Pleasures forevermore ∙∙

Pleasures forevermore ∙∙

You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead . . .. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. – Psalms 16:10-11

Psalms 16:1-11

 1 A Psalm of David. Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.

 2 I said to the LORD, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”

 5 LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.

 7 I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night, my heart instructs me.

 8 I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

 9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety.

 10 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.

 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.

Being in love

Ah, to be in love. Love and belonging are core needs of people. We are intuitively aware of this inner longing. Harvard conducted a 75-year longitudinal study that suggested that love is the key to a happy and fulfilling life. Falling in love often includes a bit of emotional and physiological instability. One’s focus revolves around the positive qualities of the beloved.

Some traits that characterize love include expressions of affection, a desire to please and fulfill the other person, open sharing of personal feelings, a diminished sense of self-interest, honesty, trust, and a genuine appreciation for who the other person is.

Who does not want to be “in love”?

Falling in love with God

The Psalms are a collection of prayers directed to God by real people facing everyday situations. They have a unique quality that distinguishes them from the other 65 books of Scripture. In the rest of the Bible, God is primarily the one revealing Himself to us; He does most of the talking, either directly or through His messengers. In contrast, the Psalms capture individuals speaking to God. For instance, in Psalms 16, David uses first-person pronouns (I, me, my) twenty-eight times as he expresses his hope and security in the Lord.

David begins Psalms 16 with a plea for safety, Psalms 16:1, “Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.”

He acknowledges that every good thing in his life comes from the Father and declares his unwavering trust in Him, Psalms 16:5, “LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine.”

David fell deeply in love with the Father. The Father became the passion of his life and the source of his delight. David was enraptured with the Father. His life became utterly theocentric. His relationship with the Father was beautiful and idyllic. David delighted in the Father’s presence. He is elated with the constant intimacy the Father provides. The Father is always with him, even right beside him.

David’s words reflect a heart fully committed to God, with no backup plan or alternative source of hope. As James A. Johnston notes, “There is no Plan B in this kind of commitment. If God does not come through for him, he is finished. This sort of commitment is where faith begins.”

Falling in Love with the Father

David’s relationship with the Father was not merely one of duty or obligation; it was a relationship rooted in love. He was deeply in love with the Father, who became the passion of his life and the source of his delight. David’s life was utterly theocentric, focused on God, revolving around the Father’s presence and guidance.

He declares, Psalms 16:8, “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.”

Was David presumptuous to dare to think that the Father was at his right hand (Psalms 16:8)? Not at all. David’s intimacy with the Father was a reflection of the closeness available to every child of the King. This relationship brought him joy, stability, and security, even in the face of life’s uncertainties.

The Depth of David’s Joy

In Psalms 16:9, David declares, “My heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my life is safe.”

There is an unusual expression in this verse, “my glory rejoices.” The Hebrew word translated as “glory” (kabod) is usually associated with the presence of God (Exodus 33:18, 22). The glory of the LORD is a manifestation of His presence.

But here, “it refers to the inner man, the spirit.” It is variously translated: “my glory rejoices, my whole being rejoices, my glory is gleeful, I rejoice, or I am happy.” The thought is that David’s joy and excitement were not superficial but were deeply felt, involving his entire being, body, mind, and spirit.

As Tesh and Zorn explain, “His relationship to God involves the entire person, body, mind, and spirit.” This holistic joy and excitement came from knowing that the Father was always with him, guiding and instructing him day and night.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father often speaks to us in moments of quiet, especially when we are at rest or preparing for sleep. As Charles Stanley reminds us, “We must always be prepared to listen because He may be ready to speak at any time.”

Father, those who seek and find You in their times of greatest need are blessed with a profound sense of inner calmness and peace that only You can offer. Yet more remarkably, You are with us continually. At every moment, we may experience the joy of Your presence. Thank You.

INSIGHT

From Earthly Well-Being to Eternal Joy

Psalms 16 builds to a powerful crescendo as David shifts his focus from his present well-being to the eternal delights of being in the Father’s presence after death. His earthly, temporal blessings are transformed into the promise of everlasting joy and pleasures that never fade.

David’s certainty is expressed in Psalms 16:10, “For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.”

David knows that the Father is both the giver and sustainer of life. He reasoned that if the Father were near him in life, He would also be near him in death and beyond. As a result, David was stable and secure. He is not shaken because the Father has guided and instructed him day and night. As Tesh and Zorn beautifully state, “Where God is, there is life.”

The Joy of the Father’s Presence

David declares in Psalms 16:11, “You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

David’s words reveal the richness of life in the Father’s presence. In the presence of God, there is an abundance of joy, sufficient to fulfill the deepest longings of the human heart.

This verse is a masterpiece of simplicity and beauty, offering a glimpse into the eternal joy that awaits those who walk with the Father. As Derek Kidner explains, “The path of life is so called, not only because of its goal but because to walk that way is to live, in the true sense of the word, already. It leads without a break into God’s presence and into eternity.”

The path of life is not merely a road to a destination; it is a way of living that begins now and continues seamlessly into the presence of God. It is a journey marked by joy, purpose, and the promise of eternal fulfillment.

The Joy of the Father’s Presence

David contrasts life with the Father and life without Him. As Kirkpatrick notes, the Father is not only the sustainer of life but also the one who enriches it beyond measure, even beyond death.

The Father’s authority extends over all life, both in the present and for eternity. He is the Lord of life, the one who transforms temporal existence into eternal glory.

C. S. Lewis captures this truth with profound insight, “In the end, that Face which is the delight or the terror of the universe must be turned on each one of us . . . either conferring glory inexpressible or inflicting shame that can never be cured or disguised.”

Psalms 16 is a beautiful expression of trust, hope, and joy in the Father. David, the psalmist, speaks directly to God, pouring out his heart and declaring his confidence in the Father’s protection, provision, and presence. This Psalm reminds us that our journey with the Father leads to eternal joy and fulfillment. As we walk the path of life, we can experience the richness of His presence now and look forward to the pleasures of eternity to come.

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© Dr. H 2025