(Psalms 16:7-11; especially 9-11)

(9)  Therefore, my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

(10)  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

(11)  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”      

In this third devotion concerning ‘Why Should I Praise the Lord?’ the Third Reason of why I should praise the Lord is presented. In Part One on Praise, the First Reason is, “I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel.” In Part Two on Praise, the Second Reason is, “I shall not be moved.” Simply put, I should praise the Lord as a believer because He has given me Counsel (or Wisdom), and His Presence (or Security).

The Third Reason of Praise is found in Psalm 16:9; Christ has given the believer Hope. Christ, as the believer’s Representative, looks past this physical life to the future. The future for Christ and for the children of God in the future is Hope.

The Reasons for this Hope are found in Psalms 16:10-11:   

First: After physical death; the grave would not be His final place:

(Psalms 16:10) “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell…”

Hell – or the grave; Hebrew word is Sheol; or the world of the dead: this Hebrew word does not point to “hell fire” but, simply to the land of the departed spirits.

1. In the grave, the body would not see corruption: “…neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” That is, His Body would not decay (speaking of Christ’s Body). And He would not suffer His Body to be corrupted, because He was Holy, and because He was His Holy One; that so as there was no moral corruption in Him, there should be no natural corruption in Him. Christ was God in the flesh; therefore, without sin. This verse primarily points to Christ; for He is the Only Holy One, the True and Living God; for there is no other god but Jehovah God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
2. This is not true of any man; but, only of the Christ. However, viewing this in a spiritual sense; the children of God being “in Christ” are translated from “corruption” to “incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:51-57) in the process of Regeneration and Resurrection. This is the Hope and Joy and Peace and Security of the believer. (Tit 1:2)“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Tit 2:13)“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Therefore, in the spiritual sense, the children of God can rejoice to know that in regeneration and in the receiving of the “spiritual body” (2 Cor. 5:1-6); they too are victorious over sin, hell and the grave – since they are “in Christ.” Believer, Praise God that it is not soul sleep, or grave sleep; but, the truth of the matter is, the grave cannot hold you and the penalty of sin has no hold on you, because the Blood of the Lamb of God has covered you. Yea, though the physical body will return to the dust of the earth; your spirit has eternal life in Christ; where there is no corruption; no sin.

Second: The Revelation of the Future:

(Psalms 16:11) “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

1. “Thou wilt shew me the path of life…”

Not the way of salvation for sinners; for Christ is the Way (Jn. 14:6); but, His own resurrection and thus, the resurrection of His people passing from death unto life. This revelation became a reality to Christ as He was raised from the dead and became the “Firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). Christ’s resurrection from the grave was a real picture of passing from death to life. Christ, the saint’s Representative, was shown this path from death to life first, or was the First one to ever experience it, and so led the way for all the children of God. Therefore, He is called the “Firstfruits”; the “Firstborn”; the First Begotten from the dead. Some had been raised from the dead before; but, none had been raised to immortal life, never to die again. Therefore, being “in Christ,” the believer has a sure “Hope” of the same.

2. “…in thy presence is fulness of joy…”

The Apostle Peter, in his sermon on the Day of Pentecost, connected (Ps. 16:9-11) directly to Christ. He pointed to the exaltation of the Risen Christ to His Throne of Glory (Acts 2:25-32). Peter went on to say in his sermon (Acts 2:33-36) that because of the resurrection of Christ and His Exaltation to the His Throne, the Holy Spirit had been sent to the Church (verse 33); and He said (verse 36b) “…that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye crucified, both Lord and Christ” (or both Ruler and Messiah). Therefore, these verses apply to Christ, and the revelation of what occurs in the Presence of God; “…the fulness of joy.” Why is being in the Presence of God the fulness of Joy? Why? – because it means Christ is Victorious over all enemies. He is now in His Rightful place He had before the foundation of the world (Jn. 17:5). It means He finished the work given to Him to complete; and now He is now in the heavens on His Throne of Glory.

