Psalm 16
Refuge in God in the Presence of Distress and of Death
Ps 16:1-3
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. KJV
We are here confronted by a pattern of the unchangeable believing confidence of a friend of God; for the writer of Ps 16 is in danger of death, as is to be inferred from the prayer expressed in v.1 and the expectation in v. 10. But there is no trace of anything like bitter complaint, gloomy conflict, or hard struggle: the cry for help is immediately swallowed up by an overpowering and blessed consciousness and a bright hope. There reigns in the whole Psalm, a settled calm, an inward joy, and a joyous confidence, which is certain that everything that it can desire for the present and for the future it possesses in its God. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Ps 16:1-3
First of all David gives expression to his confession of Jahve, to whom he submits himself unconditionally, and whom he sets above everything else without exception. “Thou art my Lord” and not “Thou art the Lord.” The emphasis lies expressly on the “my.” It is the unreserved and joyous feeling of dependence (more that of the little child, than of the servant), which is expressed in this first confession.
For, as the second clause of the confession says: Jahve, who is his Lord, is also his benefactor, yea even his highest good. The psalmist knows no fountain of true happiness but Jahve, in Him he possesses all, his
treasure is in Heaven.
Ps 16:1-3
The saints are those in whom the will of Jahve concerning Israel, that it should be a holy nation (Ex 19:6; Deut 7:6), has been fulfilled, viz., the living members of the ecclesia sanctorum (assembly of the holy – Ld) in this world. His spiritual vision pierces through the outward form of the servant. His verdict is like the verdict of God, who is his all in all. The saints, and they only, are the excellent to him. His whole delight is centered in them, all his respect and affection is given to them. The congregation of the saints is his Chephzibah, Isa 62:4 (cf. 2 Kings 21:1). (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Isa 62:1-4
1 For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.
2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.
3 Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.
4 Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married. (KJV)
Ps 16:4-5
4 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.
5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. KJV
As he loves the saints so, on the other hand, he abhors the apostates and their idols. This v. 4 forms a perfect antithesis to v. 3. In David’s eyes the saints are already the glorified, in whom his delight centers; while, as he knows, a future full of anguish is in store for the idolatrous, and their worship, yea, their very names are an abomination to him.
As he loves the saints so, on the other hand, he abhors the apostates and their idols. This v. 4 forms a perfect antithesis to v. 3. In David’s eyes the saints are already the glorified, in whom his delight centers; while, as he knows, a future full of anguish is in store for the idolatrous, and their worship, yea, their very names are an abomination to him.
With such persons, who may seem to be ‘adiyriym (OT:117) in the eyes of the world, but for whom a future full of anguish is in store, David has nothing whatever to do: he will not pour out drink-offerings as they pour
them out. They are not called midaam (OT:1818) as actually consisting of blood, or of wine actually mingled with blood; but consisting as it were of blood, because they are offered with blood-stained hands and blood-guilty consciences.
In v. 4 c the expression of his abhorrence attains its climax: even their names, i.e., the names of their false gods, which they call out, he shuns taking upon his lips, just as is actually forbidden in the Tôra, Ex 23:13
(from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Exod 23:13
13 And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth. (KJV)
Ps 16:6-8
6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. KJV
The lines, as it were of his inheritance – but this time spiritual, have fallen to him in a wonderful district, that is in the pleasurable fellowship of God, this most blessed domain of love has become his glorious possession. He rises from that fact to the perfect contentment which it secures to him: such a heritage seems to him to be fair, he finds a source of inward pleasure and satisfaction in it.
But since the giver and the gift are one and the same, the joy he has in the inheritance becomes of itself a constant thanksgiving to and blessing of the Giver, that He has counseled him (Ps 73:24) to choose the one thing needful, the good part.
V.7 – The reins are conceived of as the seat of the blessed feeling that Jahve is his possession. He is impelled from within to offer hearth-felt thanks to his merciful and faithful God. He has Jahve always before him, Jahve is the point towards which he constantly directs his undiverted gaze; and it is easy for him to have Him thus ever present, for He is at my right hand (i.e., where my right hand begins, close beside me), so that he has no need to draw upon his power of imagination. The words express the natural effect of this, both in consciousness and in reality: he will not and cannot totter, he will not yield and be overthrown. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Ps 16:9-11
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. KJV
Ps 16:9-11
Thus then, as this concluding statement, as it were like seven rays of light, affirms, he has the most blessed prospect before him, without any need to fear death. Because Jahve is thus near at hand to help him, his heart becomes joyful and his glory, i.e., his soul rejoices, the joy breaking forth in rejoicing. There is no passage of Scripture that so closely resembles this as 1 Thess 5:23.
1Thes 5:23
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)
He looks death calmly and triumphantly in the face, even his flesh shall dwell or lie securely, that is, without being seized with trembling at its approaching corruption. David’s hope rests on this conclusion: it is
impossible for the man, who, in appropriating faith and actual experience, calls God his own, to fall into the hands of death.
The second part of v. 11, which consists of two members, describes this life with which he solaces himself. Pleasures are in Thy right hand continually-God’s right hand is never empty, His fulness is inexhaustible. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
The application of this text by the apostles:
Acts 2:29-32 (Peter)
29 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.
30 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;
31 He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption.
32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. KJV
Acts 13:34-37 (Paul)
34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:
37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. KJV