"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore."
Psalm 16:9-11
Part 2
Yesterday: My Joy is not Determined by Circumstances, But by My Relationship to the Lord
“Therefore, my heart is glad.”
David’s glad heart had nothing to do with his daily surroundings but everything to do with his mindset and focus on his Lord.
Today: Resting in Hope
“And my glory rejoiceth.”
We know that each believer’s duty is to “glorify God.” And we are living our lives “to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:12). But doesn’t this phrase “my glory,” seem out of place for a sinful human being? The Hebrews had another way of looking at these words, “my glory.” The rest of God’s creation cannot communicate their innermost thoughts as we humans do.
John Wesley said,
“My glory – My tongue, which is a man’s glory and privilege, above all other living creatures”[1] (John Wesley).
Another preacher explained it further,
“My glory rejoiceth – My tongue, so-called by the Hebrews …because it was bestowed on us to glorify God, and because it is our glory, being the instrument of expressing our thoughts by words”[2] (Adam Clarke).
God has given us this ability to express the thoughts of our very souls. It is “my glory” to praise and glorify my God. Those who choose to have cursing and bitterness spewing from their lips are sinning by misusing God’s unique gift of speech. His intention is for every human being to glorify Him.
David said,
“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever” (Psalm 30:11-12).
What a precious privilege we have been given. We may use our words to express the deep feelings of our hearts directly to our God. He listens to His child, for He tells us to come and share the burdens of our hearts with Him (Hebrews 4:16).
“My flesh also shall rest in hope.”
When David had thoughts of dying, he also had hope. These are the words of someone who believes that after death, he will live again. He had already decided to “set the LORD always before him” (v. 8), along with his “glad heart,” he also had faith in His God that meant his “flesh also shall rest in hope.” David knew that he will rise again after his death because his God will take care of him.[3] His “hope” was the confidence he had in his God.
As believer’s in the saving and keeping power of the Lord Jesus Christ, we have steadfast confidence that He will keep us safe from now through eternity. Every believer ought to be “resting in hope” when they think of dying, for in Christ, “it is not death to die.”[4]
“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Dear friend, how is it with your soul? Do you have the confidence in Christ that you will be raised again after your body dies? Please come back tomorrow as we dwell on these words about Jesus’ resurrection. “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). These words will build our hope! See you tomorrow.
Quote: “David’s hope rests on this conclusion: it is impossible for the man who, in appropriating faith and actual experience, calls God his own, to fall into the hands of death.”[5] (Delitzsch).
[1] John Wesley. John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 16:9.
[2] Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 16:9.
[3] Old Testament believers did believe in some form of resurrection. Although they did not have a full understanding of it as we have learned from the New Testament. We can clearly see that the dead’s resurrection is because of the Lord Jesus Christ’s work (2 Timothy 1:10). These truths were unknown in the Old Testament, and some of the statements there show us that they did not know what will happen to them after death (Psalm 6:5; 88:11).
[4] This song was written by Cesar Malan in 1832.
[5] Delitzsch’s quote borrowed from The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary, the electronic version in eSword. Psalm 16:1-11. The emphasis is mine.