Joyful Inheritance
Opening Prayer
Lord, You have poured out blessing upon blessing and You have given me unending hope.
Read Psalm 16:1-11
[1]A miktam of David. 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 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. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Over what does the psalmist rejoice?Psalm 16 is a happy psalm, reminding us that life has many pleasures and benefits, although it appears to have been written when David was in danger, possibly on the run from King Saul (1). Sometimes it is easier to turn to God when life is tough. In earlier readings, we saw how God’s people became refugees in the land of Babylon. We who belong to the Lord Jesus are also refugees–from a world that seeks to deprive us of our spiritual inheritance through the gods of riches, power, sex and addictions. We need to constantly remember the words of verse 2. The psalmist’s security is in the boundaries the Lord has set. It’s as if God says to the evil one: “Enough. This far and no further.” I find that so encouraging. We don’t have power over everything in our lives, but the Lord does. We can praise the Lord that he is always ahead of us and at our right hand (8). He is always there. He will never leave us (10).
Apply
Rejoice in God’s presence as well as the knowledge that even when we face death, that is not the end (9,10).
Closing prayer
God, thank You for what it has meant to have You in my life and help me to be aware of these blessings.
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