“Nothing in this world measures up to the simple pleasure of experiencing the presence of God.” —A.W. Tozer
There is so much happy truth in the last few verses of Psalm 16 that we’ll have to stay a little longer in this garden of delights. Did I say “garden”? Yes, that’s just where it happened! “Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb” (Jn 19:41). Psalm 16 prophesies His victory there in these words: “You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (v 10). Peter, led by the Spirit, applies this to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and points out that David here couldn’t be speaking of himself, for “the patriarch David…is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29). No, said Peter, David is not speaking of his body, but “of the fruit of his body” (v 30), the special Seed of David, the Messiah. Sheol, sometimes translated “the grave,” was considered the place of disembodied spirits until clarity was given to the afterlife by the New Testament writers. Thus David refutes the idea of merely a spirit resurrection. Or as the Lord said, “Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Lk 24:39). But we can apply these words—“My flesh also will rest in hope” (Ps 16:9)—to ourselves. The hope of our resurrection is linked with His. What He now enjoys, we shall surely enjoy as well. The One who is the Way qualified “will show [us] the path of life.” The One who is the Truth personified declares that “in Your presence is fullness of joy.” And the One who is the Life glorified promises, “at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (v 11). No need to guess who is at God’s right hand! “So then the Lord Jesus… was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God” (Mk 16:19, ESV).