Where do you place your trust?

Psalm 16

1. Introduction:

Theranos was a healthcare tech startup that was all the rage back about 20 years ago. it was started by 19 year old Elizabeth Holmes. It was a fascinating innovation right. touted to revolutionize the world. You know traditional blood tests you need to take heaps of blood. a whole vial of blood. Theranos claimed to be able perform over 240 blood tests. testing from cholesterol levels to complex genetic analysis, with a single pinprick. it got the pharmaceutical world very excited. So excited they trusted her trusted her company that Theranos raised about 1.3 billion in funding over 10 years. You had high profile investors who trusted this company they Rupert Murdoch $5.8 million. Wallgreens, pharmacy giant over $140 million. incredible you had former CEOs, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State all these people in high places who trusted Elizabeth and her vision. Incredible the trust they placed when they hadn’t even seen the technology themselves.

Turns out Elizabeth and her partner Balwani were fraudsters. the technology was a fake. it used old traditional blood testing methods. And it returned dodgy inaccurate results. Can you believe so many people. so many in high places trusted in this tech fooled people for so many years. incredible. misplaced trust to say the least. it did get me thinking, where do we place your trust? its important isn’t it? sets the direction of your life. you don’t want to get it wron. Plenty of dodgy fraudsters out there.

Friends, the question for us this morning is this;

Where do you place your trust? we’re in Psalm 16 for a couple of weeks before we get back into Romans. Nello will be back by then, Im excited.

This Psalm of David shows us where to put our trust. It’s not in any companies and shares. it’s in God, who made everything. And King David does not trust God in shallow way. I trust God because it’s the right thing to say;

This is a real deep trust. He shows us how he trusts God in Psalm 16 this morning.

As I said; This is a psalm David wrote. See at the beginning there it’s a miktam. This is a fancy Hebrew word. So fancy no one knows what it really means. Probably a musical term. Something that signals some kind of song. But we’re not sure.

Let’s take the psalm from the beginning. King David trusts in God.

1. King David trusts in God (16:1-2; 11)

Look at verse 1

Psalm 16:1 ESV

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

David is in some kind of danger. We’re not sure what danger he is in. There are plenty of times in the Bible when he is fearing for his life. Whatever the situation might be, David’s immediately turns to God. he says I take refuge in you.

Like a baby desperate for food. Turns to their Mum. That’s David’s instinct. He turns to God. He trusts God.

But why does he trust God?

Well he can see clearly who God is.

Two things he tells us. Notice that the beginning of the passage and the end of the passage. top and tail

1.1 There is no good apart from God (16:1-2)

First at the beginning he goes Verse 2

psalm 16:2

Psalm 16:2 ESV

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”

That’s incredible isn’t it. I have no good apart from you. Is that how you think? If you know David, he is the King of Israel. Powerful. Respected. And unlike kings and queens these days, they may record Christmas messages, host charity parties, celebrate jubilees – all important, but back then, they had real powerful kings. They had absolute power. David would say execute him. it would happen. Just like that.

And he conquered armies and cities. People bowed down to him. Not only was he powerful. David was rich. Nations around him paid him tribute – taxes every year. So can you understand when David says ‘you are my Lord, apart from you I have no good things’ - that’s just incredible. He is a powerful King who recognizes the true King. God.

King David trusts this God that our world rejects. Submit to God? You gotta be joking. There is no God. That’s our world. There’s no God. Trust in yourself. You earned everything good you have. Life is about you. Not God.

My third daughter Ruth, last week I took her and the girls to the playground the other week. She wants to do the very things her sisters can do. So she’s on the monkey bars. She’s only 2 almost 3. But she can’t do it on her own. Her sisters can. So, at the monkey bars, I’m fully holding her legs and you know she’s holding swinging from bar to bar. But If I let go, she would fall off. But when she gets to the other side, she gets off she says “I did it. I did it.” Cute for a child.

The world is like that with God. They think that they have everything in this life and shun God. more, they actively rebel against him. It’s just so wrong. But that’s not David. This mighty king who commands nations. Here he is in trouble. He doesn’t rely on himself. He trusts God.

He depends upon God. In our world people live in fantasyland. They say I did it my way. David lives in realityland.

