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.
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 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, 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 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 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 marshall
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 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.
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 anyway.
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 Thursday, 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…knock it off.
I mean, that’s really beyond the scope of what I’m prepared to deal with on a Wednesday.
But what will you rely on today, Beloved? Who? When Wednesday 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 Wednesday