Psalm 16: Fullness of Joy

Psalm 16: Fullness of Joy

Hello everyone, thank you for joining us today. If you’re new to our church, name is Josh, and I’m one of the pastors of Redeeming Grace. And, just we did last week, please feel free to interact through the comments section of this video. Maybe you have a question about something I say or perhaps you’d like to share a prayer request or maybe you’d just like to say hi to the others who are viewing this. Whatever it is, please chime in with your comments. We’d love to interact with you. 

Now, if you’re anything like me, you’re probably about ready to go crazy as you try to abide by these “stay-at-home” orders we’ve been given. To be honest with you, it sometimes almost feels like I’m in jail. Many of you know that I try to visit the Allegheny County Jail every week in order to talk to the inmates there and do Bible studies there. And on those trips, I’ve often wondered what it would be like to have my freedom restricted so severely and to be incarcerated. Well, now, I kind of feel like I’m experiencing that to a certain degree. And I think we can all agree that we’re very grateful for the modern technologies we have that allow us to interact with one another electronically, but I think we can also all agree that those technologies are no substitute for real, face-to-face interaction. 

However, it has occurred to me that there may be a bit of a silver lining here. So often, many people feel as though they’re running a thousand miles an hour, hurrying over here to do this and then hurrying over there to do that and just feeling maxed out by the busyness of their lives. And what this Coronavirus pandemic is doing is that it’s forcing many of us to slow down. And for most of us, that’s probably not a bad thing. Most of us probably need to slow down a little bit so that we can focus on what’s really important in our lives. And I’m thinking especially of our relationship with God. So I’m suggesting that even though none of us may have ever chosen to have this “stay-at-home” order issued, it may actually be, in some aspects, a blessing in disguise because it gives us the opportunity to slow down and focus on God and really pursue a deeper relationship with God. 

Now of course, you could just spend all of your time at home surfing around on the Internet and getting caught up on whatever show you like and looking at the news every half hour. There are plenty of ways you could occupy yourself at home. But I’m hoping that through the passage of Scripture we’re going to look at today, you’ll be inspired to do otherwise—that you’ll be inspired to not waste this time but rather to use it in the best and most profitable way. In fact, I’m praying pretty much every day that our church would experience spiritual renewal during this season as we fix our attention on God and start pursuing God in his Word and through prayer like we’ve never pursued him before. 

So if you have a Bible, feel free to grab that and open it to Psalm 16. That’s what I’d like to focus on today. Psalm 16. And I’ll begin simply by reading through all eleven verses. Psalm 16:1-11. David writes, 1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.” 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

Now if I had to sum this psalm up in a single sentence, it would be this: God is the source of all joy. That’s main idea I think David’s making here. God is the source of all joy. And what I’d like to do is just walk through this psalm verse by verse. So in verse 1, David writes, “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” And I believe the emphasis in this verse is on the word “you.” “Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.” For us today, it would be like saying, “I’m not looking to my abilities, my investments, my social network, the federal government, the state government, or any other earthly thing. I’m looking to you, O God. You’re the one I’m running to. You’re the one I’m trusting in. In you I’m taking refuge.” Kind of like a young child running to their parent. You know, whenever a young child is scared of something, what do they do? They run straight to one of their parents right? And that’s what David’s doing as he takes refuge in God. So are you doing that right now? Are you overcome with anxiety or are you taking refuge in God? 

