Category: Psalm 16

I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”(Psalm 16:2)

Today is one of those days where I find myself home alone.  It’s just me and the dog. And things are…different. It’s not so much that I’m doing different things—I still eat, sleep, write, wash the occasional dish.  It’s that, without my family here, it all seems rather…blah. The people for whom I do the things I do aren’t here, so my actions feel a little meaningless, a little empty.

It’s kinda like that in this verse.  Apart from God, I would still have things.  I would still do things.  I would still be things.  But those things would be devoid of meaning.

They would be robbed of their goodness.

With God at the center, all things work together for good (Romans 8:28, if you’re wondering).  Without him at the center, why bother? Whatever I do, or think, or feel…it’s not going to be good.  Because he is what makes it good. In him I live and move and have my being.

So, without him, bupkis.  With him…Woohooo!

Whadday say?  Shall we make today a Woohoo kinda day?

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Still feeling Psalmy? Me too

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge (Psalm 16:1).

Did you know that this psalm is a miktam?

Says so, right here in my study Bible.

Do you know what a miktam is?

Neither do I.

Nor do the editors of my study Bible.

The best they can do–and trust me, it’s better than I could have done–is to point out that the term shows up in the title of psalms occasioned by great danger. So, when David is really stressed, really afraid, he sits himself down and knocks out a miktam.

Here’s another interesting bit, courtesy of the editors: In this moment of fear, when David cries out to God, he spends exactly five words pouring out the problem and his stress.

Keep me safe, O God

The remaining 197 words of the psalm–yes, I counted–are devoted to the reasons David trusts God to deliver him. That’s 2.4% of the psalm spent on petition, and 97.6% spent on praise.

Now, there’s a life.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand (Psalm 16:11).

You know where you’re going.

You know who awaits you.

What more do you need?

Isn’t it good to be beloved, Beloved?

Happy Tuesday

…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 His. Whatever today may bring–and it is Monday, after all–it’s nothing that can separate you from the love of God.

Happy Monday, Beloved

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

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 Friday, 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.

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 Friday 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 Thursday

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 Wednesday, Beloved.

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

Your heart

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

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

God is with you.

Let your heart be glad.

Go on…let it!

Happy Tuesday, 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 the 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 marshall

and

God is your air traffic controller

and

God is the plane

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 Monday, 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 Friday, Beloved.