Psalm 16:1-8 - Delight in God

Psalm 16 is quoted by Peter on the Day of Pentecost when he says that verses 8–11 were fulfilled when Jesus arose from the dead. Therefore, it is appropriate to read the psalm as Messianic and apply its verses to the Saviour. Having said that, it is also important to recognise that the psalm originally described David’s description of his own life, which means that we can interpret the psalm as expressing the desires of a godly person.

Verse 1 is a prayer for preservation and it is straightforward to see how it would be a suitable prayer for David who often found himself in situations of danger. Verse 2 is a statement of commitment by which the speaker affirms that God is his Lord. Obviously, David regards his relationship with God as his highest blessing.

In verse 3, David says that God’s people are his delight, and he is an example to us in estimating the worth of believers. Verse 4, on the other hand, describes David’s estimation of those who are not believers and of how he detests their failure to worship the true God (‘names’ here probably refers to the titles of the false gods). So in verse 5, David repeats that his soul feeds on God (portion, when linked with cup in this verse, probably means bread). This portion David regards as a wonderful and beautiful inheritance (v. 6). 

Verse 7 indicates that David enjoyed being taught by God. He mentions that this often occurred at night. Perhaps nighttime was when it was possible for David to find undisturbed time to meditate on his God and the way he had been led in life. Meditation is the way to digest heavenly food. When we do so, we will have a similar outlook of praise and thankfulness.

Psalm 16:9-11 - Facing death like a King

Psalm 16:8-11 describes both the psalmist’s outlook as he faced death and the Saviour’s attitude towards his own death. Applying them to the psalmist enables us to see that the Old Testament believers had a strong hope of heaven even if they did not have the fuller understanding of believers who live in the New Testament era. They knew that their Lord would be with them as they faced the last enemy. In this they are a model as to how we should look at death and anticipate the heavenly life to come.

We know that the verses apply to Jesus because Peter says so in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost. They describe the Saviour’s resurrection, and it is important for us to think often of that event. Spurgeon summarised it well when he wrote: ‘Christ’s resurrection is the cause, the earnest, the guarantee and the emblem of the rising of all his people.’

In verse 9 Jesus reveals the source of his joy, which was the presence of his Father described in the previous verse. In verses 10 and 11, Jesus addresses the Father. This type of divine interaction occurs frequently in the Old Testament and we should be on the lookout for it (another example is Psalm 40:8-9). Verse 10 is a reference to the place of the dead where the bodies of humans see corruption. The Saviour, although he died, did not undergo any deterioration in his body.

Verse 11 contains a beautiful description of the journey of Jesus from the grave to heaven: he calls it ‘the path of life’. It began with his resurrection which revealed he possessed life; it continued with his ascension to the place of life (heaven) where he was enthroned in order to bestow on sinners spiritual life; it will yet involve resurrecting them from the dead in the fullness of resurrection life when they will be physically equipped to inhabit the new heavens and new earth in which death in any form will never enter.

John Trapp said of verse 11: ‘Here is as much said as can be, but words are too weak to utter it. For quality there is in heaven joy and pleasures; for quantity, a fulness, a torrent whereat they drink without let or loathing; for constancy, it is at God’s right hand, who is stronger than all, neither can any take us out of his hand; it is a constant happiness without intermission: and for perpetuity it is for evermore. Heaven's joys are without measure, mixture, or end.’