Look back and thank the Lord; look ahead and trust the Lord; look up and talk with the Lord.
There are about 100 quotations or direct allusions to the Psalms in the New Testament. We might not think to use the Psalms as the basis for apologetic arguments, but that’s exactly how they are often used by the New Testament writers. Such is Psalm 16, especially the last two verses. But let’s start at the beginning. The whole psalm exudes confidence in the Lord. David starts with a short prayer request: “Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust” (v 1). It’s a common theme in Scripture that those who place their confidence in the Lord will never be let down or disappointed. David next addresses his inner man and says, “O my soul, you have said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, my goodness is nothing apart from You.’ As for the saints who are on the earth, ‘They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight’” (vv 2-3). What would our blessings be without the Blesser? And what would the world be without God’s people? We shudder to think (v 4). But come to think of it, says David, God is both the Blesser AND the Blessings! “O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance” (v 5). In fact, the vast boundaries of his inheritance couldn’t be better—nor could ours (Eph 1:18; Col 1:12). But we not only have a good inheritance; we have good instruction (v 7) and insulation (v 8) from this dangerous world. That makes for happy and hopeful believers (v 9). This psalm is titled a miktâm, or an engraving, by implication, “to inscribe indelibly.” Of course it is, because it’s the eternal Word. But in a special way this psalm has left its mark on history as the clear declaration that Messiah, not David, would be resurrected before His body would “see corruption” (see Acts 2:31-32; Heb 13:20). Hallelujah! Christ arose!