Psalm 16 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 16 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
Verse 2I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."
Verse 3As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight.
Verse 4Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips.
Verse 5The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
Verse 6The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.
Verse 7I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
Verse 8I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
Verse 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices; my body also rests secure.
Verse 10For you do not give me up to Sheol, or let your faithful one see the Pit.
Verse 11You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Devotion
A handful of years ago a friend was at a crossroads. He'd received a dream job offer, but it would mean he and his wife would have to leave the community they loved—the schools their kids adored, the home they had renovated with care, the church that nurtured their family. They weighed pros and cons and prayed for clarity. And then, as they drove home from church one Sunday morning, they passed a car with a personalized license plate that read T-R-U-S-T. Could this be a message from God?
The psalmist could have been driving that car. It's clear his trust in God is what guides his path. From dawn until dusk and on through the deep of night, he lives confident that he is not alone. And that trust is more than just a warm feeling of God's providence. It's a springboard for action that propels him to step forward in faith.
What would that level of trust look like in your life? And how might it give you confidence as you step forward in faith?
Prayer
When I don't know which way to go, O Lord, help me to trust that you are guiding me. Amen.