Psalm 16, a michtam of David, is a profound expression of faith and joy in God’s presence. Attributed to David, this psalm reflects his deep trust in God as his refuge and inheritance, while also pointing prophetically to Christ’s resurrection (Acts 2:25-28, 13:35). For those who know God—it highlights the realities of Trust, Truth, Light, and Life. In contrast, it briefly but powerfully depicts the sorrow of those deceived by falsehood. This commentary will explore these themes, examine the characteristics of the deceived, and consider the obligation of believers to those still lost in delusion, concluding with a parable to illuminate these truths.
Psalm 16 (NKJV)
1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16 reveals four interconnected themes that define their relationship with Him: Trust, Truth, Light, and Life. Truth is Reality, the foundation of existence that leads to Life, and these themes reflect the blessed state of those who live in this Reality.
- Trust: David opens with a heartfelt plea, “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust” (v. 1), establishing trust as the bedrock of his faith. This trust is active and intentional: “I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved” (v. 8). For believers, trust in God brings unshakable stability and peace, even amidst trials.
- Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
- Truth: Truth is Reality, and God is its source. David declares, “You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You” (v. 2), affirming that all goodness and reality flow from God. This Truth guides believers practically: “I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel” (v. 7). Knowing God means aligning with the ultimate Reality that leads to Life.
- John 14:6 (NKJV) – “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”
- Light: Light represents divine guidance and the joy of God’s presence. David writes, “You will show me the path of life” (v. 11), a path illuminated by God’s truth. Believers, as children of Light, walk in this clarity, free from the darkness of deception, with joy as their companion: “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (v. 11).
- John 8:12 (NKJV) – “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”
- Life: The psalm crescendos with the promise of eternal life: “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (v. 10). Fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection, this hope assures believers of life beyond the grave, marked by “pleasures forevermore” (v. 11). Life, rooted in Truth, is abundant and eternal for God’s children.
- John 10:10 (NKJV) – “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
These themes weave together to portray the rich, vibrant existence of those who know God, living in the real world of His Reality.
Psalm 16 contrasts the believer’s blessed state with the fate of those who do not know God, who are deceived by falsehood, trust in their own understanding, and live in a false reality. This delusion separates them from Health and Life, leading to ultimate insanity.
- Pursuit of Falsehood: David notes, “Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god” (v. 4). These individuals chase idols—false gods or realities—that promise fulfillment but deliver only delusion. Falsehood is a counterfeit reality, a lie from the “father of lies” (John 8:44).
- Deuteronomy 32:21 (NKJV) – “They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols.”
- Multiplied Sorrows: The consequence of living in deception is multiplied sorrow (v. 4). Rejecting Truth, they embrace a false reality that cannot sustain them, resulting in despair and emptiness. Their trust in their own understanding proves futile.
- Romans 1:21-22 (NKJV) – “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools.”
- Separation from Health and Life: Falsehood leads to alienation from God, the source of Health and Life. David rejects their ways: “Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, Nor take up their names on my lips” (v. 4). This separation darkens their minds, culminating in ultimate insanity—a life divorced from Reality.
- Ephesians 4:17-18 (NKJV) – “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.”
Those deceived by falsehood live in a tragic delusion, cut off from the Truth that heals and gives Life.
For believers living in the real world, knowing God as Reality and Truth, Psalm 16 inspires a question: What is our obligation to those still deceived by the father of lies? Jesus both taught and demonstrated this responsibility, calling the children of Truth to action.
- Proclaim the Truth: As bearers of Reality, we must share the Truth that liberates. Jesus said, “To this end I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37, NKJV). We echo this in the Great Commission:
- Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) – “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”
- Live as Light: Our lives must reflect God’s Reality, shining in a deceived world. Jesus declared:
- Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV) – “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
- Show Compassion: Jesus engaged the deceived with love, as seen with the woman at the well (John 4) and Zacchaeus (Luke 19). We must approach those in falsehood with compassion, offering hope rather than judgment.
- Guide to Life: By proclaiming Truth and living as Light, we guide others from delusion to Reality, fulfilling Jesus’ mission to bring abundant Life (John 10:10). This requires patience, prayer, and persistent witness.
Our obligation, modeled by Jesus, is to actively lead the deceived to the Truth that restores Health and Life.
The Two Gardens
In a vast land stood two gardens. The first, tended by the True Gardener, flourished with vibrant flowers, clear streams, and fruit-laden trees. Its caretakers, guided by the Gardener’s wisdom, lived in harmony, their faces radiant with health and joy. They knew the garden’s paths, lit by the sun’s true light, led to life everlasting.
The second garden, overseen by a cunning pretender, was a tangled maze of thorns and mirages. Its dwellers, deceived by false promises, toiled under a dim, flickering glow, chasing after bitter fruit that turned to ash. Their hands bled, their hearts ached, yet they trusted the pretender’s lies, blind to the decay around them.
One day, a caretaker from the first garden ventured near the second. Seeing a weary dweller, she called, “Come, the True Gardener offers life! Leave this false place and find reality.” The dweller hesitated, clutching his thorny branch, but her kindness stirred him. She left a seed from her garden at the edge, whispering, “Plant this, and see.”
Some days later, a tiny sprout broke through the barren soil, its light piercing the gloom. The dweller, drawn to its promise, followed it to the first garden, where the True Gardener welcomed him into life.
Psalm 16 unveils the beauty of knowing God: Trust anchors us, Truth aligns us with Reality, Light guides us, and Life fills us with eternal joy. For the children of Truth, this is our inheritance. Yet, it also reveals the sorrow of those deceived by falsehood, lost in a false reality that leads to insanity and death.
As Jesus showed, our obligation is clear: we must proclaim Truth, shine as Light, and extend compassion to those ensnared by lies. The parable of the two gardens reminds us that even a small seed of Truth can break through delusion, guiding others to Life. May we live out Psalm 16’s promise—“In Your presence is fullness of joy”—and lead others to that same Reality.