(Read Psalm 16)
Some constants in our lives ebb and flow, but they’re ever present and cannot be destroyed. Physicists have long debated the creation and destruction of matter and energy. According to NASA, the force of the Earth’s gravity fluctuates due to changing seasons or shifts in large masses. Other forces, like love, are no different.
As a teenager, I dabbled in some Eastern religions more out of curiosity than a desire to follow. Some of my favorite bands wrote songs about ancient scriptures and famous yogis. It was all fascinating to me, even though I have believed in a true God for as long as I can remember. One dull Saturday morning (if there is such a thing) I was skateboarding alone and walking back up a hill, and it hit me – a more gentle smack than what Paul received from Jesus. A voice in my head eliminated any doubt about what truth was, that God, my Father, was it. Period. Jesus wasn’t my personal Savior then, but He was working on me.
I recognized that the false practices I tried were now discarded as wayward experiences.
Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
or take up their names on my lips.
Psalm 16:1-4
David’s mitkam Psalm 16 speaks beautiful, reassuring, and timeless words for Old and New Testament people. At first, you might think it’s God speaking to the Psalmist or the Psalmist speaking to God. When we look deeper, we see another person David is referencing.
Many of the Psalms David wrote were songs and poems from a position of torment. Deeply troubled, he asked God for preservation. Feeling the world’s weight on his shoulders, he turned to the only source of hope that would provide a lasting solution. His connection with God gave him a level of joy that would be permanent and stand him up against anything he would encounter. The Lord’s blessing on David gave him perspective to see that “the ones who run after other gods will suffer more and more.” Part of the reason there is so much suffering in the world is because people are chasing the wrong gods.
Too often, we seek temporal things that give us the most pleasure and praise them with the most value. The intensity of that joy, which is more like happiness, never lasts. It can’t. It decays like everything else in our fallen world. And we measure the intensity of our happiness from these things. The rub is that these electric highs aren’t real and won’t sustain us.
David said about him:
“‘I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
you will not let your holy one see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.’”
Acts 2:25-28
In this chapter of Acts, Peter delivers the Gospel to a vast, predominantly Jewish audience through a bombshell message. Earlier in Acts, Luke implied that a large number of Jews were present, as the text specifically mentioned “devout Jews from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Imagine Billy Graham, DL Moody, CS Lewis, and Jonathan Edwards wrapped up in one person. That would have been one-millionth of the impact of Peter’s sermon. Thousands of his listeners turned to Jesus Christ after this. Some were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37), and showed remorse for their part in Jesus’ crucifixion.
In his message, Peter quotes heavily from Psalm 16, a common and understandable context for his audience due to their familiarity with the Old Testament. But there was a much bigger reason — Jesus Christ. Peter needed to connect the dots to link Jesus to the Messiah prophecy, strengthen Jesus’ claim to the Davidic covenant, offer hope and comfort, and challenge their long-established perspective. In his speech, Peter argues that David could not have been speaking of himself (because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay. Psalm 16:10) because he knew his body was decaying. Instead, Peter argued David, as a prophet, spoke about the Messiah who would not see decay – a clear picture of our risen Christ.
Casting hopefulness our way, Peter emphasized the promise of eternal life and the joy that awaits all of us in God’s presence. From all the times I’ve disappointed God with my sins of omission and commission, Peter’s words encourage me to continue to embrace Jesus as my leader and savior. When in a joyful relationship with God, I’m investing in a steadfast love that cannot decay.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
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
I learned to surf a long time ago. It was two years before the thriller JAWS was released. At that time, my brother, three of my best friends, and hordes of other friends were in the ocean nearly every day, only constrained by school, summer jobs, and darkness. We surfed all year long, even when waves turned to ice on jetties in the sub-zero days of January. We were invincible; after getting pounded by massive walls of water and running out of breath, we’d take our licks and head back out for more. One day, we surfed so long that we had spaghetti arms and could hardly carry our boards back to the car. The next day, we awoke at sunrise looking for more action. Surfing meant everything to us. Every waking thought centered on it.
Skip ahead 50 years. Only one of my friends and I are still surfing. Two of our friends have passed on, most others have physical limitations holding them back, and my brother’s pacemaker makes it too uncomfortable to continue. I’m truly blessed to have the ability to continue to be somewhat active in life, but the greater glory goes to where I now find my real treasure.
Jesus, our Savior, is not just a distant figure but seated right beside God the Father. This isn’t mere imagination; it’s the promise in Psalm 16, Acts, and throughout the Bible. Notably, it’s a reality that transcends fleeting circumstances. True joy, which quiets anxieties and uplifts the soul, doesn’t hinge on the shifting sands of life’s events.
Several years ago, our daughter wrote this of Psalm 16: Consider that it’s actually Jesus Christ who is the object of this Psalm. Christ was the first ‘born,’ resurrected from the dead. He was the first to achieve eternal life. When in a relationship with Jesus, we are filled forever with joy in his presence.
Psalm 16 speaks of a life permanently found in God’s loving arms. If we only look for temporary pleasure and happiness in life, we’ll always miss the glory behind it. It will subside, fade, and die. We know undoubtedly from Scripture that God preserves his flock who treasures Him. There is a substantial difference between us, our pleasures, and even all the great prophets of the Bible and the One who reigns forever. We decay. He doesn’t. You choose.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Revelation 21:1-2
Key Applications:
- Reject idolatry: Psalm 16 contrasts devotion to God with the emptiness of chasing after other things. This can encompass worshipping false gods and prioritizing material possessions, worldly achievements, or fleeting pleasures over a relationship with God. Use discernment to assess your priorities and ensure your true center is with God.
- Practice gratitude: David expresses deep gratitude for God’s blessings. Take time daily to reflect on the good things in your life, big or small, and offer thanks to God for his presence and provision.
- Find joy in God’s presence: True joy doesn’t come from external circumstances but from a genuine relationship with God. Make intentional time for prayer, reflection, and worship to cultivate this joy. As you draw closer to him, you experience a fulfillment and peace that transcend earthly happiness and time.
Where else in your life can you live out the teachings of Christ? Look for next week’s Devotion.