart with God’s, so that we can keep God before us. 

We can also learn God’s will through studying Scripture. God’s Word still applies today. For thousands of years it has spoken to countless situations. It may not specifically address everything, but the principles contained in it apply to countless situations.

A third way out of many that are out there is by being involved regularly in a local church. Sitting under regular preaching, having brothers and sisters that come from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, serving and using your gifts help to forge us into sharper believers. 

Jesus did all these things and lived in perfect trust before the Lord and was always aligning His will with the Father’s. Our sin often leads us to trust in ourselves, but we falter, don’t we? Jesus, the sinless Son of God, trusted the Father perfectly, even through the cross. When He took our sins upon Himself, God raised Him from the dead, proving His trust was unshaken. Because of His resurrection, you can trust Him to forgive your sins and guide you through life’s trials. 

Jesus’ unwavering trust in God’s presence and support is evident throughout His ministry, even in the face of trials and the cross. Jesus was never deterred from His mission, as we have seen in His resolve in the Garden of Gethsemane and His confidence in God’s plan during His crucifixion. The phrase “at my right hand” signifies God’s strength and protection, which sustained Jesus through His suffering.

He never wavered from God’s plan, even when He faced the cross. His confidence in God’s presence culminated in the resurrection, where God’s power ensured He was not “shaken” by death. This leads us to our first point which is

Unshaken Trust: Christ’s Confidence in the Lord’s Presence Points to Resurrection Victory

Jesus’ faith was so strong that even when Jesus took on our sin and God forsook His Son on the cross, He still endured with confidence— not uncertainty— in the plan that They had planned from the beginning. The resurrection proves God’s faithfulness to Jesus, vindicating His trust. Because Jesus was raised, Christians can trust God to give us resurrection after death.  Romans 8:11 says “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” It doesn’t say may also give, it says will. And that’s a promise from God you can trust!

Just like Jesus, we can face any of life’s challenges with unshakable confidence: knowing the resurrection guarantees God’s presence and ultimate victory. Jesus’ unshaken trust in the Father led Him through the cross to resurrection victory. But that victory isn’t just about strength—it’s about joy. Let’s see how Psalm 16:9 reveals the secure joy we can have in Christ.

Psalm 16:9 says, “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure.” 

That word “Gladness” carries with it the idea of gloating with gladness over an enemies failed plans. David describes the gladness that is in His heart. Why? Because He is safe in the Lord! David faced thousands of enemies. Some from outside groups and many from within Israel and God saved him from all of them. The word “Rejoicing” here is yaghul which is tied explicitly with dividing spoils of the Lord’s victory. The word describes shouting with joy. It’s like when the Cardinals hit a walk-off home run in a big game, right? It’s joyful! Yeah! The “Security” which is the word batah is directly tied to the feeling of safety when we can rely on someone. And there is security. This goes back to this true of David but it is ultimately true of Christ.

Jesus at the cross still endured because He knew that joy was on the other side. Jesus’ joy and security, even in death, rested in His assurance of resurrection. Hebrews 12:2 says “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” His “flesh” was secure because He had full confidence that God would raise Him up. This shows us our second point,

Secure Joy: Jesus’ Resurrection Secures Our Hope Beyond the Grave

Despite the agony of the cross, Jesus maintained inner joy and trust in God’s redemptive plan. His “flesh” dwelling secure points to His confidence in the resurrection. Even in death, Jesus’ body was secure in God’s plan, as He entrusted Himself to the Father.

The resurrection proves God’s security, as Jesus’ body did not remain in the tomb but was raised in glory Luke 24:6 “He is not here, but has risen.” This assures Christians that their bodies, too, will be raised incorruptible. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”

Sin destroys and weighs us down, it steals our joy with guilt and fear. But Jesus endured the cross, bore our sins, because He knew joy was coming. His resurrection proves He conquered sin and death, and secured forgiveness for all who trust Christ alone for salvation. That’s why we can be full of joy—because in Christ, we’re forgiven and free!

Sinclair Ferguson said, “Men seek safety in the things of this world, but only in Christ, risen and reigning, do we find a security that death cannot touch.”

The resurrection fills us with joy and hope, knowing our physical death is not the end but a step toward eternal life with Christ. Jesus’ joy secures our hope, but His resurrection offers even greater security—victory over death itself. Psalm 16:10 shows us how.

Psalm 16:10 declares, “You will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” 

David believed God would not abandon him to the grave, confident in God’s eternal protection. Now, we equate that with decomposition which is a fine way to look at this but David means this as destruction. In other words David was confident in his eternity. But this verse is primarily about Jesus.

Who is the Holy One of God? It’s Jesus Christ, and Peter makes this connection in his Pentecost sermon. He quoted Psalm 16:10, saying, ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption’. Peter showed that Jesus, not David, rose from the grave, fulfilling God’s plan.

Back in 2015, my wife and I were with family at the San Antonio Zoo. I was pushing Lillian in the stroller and I assumed that one of our other family members had Malachi. We looked around and he was gone. We had no clue where he went to and we were in the bird aviary at the time. I immediately pushed the stroller back in the direction we had come from and Amber took off somewhere else. Turns out he had gotten away from us and went ahead and he was crying and looking around for mom and dad when Amber saw him. He was being consoled by a woman who was looking for his parents. We didn’t abandon our child in the zoo and in the same way God wasn’t going to leave Jesus in the grave and God won’t let that happen to His children either. The resurrection is God’s promise that death isn’t the end. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

God did not abandon Jesus to death. Christ’s body did not decay. What happened is that Jesus was raised up and is exalted as our High King! As a result, every follower of Christ now has full assurance that since Jesus is alive now we too will be raised up on that last day. Death does not have the final say for a Christian. Jesus shut down the authority of death at the resurrection and now He has all authority.

