I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Psalm 16: 8
This beautiful psalm expresses satisfaction with personal relationship to God. God alone is the source of all good, the one who assigns our place in life, and the one who guides us by his presence. The final verses express David’s expectation of resurrection, and are also messianic references to Christ (cf. Acts 2:24-31; 13:35-37).
Complete personal commitment to the Lord results in the assurance that God is in control of David’s life and guides his steps. This assurance brings David a matchless sense of security and joy. Psalm 16 has a remarkable prophetic aspect that parallels many of the messianic prophecies concerning the Suffering servant (Is. 53). This poem of David central in the preaching of the apostles in the early church (Acts 2:22-31).
24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. 25 For David says concerning Him: ‘I foresaw the Lord always before my face, For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced, and my tongue was glad; Moreover my flesh also will rest in hope. 27 For You will not leave my soul in Hades, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence.’ 29 “Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, 31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Acts 2:24-32
35 Therefore He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption.’ 36 “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption; 37 but He whom God raised up saw no corruption. 38 Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; Acts 13:35-17
16:5-8 My inheritance refers to the Promised Land. God had given this inheritance to His people (Deut. 6:1-3). However, there was a greater inheritance for the Levites, who did not receive a share in the land (Num. 26:62); their share of the inheritance was in the Lord. David had an ancestral inheritance in the land. As king, he also had extensive royal holdings. But he realized that no inheritance was greater than his relationship with Almighty God. Life’s boundary lines. The imagery recalls God’s gift of Canaan to Israel and its division by lot to each family. David affirms that God has sovereignly assigned him his place in life and finds satisfaction in this gift.
O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs 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. Psalm 16:5-8
16:10. God’s “Holy One.” This phrase refers to the Messiah, Jesus
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
16:11 path of life: With this phrase David speaks of his escape from death at a critical point, but he also indicates the eternal life given by the resurrected Savior to all who trust in Him.
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
A Goodly Heritage
16 1 A Michtam of David. Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust. 2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.” 3 As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god; Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips. 5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. 6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs 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 rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
⇒ I have set the Lord always before me. There is no other God. Because He is with me, I feel secure and joyful. I shall not be moved even when surrounded by enemies. Because I see the path of life before me which Jesus Christ laid out for me to walk on. He has become my way, life and the truth. I will live with Him forever. No body can take away my inheritance. I’ll go to my grave with it.