Then look at verse 2. David writes, “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” Think about that. “I have no good apart from you.” In other words, he’s basically saying that God is so good, so vastly superior to everything else in life that nothing else can rightly be called “good” when compared with God. Kind of like one occasion in my life where I had the opportunity to eat a really nice steak. This steak was about a hundred dollars, and to be honest, it might be the most delicious thing I’ve ever eaten. And I’m not really a food connoisseur, so I don’t have the vocabulary to describe exactly how it was cooked and seared and all the spices that were involved. I just know that every bite melted in my mouth. I’ve never tasted anything as rich or juicy as that steak. And as I was going to town on that bad boy, I remember thinking to myself, “You know, I feel like this is the first real steak I’ve had in my life. I haven’t truly had steak until this day.” And I believe that’s similar to the spirit in which David says to God that “I have no good apart from you.” It’s not that David literally didn’t have anything else in his life that was enjoyable but that the delight he experienced in God so surpassed his delight in all those other things that the other things weren’t even worth mentioning. When compared with God, nothing else can rightly be called “good.” He’s that delightful. So are you experiencing that? Do you have a relationship with God that’s characterized by that sweetness and that delight? And if not, what better time to start pursuing that than now? Instead of spending endless hours merely entertaining yourself and frittering away your time at home, why not start pursuing God like never before? 

Then moving on in our passage, look at verse 3: “As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” So, not surprisingly, David enjoyed the company of other people who had the same priorities and focus in life that he had. And of course, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t spend time with those who don’t know God. Jesus certainly spent time with them and expects us to do so as well. After all, how else will they hear about that hope held out in the gospel? But the point David’s making is that his closest friends, the people in whom he delights in the most, are those who love God the way he does. 

He then writes in verse 4, “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.” So he’s not going to commit idolatry by worshipping false gods or taking their names on his lips in an oath. And he says that for those who do, it won’t end well. Then he declares in verses 5-6, “The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.” Now if you look closely at these verses and are familiar with the Old Testament, you may notice that David’s using language reminiscent of Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land. Notice the words “portion,” “lot,” “lines” as in boundary lines, and “inheritance.” These are all words that were used of Israel conquering the Promised Land and dividing that land up among the twelve tribes. So by writing this, David’s basically saying that he may have owned land that had been in his family for generations—and, by implication, all of the wealth that land generated, since land was the main source of wealth back then—but his true treasure was God. He’s basically saying to God, “You’re my wealth. You’re my treasure. You’re my inheritance.” David’s delight was first and foremost not in any of God’s gifts but in God himself. And I’m convinced that’s the way everyone feels who’s experienced the indescribable pleasures of closeness to God. 

I heard a story one time of a man named Arenius. Arenius lived in Egypt in the sixth century AD and wanted to spend his life pursuing God. And he believed the best way to do that was to get away from society and become a monk and go live in the desert without any luxuries whatsoever. As strange as it sounds, that was something a lot of people did back then in an effort to escape the corruption of society. So Arenius lived in the desert. But whenever he visited the great city of Alexandria, which apparently he did from time to time, he would spend some of his visit wandering through the various marketplaces looking at all of their treasures and trinkets. And when someone asked him why he did this, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn't need. I love that. He was able to rejoice at the sight of all the earthly treasures he didn’t need and wasn’t tied to because his treasure was God. Now I’m not suggesting that you and I do away with all earthly luxuries and move out to the desert. On the contrary, I actually think one of the ways we honor God is by enjoying some of the good gifts he provides. So I’m not promoting Arenius’s overall lifestyle. But nevertheless, what a thought to ponder. Think about what it would be like to go through the Galleria or even to go through your own house and look at all of those possessions and remind yourself that, if you’re a Christian, you have something so much better. I mean, you may have a beautiful home, but it fades in comparison to God. You may have nice vehicles, but they’re nothing compared to God. You may have so many other luxuries, but you don’t have to be dependent on any of them for your joy—because you have God, and he’s infinitely superior to all of those other things. Wouldn’t it be amazing to have the ability to think like that? Maybe right now, your investments aren’t doing so well. In fact, I can almost guarantee that they’re not doing well. I looked at my retirement accounts the other day and let’s just say that they’re about as deflated right now as a balloon in the North Pole. But guess what? I have Jesus, and he’s all that I need to have true joy. As one popular author has written, “Jesus + Nothing = Everything.” “Jesus + Nothing = Everything.”

