Psalm 16

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.
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.
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.
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.

Key Verse:
10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

Key Outline:
1. v. 1-4 Sanctification
v. 5-8 My present blessing
v. 9-11 My future blessing

Key Observation:
The Psalm is named “Michtam”, that is a golden psalm. David, speaking of himself, is also being used to speak of the Messiah. Thus it is a Messianic psalm, truly golden.

Memory Verse:
8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Devotion:
According to Acts, this Psalm is identified with Christ (Acts 2:25-28). I am not sure David was fully cognate of that fact; probably he was writing of his own life and God used him to make one of the most remarkable psalms in the Old Testament. I have many times prepared to do something in the Lord’s service, and watched Him take it and change it for His purposes. I think that the psalm is best understood in this light.

Unlike so many of the former psalms, this psalm is aimed at a different period in David’s life. We are not told when, but it is evident from the psalm that it is sometime after God began to fulfill His promises in making David ruler over Israel. David begins the psalm with his trust in God’s preservation. He is looking quite naturally to all the many ways God preserved and honored him, so he denotes the people that he has charge of, as being part of his “delight”. Surely this verse begins speaking of my Messiah. Almost everything in this psalm is used to speak of our Lord, most especially, “neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Acts 13:36 tells us that this did not apply to David, who died and his body did corrupt, but rather to our Messiah.

Interestingly, McGee points to this psalm as beginning a new section. He divides the psalms here from # 16 to 41, and titles the section, “Christ in the Midst of His People Sanctifying Them to God.” I remember that my Savior willingly became man, though He did not have to. I remember Him agonizing and praying to the Father, Let this cup pass from me, but your will be done. O’ precious Savior! I am so thankful the Father did not let you see corruption, but raised you up on the third day. My debt of sin was paid in full and the evidence of it is in the resurrection.