Psalm 16 Devotional:

Psalm 16: 1 David prayeth to God for succor not for his works, but for his faith’s sake. 4 Protesting that he hateth all idolatry, taking God only for his comfort and felicity. 8 Who suffereth his to lack nothing.

Michtam of David.

16 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I trust.

2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue 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.

Previously we looked at the preservation of the people of God under His care and the blessedness of their condition who trust in Him. David in this Psalm sings forth lively expressions of hope and trust that God will keep Him safe according to His promise to us. This is the substance of this particular Psalm that the believer may rest in hope that God will bring us through the river of death even through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But we must take note of a special principle David brings forward here which is necessary and vital to our belief in the resurrection. Notice, David does not boast or brag of his own ability or sagacity above other men, demanding that God must accept his work, as the Arminians and Calvinists of our day do. For taking satisfaction in their own abilities they rage when the doctrine of the Law is brought forth and they are found utterly wanting according to it. But David speaks in another vein and says, “my goodness extendeth not to thee” which is to say that it does not add to God’s essential glory nor is He in any need of it. This is therefore the right response of trust in God. Even to understand the nature and worth of our own works, and not to imagine that we shall be counted just or made just because of them. For all those who take delight in their own works are the proud who will be swept away by the storm of God’s wrath, and shall not endure the day of judgment. But those who take refuge in God alone will be safe from all harm, they will not be moved neither shall any evil befall them. So we see that belief in God accompanied with sincerity is ever followed by a peculiar attitude and confession of our own emptiness, yet it is not indolent or dejected, but lively and active in the service of our neighbor, for God’s sake whom we love. Even as it is written, “whom having not seen ye love” and “he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen” and again “not with eye service as men pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart.” men may accept our works without the heart, but God delights in the activity of the soul, which will naturally bring forth works done in the body for the service of our neighbor, for the glory of God, and not for self justification.

David Dickson writes,
The first solid evidence of the sincerity of saving Faith, is the testimony of the conscience, bearing witnesse to a man, that he hath layd hold on the covenant of grace, and hath chosen God for his protectour, and master, and that he is resolved to depend upon God, and to serve him, as David did, saying, O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord. 2. Another evidence of the sincerity of faith, is renunciation of all confidence in a mans owne works, and the rejecting of all conceit of any possibility of merit at Gods hand, who cannot be profited by our goodnesse; for we have what we have of him, and can never put an obligation on him by any thing which we can doe. My goodnesse doth not extend to thee. 3. A third fruit and evidence of faith, is love and kindnesse to the godly, and bestowing of our own goods for supplying their need, joyned with a high estimation of their preciousnesse, above the godlesse world, and with pleasure taking in their fellowship.

Matthew Henry,
Whatever good there is in us, or is done by us, we must humbly acknowledge that it extends not to God; so that we cannot pretend to merit any thing by it. God has no need of our services; he is not benefited by them, nor can they add any thing to his infinite perfection and blessedness. The wisest, and best, and most useful, men in the world cannot be profitable to God, Job 22:2; Job 35:7. God is infinitely above us, and happy without us, and whatever good we do it is all from him; so that we are indebted to him, not he to us: David owns it (1 Chronicles 29:14), Of thy own have we given thee.

Lesson 3. [Manton’s Preface]

The duty of ministers and parents to teach the knowledge of God according to sound doctrine.

1. Upon all these considerations, how careful should 2. ministers and parents be to train up young ones 3. whilst they are yet pliable, and, like wax, capable of any form and impression, 4. in the knowledge and fear of God; and betimes to instill 5. the principles of our most holy faith, 6. as they are drawn into a short sum in Catechisms, and so altogether laid in the view of conscience! Surely these seeds of truth planted in the field of memory, if they work nothing else, 7. will at least be a great check and bridle to them, and, as the casting in of cold water doth stay the boiling of the pot, somewhat allay the fervors of youthful lusts and passions.

I had, upon entreaty, resolved to recommend to thee with the greatest earnestness the work of catechizing, and, as a meet help, the usefulness of this book, as thus printed with the Scriptures at large: but meeting with a private letter of a very learned and godly divine, wherein that work is excellently done to my hand, I shall make bold to transcribe a part of it, and offer it to public view.

Review Lesson 2.

1. Declar/Exhort. The attitude of the godly teacher.
[1] Reverence for God.
[2] Carefulness in doctrine.
[3] Diligence to the work.
[4] Patience towards the young.
[5] Prayer for God to cause success.
[6] Perseverance to finish with grace, and Thanksgiving.

2. Obsv. The subject of the work.
[1] Ministers in the church teaching the principles of religion.
[2] Parents teaching these same principles to their children.
[3] and their children to do the same.

3. Obsv. The object of the work.
[1] Those who are young are capable of being taught.
[2] Those who are young are brought under the care of parents for that reason.

4. Doctr. The matter of the work.
[1] The knowledge and Fear of God through the law.
[2] The free grace of Christ in the gospel.
[3] The requirements of those who are called the sons of God.

5. Doctr. The fundamentals of the faith are the chief of all we are instructed to teach.
[1] Original Sin.
[2] The misery of man on account of it.
[3] The holiness of God.
[4] The divine decrees.
[5] The divine offices of Christ.
[6] Justification by faith.
[7] The work of the Spirit in sanctification.
[8] The law of God.
[9] The final judgment.

6. The shorter catechism as a guide to the chief points of our most holy faith. +

7. If nothing else, religious education will be a bridle to stop up the lusts on account of sin and prevent a great deal of mischief in the world.
The Puritans stressed a great deal how education is a means by which God restrains the power of sin in the world.
Though it does not change their nature and make men less depraved. It is like a chain which prevents them from acting according to their nature.
Since we see that almost no one is educated in the world or church today it is expedient for us to labor in this holy duty of religious education and stop up the flood of ignorance that is consuming the world.

Conclusion.

YouTube Audio: https://youtu.be/MuZth2ImS9o