Meditations on Psalm 16: The Eternal Joy of God’s Presence
Written by Martha Harding | Director of Grace Women
Some years ago, I was rushing through a grocery store on my way home from work, hoping to be in and out as quickly as possible. As I darted into an aisle, I noticed a small boy completely engrossed in a toy he had in his hand, and he was alone. I looked around, but his parent was nowhere to be seen. I knew that as soon as he became aware of that reality, his peaceful mood would change drastically. The tension of that moment in my mind froze me to the spot, and sure enough, the child looked up, quickly realized mine was not the face he wanted to see, and he gave me a look of terror. He was living every young kid’s worst fear: he had become a lost child.
Being left alone is a fear that haunts many of us even into adulthood. For some, isolation and loneliness are more than abstract worries; they are a sad reality, and their impact is heightened in times of sorrow or suffering. Even faithful Christ-followers feel the anguish of being alone. But that is not God’s desire for us. In fact, as Psalm 16 makes wonderfully clear, we belong to Him, we are significant, and His very presence is constant. In this fallen world, we suffer, but we don’t have to do it alone.
David models for us how we may have peace and joy in the midst of challenging times. He opens Psalm 16 with a plea to God – “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” There is so much faith in that statement! We don’t know what specific trial moved him to cry out to the Lord, but the lesson for us is crystal clear: we must go to the Lord first, especially in difficult times. Pain is magnified when we try to bear it alone.
“God designed us to need Him, to need the refuge only He can provide. And the beauty of it all is that He wants to keep you safe, to strengthen you to be able to face your challenges with the power He supplies.”
As believers, we have been called into a relationship with the Lord that is ours by grace and sustained by His love. So, like David, go to Him at all times, and especially when you are suffering or in difficulty.
It’s easier to do this when you are convinced that the Lord is with you. So often, we recognize His presence through other believers. By God’s grace, you belong to Him and to a large family of brothers and sisters who share your faith. In David’s words, these are the “saints in the land,” the “excellent ones.” These are the people David wanted to be with. In them, he said, “is all my delight.” We, too, are to delight in the gift of the church, the closeness of others in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Our joy in being with God’s people doesn’t derive from what they do for us but rather that they are those with whom we share the most important aspect of our lives – devotion to Christ. So, if you are a believer, you are one of those “excellent ones.” You can make God’s kindness, His loving presence evident for a sister or brother. That’s because, like them, you have escaped the sorrows of those who run after other gods, other objects of worship, other futile things. David refused to take part in any of the false worship of his day. We can follow his example together by loving those around us who need to find refuge in Christ and to encourage each other to remain faithful as we do. David’s commitment to worship the Lord alone was strengthened by knowing that this life is not all there is. God has given His people a beautiful inheritance with Him in eternity. Let that be the source of strength for you and your delight.
At all times, no matter what challenges are swirling around you, know without a doubt that God gives you His presence and with it, eternal joy. That seems to be the point David is making in Psalm 16, and the outflow of his joy is praise! He publicly proclaims God’s goodness and privately meditates on His word, praying, and praising Him in the night. His experience of God’s refuge, of His presence through the family of God, and the depth of his relationship with the Lord all work together to give him certainty that he “will not be shaken.” Imagine that! A sense of stability in our sometimes chaotic world. Oh, what a refuge! What incredible joy!
David describes his joy as being all-consuming, enveloping his entire being. He bursts out in words that go beyond his literal experience – “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” The apostles rightly apply these prophetic words to Jesus and His resurrection, but we shouldn’t rush too quickly past their meaning for David and for us.
“It is because of Christ’s resurrection that we have hope of our own bodily resurrection when our Savior returns. God has given us His presence forever.”
That beautiful relationship doesn’t end when our physical bodies finally give out and are interred. We daily live in God’s presence, and we will always do so, long after we pass on from this life. He will never abandon you! You are not the adult version of that lost little boy. You have been found, you are safe in Him, and you will always be so.
Knowing this, we can offer the Lord no better words of praise than those that close this precious psalm. As you read them, pray them to the Lord.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Amen.