Psalms 16

A Poem by David.

Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.

My soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”

As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

Their 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.

The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview.
This psalm expresses confident trust in God as the source of all good, portraying the psalmist’s deep devotion, delight in the faithful community, and assurance of divine protection and enduring joy. It moves from a plea for preservation to a resounding declaration of hope in God’s presence and life beyond death, culminating in a vision of unending fellowship with the Lord.

Flow.

Begins with a cry for God’s preservation rooted in personal refuge in Him, affirming that all goodness comes from the Lord alone.
Expresses commitment to the covenant community and rejection of idolatry, refusing to participate in rites dedicated to other gods.
Celebrates God’s faithful provision, using imagery of inheritance and a secure lot, followed by gratitude for continual divine guidance.
Reaches its climax in unwavering confidence: because God is always before the psalmist, stability, gladness, and safety follow—even victory over death and a promise of eternal joy.

Connections.
Following chapter 15, which asks who may dwell in God’s presence and answers with a portrait of upright living, Psalm 16 builds on that foundation by showing the inner life of one who walks with God—marked not by legalism but by trust, delight, and intimate communion. The psalmist does not earn access to God but rests in Him as the giver of all good things, thus fulfilling the posture the previous psalm describes. The assurance of life in God’s presence, especially the hope expressed in verse 10, sets the stage for chapter 17, where David again seeks God’s protection with confidence in His righteousness and prepares the way for later reflections on divine faithfulness amid distress.

What it teaches.
God is the sole source of all that is good and the true portion of His people (WCF 7.3; HC LD 1). Those who belong to Him find delight in the saints and reject all forms of idolatry (BC, Art. 29). The believer’s inheritance is secure, divinely allotted, and attended by His counsel and nearness, leading to stability and joy (WCF 17.1–2; HC LD 32). Most profoundly, the psalm points beyond the present life: God will not abandon His holy one to decay or Sheol, but will reveal the path of life—this prophecy ultimately fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection (Heidelberg Catechism LD 17; Apostles’ Creed, “He rose again from the dead”). True and lasting joy is found only in God’s presence, forever (WCF 8.8).

Apply.
Rest in God as your chosen portion, the one who holds your life now and into eternity.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.