HOLY PSALM OF DAVID (ZABUR) SIXTEEN

1 Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. 2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing comes from you.”  3 The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!

David acknowledged that every good thing comes from God. And because he submitted to God’s authority, he wanted to spend time with those who trusted God and lived good lives. It may be questioned whether his love for God rested on the fact that God had blessed him and whether he would still love God, if he had been tested in the way God allowed righteous Job to be tested by Satan. Job had suffered much loss in this life (family and possessions) for which he could not understand the reason, but never once would he deny God’s faithfulness despite his suffering.  But we need to recall that David also had a hard time hounded as a refugee and despite that, he persisted in loving God. And in all his trials he also never once denied God’s faithfulness, often writing psalms in the midst of his trials.

6 The land you have given me is a pleasant land. … 7 I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.

Even though at times God allowed his servants Job and David to lose everything, God did eventually restore their fortunes and re-establish them in the land.  So we in turn should not despair, but always hope that better times will come.  It is important to hold on to the faithfulness of God whatever our circumstances and how ever we feel about our situation.

10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

This was the hope David hung on to – living in God’s presence forever. And this has been taken as a glimpse of eternal life.  The NT (Ingil) also takes this verse as prophetic to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (ref. Acts 13 v.35-38).  

A poem from Psalm 16: -

Joy is the heritage God gives the godly;

His promise in Christ given eternally!

A prayer: - At your side is joy forever! Amen

mjk 14/12/17 c. mikereflects