I Delight in the Lord

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Scripture: Psalm 16:1-11 (NIV)

1 Keep me safe, my God,

for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing.”

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

 

Devotion:

            Today’s psalm speaks of the psalmist’s enjoyment of the blessings that come from God. Other than verse one which is a short petition for sanctuary with God, the remainder of the psalm speaks to the goodness and wonder of living a life blessed by God. Unlike many other psalms there is no hint of trouble befalling the writer. Verse ten, often taken as a messianic allusion, declares that even after death no harm will come to the psalmist.

            God as provider of all good things is the message of verses five through eight. God’s provision for His people is pictured as never failing and continually present with the writer. The Lord is the teacher that never fails to give the best advice all day and all night. (verse seven) David, the author of this psalm, keeps his eyes fixed on God and never wavers. In return God provides steadfast companionship and strength. The Lord alone can satisfy the longing of David’s heart in this psalm.

            Verses nine through eleven declare God’s love even beyond the grave. These verses are among the most reassuring and beautiful verses in the Psalms. Verse ten stands out as it has been appropriated by the Church as a messianic psalm. David’s body knew death and decay, so he must have somehow seen Jesus and known that God would keep Him from the ravages of death. In the final verse the psalmist gives us a picture of a life steadfast in hope for the Lord’s deliverance both in this life and the life to come.

            Let us pray this psalm as the Holy Spirit gives us delight in the Lord.

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