Then, after that, look what David writes in verses 7-8: “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” Life, as you know, is filled with all kinds of storms and trials. Things happen that disturb our equilibrium and cause us stress and fear and grief and sorrow and pain. But according to David here, if you’ve set the Lord always before you and have him at your right hand, you can get through all of that without being shaken. That’s what he says. “I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” And I believe “shaken” there means being shaken so as to lose your footing and to fall down and be overcome. Listen guys, as you well know, this Coronavirus pandemic isn’t the first difficult thing you’ve had to face in your life, and it won’t be the last. Life is filled with difficulties. And if you’re wondering how to get through tumultuous times without being shaken, the answer’s found in God. Look to him as your rest and refuge. 

And David goes on to describe what that’s like in verses 9-10: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.” So for God’s people, even death isn’t the end. Even when we die, God raises us up and allows us to enjoy his presence for all eternity. 

And that’s part of what verse 11 refers to. David says, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” I think this is one of my favorite verses in all the psalms. Because isn’t this what everyone really wants? Isn’t this what everyone’s searching for? Blaise Paschal, who was a well-known philosopher of the seventeenth century, once wrote that “All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.” In other words, every single person in this world wants to be happy. People may be different in many ways, but one thing we all have in common is a desire for happiness. Paschal says this is why some go to war while others avoid it. We might also say this is why some people remain single while others get married. It’s why some people move to Manhattan while others move to Montana. It’s why some people become hedge fund investors while others join a commune. It’s why some people break the law while others keep the law. Everyone’s trying to be happy.

Yet, so often, happiness proves elusive. Sure, we may experience a superficial happiness as we enjoy the various pleasures that life has to offer. But true happiness in the sense of a deep and enduring joy often proves elusive. Thankfully, though, David has the answer. He says to God, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” First, think about the words, “You make known to me the path of life.” God shows us and is for us the path of life—a path that’s so named because it’s only when we’re living in closeness to God that we’re living in truest sense of the word. Nothing else is true life. It’s all just a cheap imitation—a downgrade. Only in God do we find true life. And it’s in his presence, David says, that we can have “fullness of joy.” That refers to both the quality and the quantity of the joy. Then finally, David tells God, “at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” In contrast to earthly pleasures which are here only for a few moments, those found at God’s right hand last forever. So as you can see from this verse especially, true and lasting joy is found in God alone. 

Yet unfortunately, what do we often do? We often run after other things, hoping that they’ll bring us joy. And when we do that—when we look to earthly things to provide the kind of joy that only God can give—the Bible calls it “idolatry.” An idol isn’t just a physical statue people worship. It’s anything we look to as the source of our ultimate satisfaction. Tim Keller, in a book entitled Counterfeit Gods, helpfully identifies different kinds of idolatry, and I’d like to go over a few of them, 16 in all. I think we might also post a link to this list in the comments section as well. And as I go through these, think about which of them might be ruling and driving your life. 

1. Power Idolatry: Having power and influence over others
2. Approval Idolatry: Being loved and respected by a certain person
3. Inner Ring Idolatry: Having a particular social grouping or professional grouping or other group letting us in
4. Family Idolatry: Having our children and/or parents happy in general and happy with us
5. Relationship Idolatry: Having Mr. or Ms. “Right” in love with us
6. Comfort Idolatry: Having a certain kind of pleasurable experience or a particular quality of life
7. Control Idolatry: Getting mastery over our lives in a certain area
8. Helping Idolatry: Having people being dependent on us and needing us 
9. Dependence Idolatry: Having someone there to protect us and keep us safe
10. Independence Idolatry: Being completely free from obligations or responsibilities to take care of someone
11. Work Idolatry: Being highly productive and getting a lot done
12. Achievement Idolatry: Being recognized for our accomplishments excelling in our work
13. Materialism Idolatry: Having a certain level of wealth, financial freedom, and very nice possessions
14. Religion Idolatry: Proudly adhering to our religion’s moral codes and feeling accomplished in its activities
15. Irreligion Idolatry: Being totally independent of organized religion and living by a self-made morality
16. Image Idolatry: Having a particular kind of look or body image

And as you think about which of these might be true of you, think also about this: How has that been working out for you? Have these idols really given you the “fullness of joy” you’ve been seeking from them, or have they left you perpetually unsatisfied and never quite able to shake that feeling of disappointment and emptiness? So even if you’ve been successful in obtaining your idol, does it really fill you? Has being accepted by a certain person or group of people really brought you fullness in life? Has obtaining a certain body image really satisfied your deepest desires? Has excelling at work really made you whole?  