Why is this important to the believers? Why? – because the believers are heirs of God and joint-heirs of Jesus Christ. As it is for Christ, so shall it be when the believers enter into the “Joy of the Lord,” into the very presence of Christ, and then everlasting joy of victory of the Lamb of God will be theirs forever and ever.

3. “at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

This points to Christ as the Mediator, Advocate, and Redeemer of His people; for He sees the salvation of all of God’s people based upon His Atonement on the Cross; and upon His Righteousness that was manifested in His Atonement as He satisfied the demands of a Holy God for the Sheep of God (2 Cor. 5:21). These are the “pleasures for evermore” as the Chief Shepherd, the Great Shepherd, and the Good Shepherd of the Sheep in the Salvation of His Sheep. (Read Jn. 10:1-31.)

The Result is the Hope in Psalms 16:9:

1. “Therefore, my heart is glad,”

Christ speaks as the saint’s Representative. This phrase denotes an inward joy, and the fulness of it; because of the Lord’s presence with him (see Acts 2:28). Therefore, “my heart is glad”; “because he had the Lord always in view; he was at his right hand, for his support and assistance, as well as because of what is expressed in the next verses.”

The Hebrew word translated “heart” is used figuratively “for the feelings, the will and even the intellect.” Therefore, speaking of the spirit part of man, the center of intelligence. The reason that his spirit is “glad” (or full of joy) is God has given him “counsel,” and he “shall not be moved.” Simply said: “wisdom” and “security.” Also, David records in Psalms 16:10-11 the fulfilment of future promises of resurrection, and of exaltation.

But, for Psalms 16:9; David says Christ states, “I shall not be moved.” Then, as the saint’s Representative, states that His heart is glad; because the Father is always before Him; and His counsel for Him; and the knowledge and experience of His never being moved by anything made His spirit “glad.”

Today, the heart of the child of God is “glad” with David for the same reasons: The Peace of God in the heart of the believer – which flows from His Wisdom and Security – is the great peace that “passeth all understanding” (Phil. 4:7). The Understanding, as described in (1 Jn. 5:20), “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” This understanding, that the believer is given by Christ, is what brings “gladness” to his heart. This understanding allows the believer to know that he is a child of God (Rom. 8:14-16); that he is a receiver of all the Promises of God in Christ Jesus (2 Peter 1:2-4); and therefore, he is under the power, protection, and peace of Jesus Christ. Being an heir of God and a joint-heir of Jesus Christ; then, all Christ has and is; is also the believer’s.

There is nothing in this world to bring the same “gladness” of heart as being a possessor of Christ; being assured of the Victory of Christ.

2. “and my glory rejoiceth…:”

In this second phrase, David reveals Christ glorifying God and singing His praise with joyful lips, among His disciples, a short time before His crucifixion and death. (Psa 30:12) “To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for-ever.”

Man, above all God’s creation, could speak and sing, and this is whereby he glorifies God. Therefore, the saints of God use their voices to speak and sing the praises to Christ.

3. “my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

This describes Christ’s hope in the grave of His bodily resurrection from the dead. The Apostle Paul said the hope of the believer is in, (Col 1:27) “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (See also 1 Cor. 15:19-22.)

Even though the believer is living in the flesh – where Paul said sin dwelled; (Rom. 7:17-18); where the war between the spirit and the flesh takes place – Christ said, “My flesh also shall rest in hope.” The child of God knows that physical death and the grave is not the end; but, is a doorway to the beginning of his spiritual eternal life. The physical flesh of the believer will give way to the new spiritual body; therefore, there is “rest” in “hope” of the new spiritual body made by God for the believer (2 Cor. 5:1-6).

Conclusion:

(Psalms 16:7-11) forms the basis of all praise to God. Christ is the believer’s Reason and Pattern. The Reason is the Victory in Christ, the saint’s Sacrifice, Substitute, and Savior for and from sin; and on the basis of the saint’s inclusion in inheritance in the Victory of Christ.

(Rom 8:1-4) (1) “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

(2)  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

(3)  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:”

(4)  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Oh yes, what a glorious Thanksgiving the child of God can celebrate Today and Every Day!