The Book of Psalms

Psalm 16

Psalm XVI · Vol. II, pp. 994–995

1 David, in distrust of merits, and hatred of idolatry, fleeth to God for preservation. 5 He showeth the hope of his calling, of a future resurrection, and life everlasting.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

Michtam¹ of David.

1 PRESERVE me,^a O God: for in thee do I put my trust.²

B.C. cir. 1058.

1 Or, A golden psalm of David, Ps.lvi.-lx. title.

a Ps.17.5,8; 22.8. Is.42.1; 50.6-9. Ac.2.25; 13.35.

2 The quotation of this psalm (Ac. 2. 25-28), and its application to Christ, leave neither question nor difficulty in determining that Christ is the speaker.—C.

2 O my soul, thou ^bhast said³ unto the LORD, Thou art my ⁴LORD: ^cmy goodness⁵ extendeth not to thee;

b Zec.13.9. Ps.31.14; 91.2; 89.26; 22.1.

3 Thou hast said. Many valuable MSS., and all the early translations, except the Chaldee, read, I have said.—C.

4 My Lord—'Adonai, my support.'—C.

c Job 22.2; 35.7,8. Ps.50.9,10. Ro.11.35.

5 My goodness—'No good thing I expect but from thee.'—Boothroyd.

3 But^d to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent,⁶ in whom is all my delight.

d Mal.3.17. Ep.1.1. Col.1.2. Pr.12.26; 13.20; 8.31. Is.62.4. Ps.119.63.

6 Excellent, 'my glorified ones,' my saints in heaven.—Horsley.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that ^ehasten after another god:⁷ their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, nor ^gtake up their names into my lips.

e Ps.32.10; 97.7. Re.14.9-11.

7 Or, give gifts to another.

g Ex.23.13. Jos.23.7. Ho.2.17.

Vol. II, p. 995

5 The^h LORD is the portion of mine inheritance⁸ and of my cup: ⁱthou maintainest my lot.

A.M. cir. 2946. B.C. cir. 1058.

h Ps.73.26; 142.5; 23.5; 119.57. La.3.24. Ro.8.17.

8 Heb. of my part.

i Ps.94.18; 89.1-4,21-28. Is.42.1; 53.10-12.

6 The ^jlines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, ^kI have a goodly heritage.

j Pr.3.17. Is.53.11. He.12.2.

k Je.3.19. 1 Pe.1.4. Ep.3.18,19. Jn.20.17. Ro.8.17.

7 I will ^lbless the LORD, who hath given me counsel; my reins also instruct me in the night-seasons.

l Ps.72.17-19. Mat.11.25,26. Is.11.2-4; 48.17.

8 Iⁿ have set the LORD always before me: because he is ^oat my right hand, I shall not be moved.

n Ac.2.25. 1 Co.10.31. Ps.73.23-26; 119.168; 139.18.

o Ps.109.31. Is.42.1; 50.6-9.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my ^pglory rejoiceth;⁹ my flesh also shall rest in hope:¹

p Ge.49.6. Ac.2.26. Job 14.14. He.11.35.

9 Glory. As light is the glory of fire (Ex. 24. 17), so speech is the glory, the bright shining of the intellect.—C.

1 Heb. dwell confidently.

10 For ^qthou wilt not leave my soul in hell;² neither wilt thou suffer ^rthine Holy One to see corruption.

q Ac.3.15; 2.27,31; 13.35.

2 The Hebrew word sheól, here rendered 'hell,' does not signify 'the place of the damned,' but simply 'the state of the dead.' The same fundamental idea is embodied in both members of this verse, namely, that the Messiah's submission to death would be only temporary:—his soul would not remain in the state of death separate from the body; and his body would not experience corruption.—P.

r Da.9.24. Lu.1.35; 4.34. Mar.1.24. Ac.3.14.

11 Thou^s wilt show me the path of life: ^tin thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are ^upleasures for evermore.

s Mat.7.14. Ac.2.28. Ps.21.4. 1 Pe.1.21. Ro.8.11.

t Jude 24. Ps.21.5,6; 110.1,5. He.12.2. Is.53.10-12. Mat.25.33,34. 1 Pe.1.4.

u Ps.36.8.

Notes

Ver. 5. The Lord and his fulness, answerable to every need, every desire, is represented as a lot or portion, in allusion to the shares of Canaan, which were divided by lot, Nu. xxiv.; and to the shares of liquor in cups at feasts; importing how permanent, unalterable, refreshing, and strengthening he is to the enjoyers.

Ver. 10. Hell, with respect to David or Christ, cannot signify the place of the damned; for thither they never went: but it may include great distress of spirit, the grave, and the state of the dead.

Ver. 4. Another—god is not in the original, and the word supplied should rather be Messiah. The Jews have sought another, and have been in sorrow for upwards of 1800 years. C.

Ver. 5. Lot. The resolution in ver. 3 is spoken by Messiah as a priest. The tribe of Levi had no inheritance but Jehovah: Messiah has the same, and besides is 'heir of all things.' C.

Ver. 9. 'My glory rejoiceth;' i.e. my soul rejoiceth. The soul being the most dignified—the noblest part of man, is termed in poetic imagery his glory. P.

Reflections.—Trust in God does not merit but it secures divine preservation, as God cannot disappoint one who believes his word or rests on his new-covenant characters. Our holiness cannot profit God, but it marks us his, and tends to our advantage; and next to fellowship with God that with ourselves is the most excellent and useful. But the more a believer advances in holiness, the more humble thoughts he will have of himself, in view of the pure and all-sufficient Jehovah. They who delight in God will delight in those who bear his image as the most excellent on earth. Such as have Jesus Christ as their atonement, and God in him, need no idols or other sacrifices. And if we want to banish idolatry, the most distant appearances of it ought to be avoided and abhorred. But happy are they who have God as their portion, their wealth and comfort by his own gospel grant! This secures against want as well as against ruin. This secures direction in time, comfort in death, and glory through eternity. And O how pleasant death and eternity appear, when Christ is considered as our way, as our forerunner, and God in him as our everlasting All in All.