Paul also preached Psalm 16:10, saying, ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption’. He declared that Jesus’ resurrection offers forgiveness of sins to all who believe.

David died. Moses died. Every single religious founder died. Even Jesus died. But He rose again and lives forever, enthroned on high and will return one day. It is the fact of the resurrection that gives us comfort and a safe refuge when the world goes crazy and things don’t work out like we hope. It’s like a shepherd rescuing a sheep from the cliff’s edge. Faith in Christ’s resurrection pulls us from death’s grip and keeps us for eternity. This shows us the third point:

Holy Triumph: Jesus’ Resurrection Defeats Death’s Corruption

The resurrection is the ultimate fulfillment of verse 10. As Jesus’ body was preserved from decay, unlike David’s, this victory over death’s corruption ensures believers’ resurrection to eternal life. Isn’t it crazy to know that our sin deserves death, decay, and separation from God. But Jesus, the Holy One, took our punishment on the cross. God didn’t abandon Him to the grave—He raised Him up, defeating death’s corruption. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers you forgiveness and the promise of eternal life if you trust in Him.

Because Jesus defeated death, we can live confidently, knowing He has overcome the grave for us, promising resurrection for all who trust in Him. He didn’t just secure our resurrection—He opened a path to eternal life with God. Psalm 16:11 reveals the joy and glory that await us in His presence.

Psalm 16:11 promises, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to God’s right hand fulfill this, as He entered eternal joy and glory, He reveals the “path of life” for humanity.

The path of life is the path of Christ. Jesus told us that He is the way, the truth, and the life in John 14:6 There is fullness of joy in the very presence of Christ. The writer of Hebrews elaborates on this teaching in Hebrews 10:19–22 “19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Do you hear that invitation there? There’s a calling for you to “draw near with a true heart”, come let us do that together and that leads to our final point,

Eternal Joy: Jesus’ Resurrection Opens the Path to God’s Presence

One of my favorite things to do is be with my family. Extended family, immediate family. We always have great food and laughs together. Every year, I am blessed by this church to be able to take some time away to take my family to Texas to visit Amber’s family for Thanksgiving. It’s such a joyful time filled with laughs, visiting, great food and much more. The sad part is that it ends. The vacation gets done, the food runs out, and the whirlwind of Christmas is in full swing. I want you to imagine a feast with every delight—laughter, love, and Jesus welcoming you forever where you’re seated with Christ. That’s the joy He’s prepared for you!

Jesus Christ rose again from the dead and the resurrection is the gateway to this path to eternal life, proving Jesus’ power to lead us to eternal life. His presence at God’s right hand guarantees all Christians futures in God’s joy-filled presence. The “pleasures forevermore” reflect the eternal fellowship and glory Jesus enjoys with the Father, which He also promises to share with believers. This also points to Jesus’ role in revealing the path of eternal life to humanity through His death and resurrection.

Sin cuts us off from God’s presence, leaving us empty, alone, and hopeless. But Jesus’ death paid the price for our sins, and His resurrection opened the ‘path of life’ to eternal joy. By trusting in Him, you can be reconciled to God and experience His unending delights forever.

Jesus’ resurrection invites you to follow Jesus, trusting that through Him, you will experience fullness of joy in God’s presence forever.

Jesus’ resurrection, proves His unshaken trust, secures our hope, triumphs over death, and opens the path to eternal joy. As Christians, we are called to live in the reality of this resurrection, trusting God, rejoicing in hope, and anticipating the eternal pleasures of His presence. Let the resurrection of Jesus inspire us to walk confidently in the “path of life” He has made known.

The resurrection of Jesus isn’t just a historical event—it’s the key to your salvation from hell. The Bible says all of us have sinned, and our sin separates us from God, deserving everlasting death. But God loves you so much that He sent Jesus, His sinless Son, to die on the cross, taking the punishment you deserve. On the third day, God raised Jesus from the dead, proving He has power over sin and death. Have you taken refuge in Jesus Christ? Today, Jesus offers you forgiveness, eternal life, and a security that nothing in this world can shake. Repent and trust Him to be your refuge forever.

If you’ve never trusted Jesus as your Savior, the Bible says today is the day of salvation. In other words don’t put it off. You’re not guaranteed tomorrow. You have today! His resurrection proves He can forgive your sins and give you eternal life. Come talk to me or one of our leaders after the service—we’d love to pray with you.

BIG POINT: Because He is risen, you can trust Him, rejoice in Him, and live forever with Him.

HEAD: God wants you to know that Christ’s resurrection is the reason we can trust Psalm 16—He is the ultimate fulfillment.

Because Jesus conquered death, every promise in this Psalm is proven true. Trust Him, because He has proven Himself faithful.

HEART: God wants you to believe that He is your portion, your refuge, your joy—don’t look elsewhere.

Jesus rose so that your heart could rest secure in Him. Let His resurrection reshape your desires and draw your affections to Him.

HAND: God wants you to live unshaken by fear, walk in hope, and pursue joy in the Risen King.

In a world full of trouble, let your life display resurrection hope. Follow Jesus with confidence—your path leads to life, not death.