Saturday 11 March 2023
- Bible Book:
- Psalms
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. (vs 7-8)
Background
Today we are considering Psalm 16 from the Old Testament. The psalms, of which there are 150 in all, are essentially prayers to God. They are written as poetry, so that they cannot be taken literally. There are many different types, including lament, praise, thanksgiving and confession. The writers pour out their hearts to God with candid honesty. It is not clear who wrote the psalms, though many of them are ascribed to King David.
Psalm 16 is an expression of trust in God. The reference to taking refuge could mean either to take refuge in the Temple, or refuge in general. Several psalms portray God as being their refuge, such as Psalm 46:1 where the psalmist refers to God as his strength and refuge.
When the psalmist talks about those who choose other gods in verse 4, he most likely refers to people who use God’s name, but also worship idols. They were known as syncretists.
When the psalmist says that his heart instructs him at night, it shows how important and how present God is to him. And the right hand is a place of honour.
And so great is the psalmist's trust in God, that he feels he will escape the realm of the dead where God is absent. The word Sheol in verse 10 means the realm of the dead, but it is not the same as a grave.
To Ponder:
- What examples of syncretism are present in our contemporary world?
- How does the psalmist's expression of trust in God resonate with you?
- How might this psalm encourage the people in Ukraine who are facing what seems to be a never-ending conflict?