…nor will you let your Holy One see decay (Psalm 16:10b).

So, is David talking about himself here, or is he talking about Jesus?

Yes

Does that help?

As the anointed king, David was certainly the Holy One, set apart for God. 

And, you know, good for him.

But ultimately this verse is speaking of the Christ, the One who would bust Death in the chops and stride out of the tomb under his own power.

I wonder how much David knew. I wonder how much God shared with him about the One who would come to fulfill the reign David had begun. 

Maybe we’ll get to ask him one day.

Probably not today though.

For today, walk in the knowledge that he who destroyed Death has chosen you to be his Beloved. Death cannot have you, 

ever, 

because you are already Christ’s. Whatever today may bring, it’s nothing that can separate you from the love of God.

Happy Friday, Beloved

…for you will not abandon me to the grave… (Psalm 16:10a).

Assuming Jesus does not return first, one day you will die. Your heart, lungs, synapses and phalanges will all cease to function, and you will slowly begin to decompose, unless you die in a warm and moist climate, in which case you will rapidly decompose, unless your family has you embalmed, in which case you will slowly shrivel over time, locked in the darkness of the earth as your spirit wanders for all eternity.

Happy Thursday, Beloved

Wait

That’s not true.

Oh, the part where you die might be true. And the part about your phalanges. But it won’t be for eternity.

And you won’t wander in darkness.

God has promised you an eternity with him.

That eternity includes light and life and being in the presence of God forever.

Beloved, I don’t know exactly what happens when you die. None of us does. But I know that in Christ death has no victory, no sting.

You will not be abandoned; you will be welcomed home.

Now, Happy Thursday, Beloved

…my body will also rest secure (Psalm 16:9b).

This is one of those lines that I can read in two ways.

When I read this in the context of the preceding verses, I think of the here and now. Because God is with me, I can relax. I can know peace. I can–or at least I should be able to–release the stress of this world that makes my stomach ache and keeps me awake at night. I can rest, secure in the knowledge that the Lord of the Universe is in control.

I like this.

I can also tie this line to the following verse, you will not abandon me to the grave. Now the line seems to be talking of death. When my time here is over, I will rest in peace, because the Lord of Everything will not forget me.

I like this, too.

Which reading is correct? Oh, Beloved, you know that I am not a theological scholar, and my trusty study Bible only gets me so far. My gut tells me that it means both of these, and more.

So very much more

God loves you, Beloved.

Rest secure.

Happy Wednesday

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices (Psalm 16:9a).

When was the last time you praised God outside of church?

Sometimes it’s not easy. I mean, if you start singing at the top of your voice in strange tongues and dancing with all your might wearing only a linen ephod while standing in the households section of WalMart, you may produce the wrong kind of reaction.

Then again, it is WalMart. You may get no reaction at all.

But there are other ways, Beloved. Make God part of your conversations with the world. Show the people around you that “your heart is glad” and make sure they know Who is responsible for your joy. Name-drop the Almighty as though you were talking about a real person who has done great things for you.

Because he is

And he has

Maybe the ephod stays home.

Maybe not…your call.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Therefore my heart is glad…(Psalm 16:9a).

Your heart

The seat of your emotions–those somewhat turbulent, often troublesome, seldomtobetrusted emotions.

Your heart, that can be so frail and so fickle and so foolish.

So weak, so wicked

Sorry, I’m out of alliterations for the moment.

You know, it doesn’t have to be so complicated, Beloved.

God loves you.

God has chosen you.

God is with you, and his Spirit lives within you.

Your heart knows this, and really wants to be glad.

Let it.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken (Psalm 16:8).

Remember those “God is my co-pilot” bumper stickers?

It’s like that, only

God is your copilot

and

God is your pilot

and

God is your navigator

and

God is your flight attendant

and

God is your air marshal

and

God is your air traffic controller

and

God is the plane

And

God is the engine

and

God is the air

and

God is your destination.

And what are we? We are the little kids that get wings pinned on our t-shirts and think we can fly the plane–while everyone around us grins knowingly.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Enjoy the flight.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. (Psalm 16:7).

Reason #4,398 to be glad I’m not God: I take naps.

And when I’m napping, I am not thinking about you.

Not trying to hurt your feelings here, but it is what it is.

So, if you need my advice, such as it is, and I happen to be napping, you’re out of luck my friend.

If it’s night, and I’m actually sleeping—forget about it.

God doesn’t nap, you know.  He is there for you, his Beloved, every day and all the time.  So at 3am, when your heart finally quiets down enough to hear him, he’s there.

Speaking softly.

Listening intently.

Loving completely.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance(Psalm 16:5-6).

You know, there’s this thing about an inheritance—you don’t earn it.

Oh, maybe you’re thinking about all the holidays over the years when you’ve driven 100 miles just to eat petrified turkey with your freakshow of a family and you’re saying to yourself, “Oh, I’m earning it, Baby.  Every nickel!”

But you aren’t, really.

An inheritance is a gift that comes to you but was earned by another.  If you earned it yourself, it would be wages.

When it comes to dealing with God, you don’t want your wages, trust me.

You want the gift.

The Psalmist understood this, and he was totally cool with it.  He didn’t stake his claim; he didn’t demand his rights.  He rested in the provision of God and trusted in the One who knew him best and loved him most.

So how about it, Beloved?  Are you content with the boundary lines that God has laid down for you?  Do you trust him enough to let enough be enough?

Surely you have a delightful inheritance.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips (Psalm 16:4b).

I’m going to assume that you’re not conducting pagan worship ceremonies in which you call out to demonic forces while pouring the blood of innocents upon the altar.

If you are…stop it.

I mean, that’s really beyond the scope of what I’m prepared to deal with in a daily devotional.

But what will you rely on today, Beloved? Who? When Tuesday gets ugly, will you trust in the God who loves you and rely on his goodness and mercy and strength and wisdom, or will you be like the pagans who let pride or wealth or reputation or self-preservation guide their choices?

Because those can be idols, too.

You serve a mighty God, Beloved. Stand firm today.

Happy Tuesday

The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods (Psalm 16:4a).

It’s fun to mess with a dog’s head.

Easy, too

I pick up one of her toys–any toy will do–and hold it out to her.  She immediately sees this item as the most important thing in her puppyverse and goes after it with all her strength.

A tug of war ensues.

Then, I hold up a different toy.

Without hesitation, the pup will drop the first toy, this toy that was her entire world, and dive after the second, to which she will hold with equal ferocity until I show her a third.

And so on.

The whole thing is tremendously entertaining, when we’re talking about dogs.

Less so when we’re talking about people.

You see, at some point I will end the game, the pup will ultimately be satisfied with one of the toys, and there will be puppy-level contentment. 

Perhaps that’s because golden retrievers don’t need redemption.

For you and me, Beloved, the squeaky balls and stuffed ducks of the world will never be enough. Chasing them will only highlight the emptiness.

So don’t.

Happy Monday, Beloved