Listen to God’s words of rebuke to the Jews in Jeremiah 2:11-13: “Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” A cistern, back  in ancient times, was a large hole in the ground that people dug in order to store water for when they needed it. It would typically be lined with rocks and primitive cement to keep the water from draining out. But sometimes, that cement seal would be broken. And that’s what God compares his peoples’ idols to: “broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Let me tell you something: every idol is a broken cistern. It looks so good at first glance, but it’ll never give you the “fullness of joy” you’re searching for. That joy can only be found in God. As Jeremiah says, he’s “the fountain of living waters.” And as David says back in our main text, “in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” 

So, have you gotten tired of your broken cisterns yet? Instead of seeking significance in your achievements, why not direct your ambitions toward God, who alone offers you joy that can never be taken away? Instead of spending all your energy chasing after material wealth, why not seek a kind of satisfaction that doesn’t fluctuate with the stock market? And instead of desperately trying to win the approval a certain person or group of people, why not set your heart on one who will never let your down or stop loving you? In John 7:37, Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.” That’s an open invitation. If you’re thirsty and you want that thirst truly quenched, Jesus invites you to drink from him. 

Conclusion

And it’s very important that we take that verse in particular to heart since it reminds us that the only way to obtain the “fullness of joy” God offers is through his Son, Jesus. You see, our natural condition is one of sinfulness and rebellion against God. And because of that sinful rebellion, the Bible says we’re alienated from God. There’s nothing “okay” about our relationship with him. We’re cut off from him and actually deserve his wrath. So it’s not like we can just start looking to God instead of idols for joy, and everything will magically be okay. First of all, apart from God’s grace at work within us, we don’t have the moral ability to do that anyway. And second, we stand guilty before God. We deserve God’s punishment for the sins we’ve committed. However, there is good news. Jesus came to this earth and lived a life of perfect righteousness and perfect communion with God. We might say that he was the only one ever in human history to follow Psalm 16 perfectly—the only one ever to delight in God with every fiber of his being. Even David himself didn’t follow his own guidance 100% of the time. But Jesus did.

In fact, this might blow your mind, but Psalm 16 was ultimately written about Jesus. Through the Holy Spirit, David wrote a psalm that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. Now, how do we know that? Well, we know it from what Peter says in his sermon about Jesus in Acts 2. In that sermon, Peter actually quotes verses 8-10 of Psalm 16 about not being abandoned to the grave or allowed to see corruption, and he then directly and explicitly applies those verses to Jesus. So from the way Peter uses Psalm 16 in his sermon in the New Testament, we see that Psalm 16 was ultimately talking about Jesus. He’s the only one who ever lived out Psalm 16 perfectly. Then after living a perfect life in our place, Jesus died on the cross in our place. He suffered the punishment we deserved—so that we wouldn’t have to suffer it ourselves. And Jesus then resurrected from the dead in order to conquer sin and death. As Psalm 16 states, God the Father didn’t abandon his soul to the grave or let his body see corruption. And because of that, Jesus is able to offer the benefits of everything he accomplished to anyone who will put their trust in him for rescue rather than trusting themselves. That’s what we have to do. We have to put our full confidence in Jesus, rather than in ourselves, to be saved from our sin. So like Psalm 16 says, look to God for fullness of joy, but remember that the only way to God is through Jesus. 

And, by the way, if any of you would like to talk more about how you can have this close relationship with God and experience his joy, I would love to be helpful for you in any way possible. Just comment on this video or message our church or contact us through the information on our website—redeeminggracepittsburgh.com—and I would love to talk with you. Please don’t hesitate to reach out. And feel free to join us again next week—same time, same place—for another encouraging message from the Psalms.