Today we are looking at Psalm 16. There are several different questions that we can ask ourselves, questions which David gave the answers for in his own life in this psalm he wrote. One question is, is there anyone whom we have unwavering trust in? Another is, in whose company do we delight in? David gives his answers in this psalm, along with stating his confidence in the resurrection, centuries before the coming of the Lord Jesus. Let’s take a look at this psalm, and also see how answers to these questions compare in our own life.
Psalm 16 is one of the several psalms which were written by King David. There is no real indication as to when the psalm was written, whether it was earlier in his life when he was fleeing the deadly attacks from King Saul, or later when he was king, and battling foreign nations. Either way, David needed God’s protection, and knew he could trust in Him. David prayed for God’s protection, but he wasn’t crying in fear and panic (vs. 1). Instead, in Psalm 16 he was praying from a place of faith in his heart. He knew that he could trust in the Lord for His help and protection. He often had good reason to be afraid, as sometimes we do, but instead David put his faith and trust in God.
The king also knew that he had no goodness, no righteousness on his own (vs. 2). The doctrine that man is inherently sinful is taught throughout Scripture. The Apostle Paul clearly taught this in Romans 3:10. Though he was king, and could demand the obeisance of the people, David knew that any good in him, apart from God, was nothing. Years later the Prophet Isaiah would clearly state that all of our righteousness is as filthy rags in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6). Our only refuge is to cling to the Lord and accept the righteousness that He offers through His Son, Jesus Christ.
David continues by stating that he gets great delight from being around and with other believers, the “saints”, others who have put their faith and trust in the Lord (vs. 3-4). He wants nothing to do with those who worship other gods. His was a life set apart for God. This is a principle that we also find in the New Testament. II Corinthians 6:17 instructs us to separate ourselves from the ungodly. In a world of spiritual compromise, we are called to stand with the saints, and reject all forms of idolatry, whether literal or modern, including the mixing of Christian worship with practices of pagan, Eastern, and false religions.
Continuing on, we read how David was satisfied with his life, and content with what the Lord had provided for him (vs. 5-6). True, he was king, but that was not until after having spent many years in the wilderness, sleeping on the hard ground, running for his life. And there is a chance that this psalm was written during those years. David saw God, Himself, as his inheritance, which he felt was better than any land or riches. He also knew that his future was not a matter of chance or luck, like casting lots (similar to rolling of dice). The Lord held his lot, just as He holds ours. God already knows the future of our life. He holds it in His hands. True contentment comes not from possessions, but from knowing the Lord as our portion. Unlike things in life, He never changes. When all you have is God, you have all you need!
When he needed guidance and counsel, David sought the Lord first of all, before that of any person (vs. 7-8). His confidence was rooted in God’s presence, which he knew was right beside him, at his right hand. When we keep God’s Word in our life, looking to it for guidance, we can have His peace and direction (Psalm 119:105).
As our psalm closes, David speaks a prophecy of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (vs. 9-11). As the Apostle Peter spoke centuries later, these words did not speak about David, as when he died, he remained dead and buried. This spoke of the resurrection on the third day of Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:25-31). Because Jesus rose, we have the hope of resurrection ourselves, and eternal joy in God’s presence.
In the final verse we read that in God’s presence there is fullness of joy (vs. 11). In order to be filled with one thing, everything else needs to be gone. We cannot fill a glass with one thing if it is already filled with another. We must become an empty vessel for God to pour His anointing into. We need to refill our tank of joy. The best way to do that is to spend time in the presence of God. Pray constantly, read His Word daily, and get to know Him intimately. The level of our joy is determined by the level of our closeness to Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment