Psalm 16

Read Psalm 16 here first: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+16&version=NIV

What a hopeful Psalm!

God is our refuge! He gives us every good thing. He keeps us safe- these are words of hope we need right now.

But then the psalmist does say- run after other gods and bad things happen- I don’t know if that’s true. I know many who will say they’re against God and are still having what appears to be good things coming to them. This used to bother me. I don’t know that if you don’t have God terrible things happen to you in this life. But I do think they’re missing out. They may not know it. But there’s something about knowing there’s more than this that give life greater purpose and knowing that a God of love is behind it all changes everything! But then the psalmist says- no matter I won’t praise other gods. Even if good things happen to supposedly bad people- I will still praise God! Keep in mind from the Christian worldview there are no good people, well just one.

And to this the psalmist ends with this delightful refrain:

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful^[b] one see decay.
¹¹ You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

This is what gives us joy- not earthly pleasure but the hope- no the knowledge of eternal pleasures that await.

Have hope. Apart from God we have no good thing- in God- Emmanuel God with us- we have all things.