Psalm 16: 1-6
“Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.” (v. 1)
How many dying people have cried out “Save me God!” ? How many facing great peril (i.e. a plane crashing or a bear attack) have called out “Protect me God!” ?
In this verse David calls out “Keep me safe, O God”. Does that not sound familiar? Yet David adds that which seems only to be subconsciously acknowledged by today’s common prayers: “for in you I take refuge.”
How many people presume upon God’s great powers to protect them in times of peril, yet refuse to trust those same powers to guide their lives?
“I said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’”(v.2)
David declares “You are my Lord”. Is Jesus truly the Lord of your life? Is He your King? Do His commands supercede your selfish desires? Do you seek His guidance in all that you do? Do you pray to Him daily, continually? How often do you read the Book that the Lord of Lords, Creator of all things, deigned to inspire for your instruction and His glory? Does your life reflect His Lordship?
Are your desires His desires? David says to God, “apart from you I have no good thing.” Is an accomplishment truly of value if you have not achieved it by godly means? Have you set your heart yearning for the things of God or have you become distracted by your own fleshly wants and ideas? Before you pursue a thing, do you pray for wisdom to know whether God would have you do so?
Do you acknowledge that God has given you all that you have? Apart from God you could not breathe, could not eat, could not learn, could not work, could not love, - you could not exist apart from God. How often do you acknowledge this truth? Do you acknowledge it only with your words at a Sunday service, or does your life, too, reflect a gratitude for the God who has given it to you?
“The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips.”(v. 4)
Many who read this verse will think, “I’m a Christian, this verse doesn’t apply to me. It’s for those who don’t believe in Christ.” This is partially true, but mostly foolish. First off it reveals a lack of compassion for the lost. THEIR SORROWS WILL INCREASE – does your heart not break for them? Secondly, let us not forget that even as Christians we can unwittingly raise up idols in our own lives. Whether it be that person in our life whose advice we seek before/even without seeking God’s wisdom, or that car we spend all our time and efforts trying to attain while our Bible lies dusty on the shelf. If your life is dominated by chasing after the things of this world, if God is getting your time leftovers, then you too are increasing your own sorrow by running after “other gods.”
“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. Surely I have a delightful inheritance.”(v. 5-6)
How joyous is the reading of these verses during times of triumph, how baffling in times of trial.
“LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;” At times this may lead you to think, “Oh thank you Lord! You are so good!” Yet at other times you may find yourself in doubt, “Is this true, Lord? Could this really be your doing? Your plan for me?” Regardless of the situation the Bible is clear here and in many other verses throughout the Bible: God is in control.
“The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” My initial thought is that David was clearly experiencing a joyous moment. (As confirmed by the rest of the Psalm.) But could we not also say this in our times of trial? For what is trial but not to strengthen us and to bring glory to God? Is this not what we live for? Therefore, I pray that God would grant us the strength to make these claims in our times of trial as well as those of joy.
