Miktam of David
16:Title “miktam” – no one now knows the meaning of this word for certain. Some think it comes from the Hebrew word for “sold” or “treasure”. Others think it comes from the word to “hide” or “hidden”. Others think it means merely something written – a poem. Others have made other suggestions.⚜
16
📚Preserve me, O God,for in you I put my trust.
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16:1 This is a very remarkable psalm. David is speaking here once again as a prophet. In truth the Lord Jesus Christ by His Spirit speaks through the mouth of David (1 Pet 1:11; 2 Pet 1:21), and refers to His life on earth and His resurrection from the dead – all this about 1000 years before He came into the world. See Acts 2:25-32; 13:34-37. Though doubtless something of David’s own experience appears here let us look at this psalm in the way it applies to the Lord Jesus. The refuge of the Lord Jesus when He was on earth was God the Father. Though He was the Son of God He laid aside His divine glory and privileges and trusted in God’s power (Phil 2:5-7; Matt 3:16-17). Though He was perfectly holy He needed to be kept from Satan and evil as we all need to be (Matt 4:1-10; John 1:14; Heb 2:14, 17, 18; 4:15). And He needed to be rescued from death (Luke 4:28-30; Heb 5:7). Notes on Christ’s humanity at Heb 2:14, 17; John 1:14.⚜
2 📚O my soul, you have
said to the LORD,
“You are my Lord;
my goodness without you
is nothing”.
16:2 Jesus acknowledged the Father (Jehovah) as His Lord in everything and as the source of everything He was and had – John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38; 8:29; 12:49; 15:10; 17:7; Matt 26:39; Heb 10:5-7.⚜
3 📚But as for the saints
who are in the earth,
they are the excellent
ones in whom is
all my delight.
16:3 Christ loves His believers, here called “saints” or holy ones. He considers them alone the great ones of the earth. He delights in them, not in the worldly wise, the rich, the powerful. In His eyes believers, even those who are poor and uneducated, are the glorious ones of the world. They are His special treasure – Ex 19:5-6; John 17:6; 1 Cor 6:19-20; 1 Pet 2:9. For some of the things in which the Lord Jesus delights, see Ps 147:11; 149:4; Prov 12:22; 15:8; Isa 66:2; Jer 9:24.⚜
4 📚The sorrows of those
who run after another
god will be multiplied.
Their drink offerings of blood
I will not offer,
or take up their names
on my lips.
16:4 The more gods a person has the more trouble he will have. If the one true God is not enough for a person many gods will be both not enough and too much for him. The Lord Jesus served His heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe, the one true God (Matt 4:10; John 17:3-4). He abhorred all gods and all idolatry. Those who want to follow Him must do the same.⚜
5 📚The LORD is the portion
of my inheritance
and of my cup.
You maintain my lot.
6 📚The boundary lines have
fallen to me in
pleasant places.
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
16:5-6 God the Father was Christ’s portion, His inheritance. His delight was in doing God’s will – John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38. Though it meant much pain and sorrow and a cruel death He was perfectly content with the place and the work the Father had appointed for Him. He completely fulfilled the picture of the Old Testament priests and Levites whose portion was not in the land, but in God alone – Deut 10:9; 18:1-2. They who believe in Him now (the New Testament priests – 1 Pet 2:5, 9) should follow Him in this also. The will of God must be their main concern, whether it means plenty or poverty. When they live in the center of God’s will as the Lord Jesus did, they will find great delight in it as He did.⚜
7 📚I will praise the LORD,
who has given me
counsel.
My inner being also
instructs me
in the night seasons.
16:7 The Lord Jesus got all His directions as to what He should speak and do from God the Father – John 5:19-20; 12:49; 14:31. By day and by night He got His instructions inwardly through the Holy Spirit of God.⚜
8 📚I have set the LORD
always before me.
Because he is at
my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
16:8 Here we see the secret of Jesus’ victory in every trouble and trial. His eyes were always on the Father. He knew that God was at His right hand for all the strength and help He needed. So He was never moved from the course His Father had appointed for Him. In all these matters He is the perfect example to all of us.⚜
9 📚Therefore my heart is glad,
and my glory rejoices.
My flesh also will rest
in hope 📖.
16:9 The Lord Jesus was a man of sorrows and knew grief – Isa 53:3. In the Gospels we read that He wept but not that He laughed. Yet deep in His heart was a great gladness, a solemn and holy joy – John 15:11; 17:13. This was joy in being the Son of the Father, of having the privilege of doing the Father’s will and glorifying Him on earth.⚜
10 📚For you will not leave
my soul in the
realm of the dead 📖;
nor will you let your Holy
One see corruption.
11 📚You will show me
the path of life.
In your presence is fulness
of joy.
At your right hand there are
pleasures forevermore.
16:11 Joy was before Jesus when He endured the cross – Heb 12:2. It was the joy of God’s presence, the joy of finishing His work, the joy of bringing believing people to His Father’s house. The path of life which Jesus knew, leads there. He Himself is that way – John 14:6. On earth He put God at His right hand. In heaven God put Him at His right hand, the place of honor – Eph 1:20; Heb 1:3. Those who follow the path of life to God’s presence will have joys that are eternal, unlike the brief fading joys the pleasures of this world may bring. In this psalm we are introduced into the holy of holies of Christ’s mind and heart. We have His thoughts revealed, His inward prayers, motives, faith, and aims. In all of it He is the perfect example to all of us who believe in Him. He showed the way of faith and obedience that leads to glory and eternal joy. See Heb 12:1-3.⚜