Living the Joyful Life (Psalm 16)

by Rev. Jeremiah Cheung

Psalm 16 is a psalm of David. Let us take a look first at the conclusion of this psalm, the last verse, verse 11. The conclusion of this psalm says, “You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” David said he has fullness of joy and eternal pleasures. In verse 9, he said, “Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure.” David said his heart and his body know gladness and security.

From these verses, we can deduce that a joyful life is not impossible. David himself had experienced it, but what is the secret to having a joyful life? The first word in verse 9 is “therefore”. The use of “therefore” means a conclusion has been made. The supporting evidences for his conclusion are found in verses 1 to 8. Verses 1 -8 tell us there are three attitudes that lead to joyful living. In this life, there are no irresolvable problems, only unresolved emotional issues. After an event has occurred, it becomes a part of history, it becomes a thing of the past, but if our emotional responses to this event remain unresolved, we continue to live in misery. If we want a joyful life, we must learn to have a positive attitude towards life. David teaches the three positive attitudes for joyful life in Psalm 16.

I. The Attitude of Taking Refuge in the Lord v.1

Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. What does it mean to take refuge? I can lean on the pulpit stand because I know it is reliable. But I will not lean on the music stand because I know it is unreliable. When we take refuge in something, it is because we know it is reliable. A lot of us buy insurance, how much insurance have we bought? New kinds of insurance policies keep cropping up – life, home, cars, educational, health and now there are insurance against terrorism when you take an airplane. In the Philippines, there is now a form of insurance called ‘Acts of God’. This world is becoming less and less safe. Sometimes, even if one has insurance, it still isn’t a guarantee of security.

David said, “Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.” David bought heavenly insurance. God is his insurance. David wrote this psalm when he was having a time of difficulty. He asked God to protect him, he sought refuge in God. In a time of difficulty, David could say `my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure’, because he sought refuge in God, God was his protection. There is no insurance company in this world that can be greater and more reliable than our God. As long as you take refuge in Him, He will protect you – whether against material or physical losses or spiritual attacks. Whenever we trust in Him, He becomes our strength, our shield, our refuge, our ever-present help.

II. Choose the Best Attitude v.2-6

David said, “ …apart from you I have no good thing.” And he also said, “…surely I have a delightful inheritance.” David tells us that nothing can compare to God. If we want a joyful life then we must choose the best. What is the best? Verse 4 says, “The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.” In the original text, the word `gods’ does not appear; the sentence ends with the word `other’. It meant `anything that takes the place of God’. What are these “other”?

1. “Other” could be other gods

There is only one true God, apart from Him, there are no other gods. Sometimes, when we share the gospel, we urge people to turn to Christianity, and they will reply, “I am a Buddhist/I am a Roman Catholic/I have a different religion, I will not turn to Christianity.” Actually, we are mistaken, for what religion can save man? Buddhism cannot, Catholicism cannot, even Christianity cannot. Sharing the gospel is not asking people to change religions, sharing the gospel is to give the gift of eternal life to them. John 17:3 says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Originally, all of us are without eternal life, all of us were bound to die. Hebrews 9:27 says, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” Why? Because we have made a covenant with death. Isaiah 28:15 “We have entered into a covenant with death, with the grave we have made an agreement.” We have a saying, “We will not leave unless we meet.” That is the way with death. In this world, there are two kinds of people: first, are those who wait for death. These people are very careful, they eat healthy, walk cautiously, and so they live longer than others, but eventually, they still have to meet death. The second kind are those who seek death. These are those thrill-seekers, adventure-lovers. Some bikers are simply looking for death by the way they carelessly swerve on the road; and so many times, they find death. But praise the Lord, there is a third kind of people – believers of the Lord Jesus. They have escaped death and entered into life. John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” Believers in the Lord Jesus are not those who await death neither are they seeking death, they are people who possess eternal life. This is the most joyful state to be in – to have a refuge because we have the Lord, and also to possess eternal life.

2. “Other” could be wealth, material possessions, children

Psalm 17:14-15 “O Lord, by your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose reward is in this life. You still the hunger of those you cherish; their sons have plenty, and they store up wealth for their children. And I – in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.” Here, there is a comparison – some make wealth, material possessions, or their children a substitute for God. And in the end, their sorrows increase. I am not saying that wealth, material things or children are not good, but if in your heart, you value them more than God, then, they will bring sorrow to your heart.

III. The Attitude of Setting God before Us v.8

David said, “ I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Who among us is able to set the Lord before us? The Bible says God is spirit and he does not have any physical form. For if God is a physical form, then he would become bound by space and time. If he possess a physical form, then he would have a beginning, he would be bound by time, and then, he would also be bound by space. When he is bound by space, then, he can only be at one place at one time. The second commandment states: “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.” We must remember – the true God created man, false gods were created by men. Since God is spirit, and our eyes cannot see him nor can we touch him, how can we set Him before us? This verse actually refers to the attitude of our hearts. Let us look at this from another angle – why do we often become angry, unhappy or worry? It is because we set the people we dislike or who make us unhappy before us, we set our troubles and difficulties before us, thus, our hearts become disturbed and unhappy.

Here, David teaches us a good approach – do not set men, things, matters before us, set the Lord before us. This is an attitude of the heart. How is your heart? What are the things you focus on? What kind of eyeglasses do we wear to look at the world? If they are dark glasses, then the world will be dark. If they are red glasses, your world will be red. When we wear God’s eyeglasses, we look at the world through his lenses, we will truly have a way out.

I will ask a last question, do you know God? Is God your Lord? If your answer is yes, then God is your refuge, your help, then you will have true joy. If not, today, by faith, accept Him, let Him become your strength, then your life can be totally transformed.