Lent with the Psalms: Finding Jesus in Ancient Prayers

3/19/2025

Psalm 16

Psalm 16 is an inside peak of David's reflection on what the Lord had done for him (16:5-6) and his anticipation of how the Lord would work in his life (16:10). His hope was nothing less than resurrection based on the resurrection of the Holy One (whom he predicted in v. 10). In Peter’s Pentecost sermon, he attested to David being a prophet and that David was speaking of Jesus’ death and resurrection.

When we reflect, the question arises at times, “What if everything isn’t pleasant, like David was saying?” I think that’s a real question we all have to face at points in our lives. In response to this question, I would like to note that David began this Psalm by asking for God’s help, protection and preservation. Something was happening in David's life that showed he needed God to directly intervene and to be his help and guard. Even with hard things happening, we see David proclaiming his love for the Lord by delighting in His people and by not running after other gods. David asks for the Lord’s goodness because, as he was reflecting, he was seeing that all of the good in his life came from God.

God shows that same goodness to us in Jesus. I think David was preaching to himself and reminding himself of all that God had done for him: giving him a pleasant inheritance, God giving him counsel, God going with him and then, futuristically, resurrecting him. He was recounting God’s faithfulness to him in his life and was confident God would be faithful to him in his death. That’s something we can all count on: His presence, His faithfulness, His grace and kindness to us now and for all time. It’s no wonder that David wanted to walk on God’s path of life to know the fullness of joy in His presence, both for all of his time on earth and afterwards. We can know the presence of God through His Son and that’s the wonderful gift the Father has given to us in Jesus.

Let’s set the Lord before us and walk in the hope of His Resurrection,
Pastor Andy

Questions for reflection and conversation:

Where do you need God’s help in your life currently? (v. 1)
In what ways do you need to remind yourself of God’s goodness to you, like David did in Ps. 16?
What issues are you facing that you need His counsel (v. 7)?

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