Prayer, Praise and Promises 1/31

Author: Warren Wiersbe
Source: Prayer, Praise and Promises
Scripture Reference: Psalm 16:1-11

A Day of Delighting

Read Psalm 16:1-11

This is a psalm of delight. We find no trials or tribulations in this song.

David is simply delighting, first of all, in the Lord. "You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You" (v. 2). In other words, he is saying, "I have no good beyond God."

Then David delights in the Lord's people. "And to the saints who are on the earth, 'They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight'" (v. 3). Do you delight in God's people? "To live above with saints we love will certainly be glory. To live below with saints we know, that's another story." Are some of God's people becoming abrasive to you? Start delighting in the Lord, and you'll start delighting in His people.

David also delights in God's providence. "You, O Lord, are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; you maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places" (vv. 5,6). God, in His providence, knows where to draw the line. Problems arise when people don't know where His lines are. They want to keep moving the line. Let God give you your inheritance. When Israel went into the Promised Land, He gave each tribe its inheritance. It wasn't done by a real estate agent or by a lottery. God said, "Here are the lines. Maintain those lines." Do you want to delight in God and in His people? Then delight in His providence.

David also finds delight in God's pleasures. Verse 11 has been my life verse for many years. "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Do you want life and joy? Here's the secret: Live on God's path, live in His presence and live for His pleasures.

You have much to delight in--God's people, His providence and His pleasures. The key to delighting in the things of God is to delight in God Himself. Sometime today take a moment to simply delight in the Lord and praise Him for who He is.

Psalm 16:1-11 (New International Version, ©2011)

A miktam[a] of David.

1 Keep me safe, my God,
for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the LORD, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.”
3 I say of the holy people who are in the land,
“They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
4 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.

5 LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup;
you make my lot secure.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
surely I have a delightful inheritance.
7 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8 I keep my eyes always on the LORD.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will rest secure,
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
nor will you let your faithful[b] one see decay.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Footnotes:

1. Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
2. Psalm 16:10 Or holy