Why does he trust God? he knows everything good comes from God. It’s all from God. And secondly, verse 11

1.2 God makes known the path of life (16:11)

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)

You make known to me the path of life

He knows the God of life. God gives life. What God wants his people to do is to walk the path of life. Friends, God knows how life is best lived. He knows what life is about. He created us. He created everything. And he has made known the path of life. he makes know this path to anyone who seeks it.

Some of you today you come to church but you don’t trust God yet. Maybe you think Christians just give up good things in life. Their boring. They get excited about weird things. Can I say as a younger Christian back in the day. I feared missing out. Actually, What I discovered that David can see so clearly is God’s way is the better way. It’s a life-giving path.

You look back on things you once thought was just so important you now know it was a waste of time. You look back at all the things you thought was boring, not interesting now you wonder why you never saw how important, how precious they are. David completely trusts God. He’s happy about it.

He is a good Lord. he has shown David the path of life.

The thing is; David doesn’t just think these things, he lives it out. it’s one thing to say it, it’s another to live it out. He puts it into practice.

So for the rest of the Psalm he shows us how he trusts God.

2. How does he trust God? (16:3-10)

2.1 Worships God alone (16:3-4)

First, this leads David to worship God alone. Come to verses three and four

psalm 16:3-4

Psalm 16:3–4 ESV

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 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.

Now, in the Bible saints are not particularly holy in and of themselves. We are all saints because we trust in Jesus. We’re not special. God makes us saints by faith in Jesus. It’s a person who trusts and worships God alone.

David delights in people who worship God alone. He thinks they’re awesome. Next time you think about your brothers and sisters here, think they are the excellent ones.

But notice, he doesn’t delight in everyone. There are some who worship other gods. He does not delight in them. It’s a wasted life. because there’s only one true God. Worshiping other gods ends in sorrow and disappointment. If not in this life, then definitely in the next.

More than that it dishonors God. It’s saying God is not enough. But every good thing comes from him. He is more than enough.

Friends, let’s pause and ask the question; do we worship God alone? I’m not talking about statues and images. At the time of David that’s what he would be talking about. For some of us these are real temptations. We are tempted to worship images and statues. God says don’t do that. There’s nothing good that doesn’t come from God.

Then there’s other idolatry isn’t there? When you care more about money than honoring God. When we are care more about hobbies, sports, travels? When you care about families and children more than honoring God? I wonder what thats saying?

Wealth, families, sports, parties they are all good things. Please hear that.

But it’s not the best thing. God is the source of all that is good. He is our God we want to honour him. David worships him alone.

Because here’s the thing; worshipping any other gods ends badly. He has shown us the path of life. If we value things more than him can you see it’s not just unwise, it’s dumb. Don’t put your hope in all these things that don’t deliver. People let you down. Money can just vanish. You’re an injury away from the end. We got to give an account of our life before the Almighty God. If you are putting things above God. Repent. Ask God for forgiveness in Jesus and he will forgive you.

2.2 Thankful for God’s blessings (16:5-6)

David worships God alone. He doesn’t live in guilt. he knows there’s only God. he knows he blessed that God has graciously revealed himself to him. Here’s the second practical implication. He is thankful for God’s blessings. Come to verse 5-6

Psalm 16:5–6 ESV

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

David went from a little insignificant farm boy to King over God’s people. He’s blessed by God. So he gives thanks to God. God has blessed him in the past. And He knows his future is secure. He has a beautiful inheritance. he will spend eternity with God. It’s a simple message David is trying to tell us. If you know God - the God who gives all good things - be thankful. Don’t be a whinger. Christians are thankful. We are a people marked by thankfulness. God has blessed us in Jesus. Be thankful no the matter what’s going on.

David Trusts God. He does this by worshipping God alone. Hes thankful for God’s blessings. and thirdly here’s what he does. He receives God’s Words. he trusts God’s word.

2.3 Receives God’s words (16:7-8)

Verses 7

psalm 16:7

Psalm 16:7 ESV

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

God has revealed his will for all his people.

How? Through his word. This is how God counsels him. David pays attention to God’s word. His so glued to God’s word that it the start of verse eight he says “I have set the Lord always before me.”

It’s like he saying I’m always listening to what God says in his word. I always try to remember, understand, apply God’s word in my life. Even at night in his bed, when he lies on his royal pillow; he thinks God’s thoughts. that’s what he means when he says in the night also my heart instructs me.

