The Grave Couldn’t Hold Him

INTRODUCTION

Church, I need you to come with me this this evening.

I need you to leave your burdens at the door and pick up your faith.

Because we are walking through the ancient pages of the Psalms—but we're going to find something that will change your whole Resurrection Weekend!

Turn with me to Psalm 16.

Now, I know some of y'all have read this Psalm before.

You've maybe even memorized parts of it.

But I want to show you something hidden in this text that will blow your mind.

Because long before Mary Magdalene ran to that empty tomb...

Long before the angels said, "He is not here, He is risen"...

Long before the stone was rolled away...

God hid the Resurrection in a song David wrote a thousand years before Calvary!

You see, David wrote this Psalm—but David was prophesying about somebody else!

David was singing a song that his pen couldn't fully understand.

David was writing lyrics for a melody that wouldn't be played until a Sunday morning outside Jerusalem!

Bible Passage

Psalm 16:1–11 KJV 1900

Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: My goodness extendeth not to thee; But to the saints that are in the earth, And to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: Their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, Nor take up their names into my lips. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: Thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; Yea, I have a goodly heritage. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: My reins also instruct me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: My flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

CONTEXT: THE SONG BEFORE THE STORY

Now allow me to offer you some context, because you can't understand the treasure until you understand the ground it's buried in.

Psalm 16 is what scholars call a "Miktam" of David.

Now that word "Miktam" is fascinating—most preachers & teachers skip right over it.

But the Hebrew word "Miktam" can mean "a golden song" or "something precious and covered."

In other words, David is writing a golden treasure—but there's something covered up in it!

There's something hidden in this song that only time would reveal!

David didn't fully know what he was writing—but the Holy Spirit did!

You see, when David wrote this Psalm, he was running for his life.

Saul was chasing him.

Enemies were surrounding him.

Death was knocking at his door.

And in the midst of his crisis, David cries out in verse 1: "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust."

The Hebrew word for "preserve" is "shamar"—it means to guard, to protect, to keep watch over like a shepherd watches sheep.

David is saying, "God, I need You to guard my life!"

But here's what David didn't know

God was about to use his words to describe something far greater than David's temporary trouble.

God was about to use David's song to prophesy about His Son's ultimate victory!

I. THE PORTION THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING (Verses 5-6)

Lets go deeper into verses 5 and 6, it says:

"The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage."

Now this is rich, my brothers & sisters—don't miss this!

When David says "the LORD is the portion of mine inheritance," he's using Levitical language!

See, when Joshua divided the Promised Land among the twelve tribes, every tribe got land—except one.

The tribe of Levi got no land!

God told the Levites in Numbers 18:20: "I am thy part and thine inheritance."

While everybody else got dirt, the Levites got divinity!

While everybody else got property, the Levites got the presence of God!

So when David says "the LORD is my portion," he's saying,

"I don't need what everybody else is chasing!"

"I don't need the world's inheritance—I've got God as my portion!"

But watch this—this is where it gets Messianic!

Jesus, as our Great High Priest, didn't come to inherit earthly kingdoms.

He came to inherit something greater

He came to inherit the souls of men and women!

His portion wasn't property

His portion was you and me!

He didn't die for land

He died for lives!

And that's why He rose

because His inheritance couldn't stay in the grave!

Somebody write in the chat, "I am His portion!"

II. THE FLESH THAT RESTED IN HOPE (Verses 9-10)

Now come with me to the heart of the text.

This is where David writes something he doesn't fully understand.

Look at verses 9 and 10:

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

Now listen carefully

David says "my flesh shall rest in hope."

The Hebrew word for "rest" here is "shakan"

it means to dwell,

to tabernacle,

to settle down.

David is saying,

"Even if my body goes to the grave, it will rest with hope, not despair!"

But then David says something prophetic in verse 10:

"Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell."

Now the word "hell" here is "Sheol"—the grave, the place of the dead.

David is declaring, "God, You won't abandon me to death!"

But here's where it gets deep

David says, "neither wilt thou suffer thine HOLY ONE to see corruption."

The Hebrew word for "Holy One" is "Chasid"

it means the faithful one, the devoted one, the set-apart one!

And the word "corruption" is "shachath"

it means decay, decomposition, and the rotting of flesh!

Now here's the problem, church:

David died!

David was buried!

And David's body DID see corruption!

If you went to Jerusalem today, they would show you David's tomb!

David's bones turned to dust centuries ago!

