Psalm 16
This psalm is intensely personal. Nevertheless, since it's also the prayer of their king, every Israelite should want to enter into it with him. After all, to pray for the king's concerns is to pray for the welfare of the people as well.
With this in mind, the worshipper is led to begin with David's own urgent petition. He prays, "Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust." He's just asking that his life be preserved for Israel's sake – that he might continue usefully and fruitfully as their king.
Then, having gotten the most important thing "off his chest," he continues in a more confessional mode, a mode in which he's most willing to confesses that he, David the earthly king, is nothing apart from Israel's true King in heaven.
In fact, David says, it would be in the best interests of Jehovah to answer the prayer of this psalm – because he's asking for the sake of God's own beloved people. We could paraphrase, "Do these things for me, Lord, because You are my Lord - my goodness is nothing apart from You - and Your people are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight!" In other words, he's asking for help from the Lord not only because the Lord is the only help there is, but also because that help will benefit the people Jehovah loves as well. In other words, it's in God's best interest to help David, because He will thus be helping His people's shepherd.
David then goes on with his prayer by confessing that anyone who seeks after any other god is only pursuing sorrow, and that he himself doesn't intend to go their way at all. He's glad to tell Jehovah that He alone is his eternal resting place – that He means everything to him - because all of God's goodness to him thus far has been wonderful indeed.
Not only so, but he also confesses that the instruction the Lord has given him is all he'll ever need, and that he knows that as long as he keeps the Lord before Him, he'll always be safe! He says, "Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope." So joyful do such thoughts make him, in fact, that he says that he knows that even in death there will be no loss, because the Lord "will show me the path of life," and "in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore!"
It's important for us to realize that the relationship of our Lord Jesus Christ to His Father was very similar to the one David had with the same God. In fact, Peter (Acts 2:25-28) quotes these very verses as belonging to Christ as well as to David. As in David's case, our Lord's relationship to the Father was one of joy, trust, and love to God's people. In fact, even though our Savior had to experience all the curse of our sin and all the trials we must experience, yet He could still rejoice because it would result in salvation to us! And, most importantly as we read this psalm, He can lead us to that same joy and trust by His Spirit.
It would be good for us to come before our Lord with David's attitude of love to God and His people. In our cries to Him for help we too, after beginning with the simple statement of our need, should tell Him of our love for His people. Then we too, as in David's case, need to be so taken up with Who and What the Lord Himself is to us, that we can end our prayer as he did by expressing our confidence and joy in Him!
We need to meditate on what He has given us - the "good inheritance" we have when we have Him and are among His people. We need to consider how great it is to be associated with those people and to know that both they and ourselves are going to be forever in His presence! Then, in union with our Lord Jesus Christ, we too can sing praise to Him!
All I can say here is "as for me and my house we will serve the Lord". I am continually wanting and praying for more of the Jesus to be manifested in my life and the way I conduct myself. Just to be more like Jesus everyday will satisfy me; more compassion, more love, more understanding, those things are what are important to me
And if He answers your prayer and gives you more of Himself, then His people will feel your love to them as well.
Amen.
It is working Marilyn because I can sense Jesus with you when we meet up together on I.M.
You say this psalm is "intensely personal" Al. It is a personal Psalm to me. It speaks to my own situation in life.
Verse 6 of this psalm is special to me as the Lord gave it to me when I was experiencing housing problems and He did "set my lines in pleasant places". He moved me to this neighbourhood and has blessed me here, although it would seem I might be moving on again. In His timing. It is good to be reminded of this promise at this time.
Thinking about verse 5, I feel this is so inclusive of all that God is to me. "my portion, my inheritance, my cup". He maintains me, He provides all that I need., even if sometimes I have to wait and hold on in faith for some things to come to pass.
He is a Great God. In Him is joy.I have neighbours who are Moslem but they do not have the joy which Jesus gives us., a joy that no-one can take away from us. "I have set the Lord always before me......My flesh shall rest in hope" v.8-9.
It is good to share these psalms together. There is always something new to discover.
God bless.
Jenny