See, there’s nothing naturally wise about sinful people. Not even for the great King David. When people say listen to your heart that’s silly. our heart is full of deception. we naturally turn away from God. But David’s heart has been trained. it’s the Lord who gives him counsel.

A little bit like tennis retired legend Roger Federer, can’t believe he retired, he just makes tennis look so effortless. He plays the right shot all the time. But the only reason he can make it look so effortless is because he practices forehand, backhand, every single day and night for years and years and years. He invests in get his forehand and backhand right over and repeatedly.

So David reads, meditates on God’s Word over and over and over again. He knows its the path of life. He knows God is good. So he spends time studying it and letting it counsel him.

Here’s the thing, I think we don’t exert ourselves in God’s word. Many of us struggle to read it. It’s a concern. How can you apply at if you don’t read it? Talking to Joy, she can see I’ve been really busy lately. life kids church you know, but the most thing she has said to me; brian you got the main game the game. Read God’s word and pray. i’m glad she’s my helper. Get back to reading God’s word. the one who made us. He’s given us everything good. He has given us his good word about his Son Jesus. God’s given us his word. I would’ve thought it’s worth investing in. Friends receive God’s words.

Notice the other fruit of knowing God living the path of life. this is great. Verse 8 there

psalm 16:8

Psalm 16:8 (ESV)

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

David has this confidence. God stands beside me I can face anything. The Christian life is a confident life. David is confident though he faces troubles. More than just confidence in this life, he is confident in the face of death. I mean, how can he have such confidence? Death is our greatest fear, isn’t it?

David knows that his eternal life is secure. Look at his confidence in verse 9

2.4 Confident his eternal life is secure (16:9-11)

Verse 9

Psalm 16:9–11 ESV

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

David is glad. He is rejoicing. Why? His eternal life is secure. God will not abandon him in death.

But here’s the problem. How can he trust God with this confidence? Didn’t David lived to be an old man? Didn’t he actually die? Bones rotted in the grave? Is this misplaced trust like theranos? Is all this confidence just a fantasy?

3. How can we trust God with such confidence?

Well, if you know your Bible God promised David in 2 Samuel 7: we read of David receiving a promise from God. he promised that a son of David will endure forever through this descendant he will raise up. His reign will endure for ever. This eternal son will be so holy, so good, so precious to God. He won’t just be called the son of David, but the son of God.

David is confident because God will keep his promise in Psalm 16. He will raise an eternal Son. His confidence is well placed.

This is why he can trust God 1000%.

Hundreds of years later, in a city of David Jerusalem - this fisherman named Peter stands up in the public square. He makes an incredible speech. He speaks to the people in Jerusalem about Jesus of Nazareth.

Let me read some highlights. Read it yourself at home tonight.

acts 2:24-28

Acts 2:24–28 ESV

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

He continues in verse 29 to the Jews in front of him

Acts 2:29–32 ESV

“Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Acts 2:36 ESV

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Peter had met Jesus risen from the dead. Jesus fulfils Psalm 16. How? Well, Jesus wasn’t abandoned to the grave. He wasn’t allowed to see decay. In the most full on way. he died but he was resurrected. he smashed death came out the other side. That means, do you see? He is the holy one. He is the eternal king that David looked forward to. Jesus who died but was raised again is the Lord and Christ. This is what Psalm 16 is about.

God revealed the path of life to David. What is it? Jesus who died and rose again. He is the path of life. This Psalm is fulfilled because God raised the son of David from the grave. Jesus is the Son of God.

So, now the path of life is the Jesus path.

He opens the way for us to worship in God’s presence. it’s all because of what Jesus has done not what we do.

He saves us not what we do but what he has already done - no greater blessing. We can to be so so thankful.

He reveals the counsel of God in God’s word. it's about Jesus.

He gives us the most precious promise of our own resurrection if we trust Him. We can be confident.

David’s response to what God had promised must be our response to what he has delivered.

Worshipping God alone - living for Jesus alone

Thankful for all his done - we’re wonderfully blessed. when you’re tempted to whinge to complain, Go back to the cross and see what Christ did for you.

Resting in God’s Word - let God’s word steer our lives each and every day, living for Christ

Friends, this is the God we trust. Be comforted. Unlike the world, because of Jesus, we can look forward confidently that we will have a delightful inheritance. Eternity with Christ because of what He has done for us. Let’s pray