Skip to content
Scripture Mapping

Psalms 16

World English Bible

WEB

1A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you. 2My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.” 3As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. 4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips. 5Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure. 6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance. 7I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons. 8I have set Yahweh always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety. 10For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption. 11You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Psalms 16 is a profound expression of trust and confidence in the Lord, attributed to King David. The psalm opens with a plea for divine protection, as David declares, "Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust" (Psalm 16:1). This sets the tone for the entire chapter, emphasizing the importance of relying on God for safety and guidance. David acknowledges that apart from the Lord, he has no good thing, recognizing that true joy and fulfillment come from a relationship with the Creator. He refers to the saints in the land, indicating that the faithful are his delight, and he finds strength in their fellowship (#David, #trust, #faithfulness).

The psalm continues with a declaration of faith in God's sovereignty and provision. David expresses confidence in the Lord's guidance, stating, "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved" (Psalm 16:8). This verse highlights the importance of keeping God at the center of one's life. The psalm concludes with a powerful affirmation of hope in eternal life, as David proclaims, "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). This promise of joy and eternal fellowship with God serves as a reminder of the ultimate reward for those who trust in Him, reinforcing the theme of divine protection and the blessings of a life devoted to the Lord.

Study

14 dimensions

Referenced by

  1. Job 22:2v2Job 22:2 questions whether a man can be profitable to God, similar to Psalm 16:2, which acknowledges that apart from God, there is no good in man. Both passages emphasize human dependence on God and the insufficiency of human righteousness.
  2. Psalms 21:7v8Psalm 21:7 highlights the king's trust in the Lord, similar to the confidence expressed in Psalm 16:8, where the psalmist declares stability because of God's presence.
  3. Acts 2:24v10Acts 2:24 speaks of God raising Jesus from the dead, which Peter connects to David's prophecy in Psalm 16:10 about not abandoning His Holy One to decay.

Topics in this chapter

Related chapters

Your study

Take it with you

This chapter’s study as a Markdown file. The analysis was written for a notebook originally, so the hashtags arrive as hashtags and the passages as links.

Download the analysisDownload it with your notes and highlights