So how could David say "thou wilt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption" when David's body decayed?

Because David wasn't talking about himself!

David was prophesying about Jesus Christ!

III. PETER UNLOCKS THE MYSTERY (Acts 2:25-32)

And this is where the Apostle Peter comes in!

Look at Acts chapter 2

this is Pentecost!

The Holy Ghost has just fallen!

Peter stands up to preach the first sermon of the New Testament church!

And what does he preach? PSALM 16!

In Acts 2:25-28, Peter quotes this very Psalm!

Then look at what Peter says in verses 29-31:

"Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."

Did you catch that?!

Peter says David was a prophet!

David was writing about something he couldn't fully see

but the Spirit let him peek behind the curtain of time!

David saw the Resurrection a thousand years before it happened!

When David wrote "thou wilt not leave my soul in Sheol," the Spirit was describing Jesus' body in that borrowed tomb!

When David wrote "neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption," the Spirit was prophesying that Jesus' body would NOT decay!

Jesus was only in that grave Friday evening, all day Saturday, and early Sunday morning!

Not enough time for corruption!

Not enough time for decay!

Because the grave couldn't hold what God intended to raise!

Somebody ought to shout right there!

The tomb was just a waiting room, not a permanent address!

IV. THE PATH OF LIFE (Verse 11)

Now look at the final verse—this is the Resurrection celebration before there was Resurrection Weekend!

Verse 11 says:

"Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

The Hebrew word for "path" is "orach"—it means a well-worn road, a traveled way, and a journey!

And the word for "life" is "chayim, meaning not just existence, but abundant, overflowing, eternal life!

David is saying, "God, You're going to show me the road that leads OUT of death and INTO life!"

But this wasn't just David's path

this was Christ's path!

Jesus walked the path of suffering to Golgotha.

But God showed Him the path of life out of Joseph's tomb!

Jesus walked through death, but death was not His destination—it was His detour!

Because on the other side of that grave was resurrection!

On the other side of that grave was victory!

On the other side of that grave was the "fulness of joy"!

On the other side of that grave was "pleasures for evermore"!

APPLICATION: YOUR RESURRECTION IS CONNECTED TO HIS

Allow me to bring this home tonight.

Why does this matter to you on this upcoming Resurrection Weekend?

Because YOUR resurrection is connected to HIS resurrection!

When Jesus rose, He wasn't just proving He was God

He was pioneering a path for you!

1 Corinthians 15:20 says Jesus is "the firstfruits of them that slept."

That means His resurrection guarantees yours!

If Jesus rose, then everybody who belongs to Him will rise!

The same power that raised Christ from the dead is available to you!

I don't care what's dead in your life tonight—

Your dreams,

your marriage,

your finances,

your health,

your hope—

The God of Resurrection is at your address!

He specializes in bringing dead things back to life!

He's been doing it since Psalm 16, and He's still doing it today!

CLOSE: THE GRAVE COULDN'T HOLD HIM!

So let me land this plane and leave you with this:

The enemy thought if he could just kill Jesus, it would be over!

The devil thought if he could just get Christ in that tomb, victory was his!

But the enemy didn't read Psalm 16!

The devil didn't know that a thousand years before Calvary, David already wrote the ending!

"Thou wilt NOT leave my soul in Sheol!"

"Thou wilt NOT suffer thine Holy One to see corruption!"

"Thou WILT show me the path of LIFE!"

On Friday, they buried Him!

On Saturday, they guarded Him!

But on Sunday—EARLY Sunday morning—

Before the sun could rise!

Before the birds could sing!

Before the world could wake up!

THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY!

THE GRAVE GAVE UP ITS PRISONER!

DEATH LOST ITS GRIP!

HELL LOST ITS KEYS!

THE GRAVE COULDN'T HOLD HIM!

Why?

Because the Holy One cannot see corruption!

Why?

Because God always keeps His Word!

Why?

Because what God promises in the Psalms, He performs in history!

Somebody write in the chat, "HE'S ALIVE!"

And because He lives, you can face tomorrow!

Because He lives, all fear is gone!

Because He lives, your situation is not final!

Because He lives, your grave is temporary!

He is Risen!

He is Risen Indeed!

And one day soon, when that trumpet sounds—

We who are alive and remain will be caught up!

And the dead in Christ shall RISE!

Not see corruption!

Not stay in the grave!

But rise to meet Him in the air!

Give God a Resurrection praise tonight!

The grave couldn't hold Him

and it won't hold you either!