Psalm 16: You Will Not Abandon My Soul

Do you ever feel abandoned by God? Does He ever feel far away from you? Do you ever struggle to see Him working in your life? Did you know that God will never abandon His beloved? He promises that in His Word. He says, "I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you," and He doesn't just say that once. He repeats that promise over and over again several times throughout His Love Letter to us.
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"...be content with what you have, for He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5b

​Friend, are you able to honestly say today, "If God is all I have, God is enough?" ​"If God is all I have, God is enough." I have that written in the margin of my Bible next to Psalm 16. King David's life exemplified this quote, and here in Psalm 16, he lays it all out for us. 

This Psalm of David is so stirring, practical, and so convicting, that Peter quoted from it in his sermon at Pentecost. Let's take a look today at Psalm 16 and the promise that God will never abandon us.

“Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge. I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; I have no good apart from You.' As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” Psalm 16:1-2

David begins this psalm with, "Preserve me, O God" because he knows that God is in the preservation business. He is a preserving God. David knows that the Lord is a refuge. He also knows that apart from this preserving God, this place where he has found refuge, he has no goodness in and of himself. David's goodness is totally wrapped up in his preserving God in whom he takes refuge.

​Just like David, our goodness is God. Our satisfaction is found solely in Him and in Him alone.

“To the saints in the land, the excellent in whom is all my delight, I say: 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. 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.” Psalm 16:3-6

David says that the Lord is his "chosen portion." The Lord is David's cup and his lot, and because of this, even when David is unsure about the future, he trusts God and knows God leads him in "pleasant places" and that indeed he has "a beautiful inheritance" in his future.

Can you say that too? Can you trust God enough in the unseen moments to know there will be "pleasant places" and a "beautiful inheritance" in your future?

“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.” Psalm 16:7-8

David looks to the Lord for counsel and instruction, and he says, "I have set the Lord always before me... I shall not be shaken."

"Always before me," David says. Can we say that? When God feels far away, it's not Him that has moved. When I struggle to see Him working, it's not Him that's not working. Most likely, in both of these scenarios, it's me that has not "set the Lord always before me​."

“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.” Psalm 16:9-10

Why did David make the Lord his "chosen portion" (16:5)? Because he wanted everything verses 9-10 describe. David wanted a:

• glad heart
• rejoicing spirit
• secure dwelling

We want those things too, right? We, like David, must make the Lord our "chosen portion." How do we do this? "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

“You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence, there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11

The Apostle Peter quotes Psalm 16:8-11 in his sermon at Pentecost in Acts 2:25-28 reminding the men of Israel that the Lord's presence brings gladness.

David made the Lord his "chosen portion" (16:5) and he also "set the Lord always before" him (16:8) because he wanted everything verse 11 promises. David wanted to:

• know the path of life
• have the fullness of joy
• reap pleasures forevermore

We want those things too, right? We, like David, must "set the Lord always before" us. How do we do this? "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

There are 7 things David tells us in this passage that God is to him. God is David's:

1. Preserver
2. Refuge
3. Chosen Portion
4. Cup
5. Lot
6. Counselor
7. Instructor

​​Friend, if you are feeling abandoned by God today, let me reassure you that you are not! "I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). If He feels far away from you, He not! If you're struggling to see Him working in your life, trust me, TRUST HIM, He is!

Finally, if you are searching for ​a glad heart, rejoicing spirit, secure dwelling, if you want to know the path of life you should take, to find that fullness of joy, and to reap pleasures forevermore, He's is waiting to give you those things!

Our souls crave contentment. "...be content with what you have, for He has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' (Hebrews 13:5b), but we'll never find that soul-craving contentment in things— only in Him!

God will not abandon your soul. If He is all you have, He will be enough!!

"If God is all I have, God is enough." Can you say that today?