#DailyDevotions The Promises Of The LORD Encourage & Preserve Us
Psalm 16 6The land allotted to me is in pleasant places; yes, my inheritance is something beautiful.
This alone should give us peace in this life. David is prophesying. He is not just speaking for himself but for his seed, Jesus Christ and all who are united with him. What land, what inheritance can we have that gives us peace in this world? Jesus tells us in Matthew, the meek shall inherit the earth. Paul reminds us we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. God Himself is our inheritance. Our lack of things in this present age should not alarm us. The things of this age are passing like the leaves on the tree during the course of the year. They look good for a little bit and then turn brown, fall off and decay. What Jesus has promised us last forever.
?I praise the LORD Who gives me counsel; also, at night my deepest feelings show me what is right. 8I always keep the LORD before Me. With Him at My right hand, I can’t fail.
As we dwell on the word of the LORD it will give us counsel if we subject our thoughts and plans to its light. As such we should praise the LORD who counsels us from His word. “My deepest feelings,” is from the Hebrew word for kidneys. It is where the seat of our emotions are. We think today of butterflies in our stomach. Our deepest feelings can only show us what is right if they are instructed by God’s word. Now David is speaking for Jesus Christ here as the end of the psalm will show. His kidneys are probably trustworthy. Perhaps it is also the seat of our conscience. I haven’t confirmed that though. If we haven’t seared it yet or we are born of God, it can lead us to some extent into what is right and what is wrong.
More importantly, David says, he keeps the LORD before himself. With the LORD at his right hand he cannot fail. Certainly we see Jesus doing this as he spends much time in prayer. He trusted his Father and our Father to be with him in his mission. We too should keep the LORD before us by being in His word and praying like Jesus from His word. We, in times of doubt, need to remember the promises of Jesus which tell us of perseverance. He promises to sustain us with the Holy Spirit through all our days to keep us from falling. We should, on our part, make use of the gifts he has given us to preserve us.
9That is why My heart is glad, and My soul is delighted. Also My body will rest securely 10because You will not leave Me in the grave nor let Your Holy One experience decay. 11You show Me the path of life —plenty of joy in Your presence, delightful things at Your right hand forever.
So here David sees his descendant, the promised seed, who will live and reign forever on his throne. He can be glad in heart and have his soul delighted in this. Jesus who is the seed and descendant of David is not left in the grave. He is the Holy One who does not experience decay. He is risen from the dead on the third day never to die again. Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father where he reigns forever. This is good news because Jesus promises us that what has been given to him is also given to those who put their trust in him. While David and we may experience decay, as we are united with Christ Jesus, we shall be raised from the dead on the Last Day. As Jesus sits on his Father’s throne, Jesus promises us that we will sit with him on his throne. He is our path of life. He is our joy. From his right hand we receive pleasure forever more.
Heavenly Father, grant us to take joy in our inheritance. May it preserve our faith in Christ Jesus until he bestows it to us in the world to come. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.