Psalm 16 — You Will Not Abandon My Soul to Sheol
A psalm of quiet confidence rather than crisis: David opens by declaring Yahweh his only good ("apart from you I have no good thing," v. 2) and describes a life oriented entirely around that — rejecting other gods (v. 4), content with his "portion" and "lot" (vv. 5-6), and sleeping secure because "he is at my right hand" (v. 8). The psalm's final verses turn to a bolder claim: that God will not leave his soul "in Sheol" or let his "holy one see corruption" (v. 10) — words that outlast anything true of David's own death and burial.
- Verses 8-11 are quoted at length by Peter in Acts 2:25-28 and applied directly to Jesus's resurrection — Peter's argument is that David, who did die and was buried, must have been speaking prophetically about someone else.
- Paul makes the same move in Acts 13:35-37, pointing out that David's body did see decay, so verse 10's promise has to point beyond David to the Messiah.
- Verse 6's "the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places" uses surveying language (property boundary lines) for a life David considers good — contentment described in very concrete, almost legal terms rather than abstract feeling.
Psalms 16 (WEB)
1Preserve me, God, for in you do I take refuge.
2My soul, you have said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”
3As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.
4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.
5Yahweh assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.
6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7I will bless Yahweh, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
8I have set Yahweh always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.
10For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.
11You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.