Not Abandoned to the Grave

Observe. In Psalm 16:8 David says he keeps the LORD always before him, and because God is at his right hand he will not be shaken. Verse 9 describes the result: a glad heart, a rejoicing tongue, a body resting secure. Verse 10 gives the reason: God will not abandon him to the realm of the dead or let his faithful one see decay. Verse 11 concludes with the path of life, the fullness of joy in God's presence, and the pleasures at his right hand.

Interpret. On its own, verse 10 reads as David's confidence that God will preserve his life. But in Acts 2:29-31 Peter points out that David did die and was buried, and his tomb was known in Jerusalem. So David, Peter says, was speaking as a prophet about a descendant who would not see decay. Paul makes the same argument in Acts 13:35-37. The psalm is fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus. What David hoped for in shadow, Christ received in daylight.

This means verse 8 is also about Jesus. He kept the Father always before him, and he was not shaken, even on the cross.

Apply. What do you keep always before you, in practice, during a normal day? If the path of life runs through death and out the other side, what fear can you set down this week? And how would your heart and body rest differently if you believed verse 10 was true for you in Christ?