David was the author there can be no doubt.

     These are the contents of Psalm 16:

     1. David was sojourning among the idolaters, and he was being obliged to leave his own country through the persecution of king Saul, so David cries to God for help; David expresses his abhorrence of idolatry, and he has desire as he longs to be again united to the people of God – verses 1-4

     2. David declares his strong confidence in God, who had dealt with him bountifully – verses 5-7

     3. David writes remarkable prophecy concerning the resurrection of Christ – verses 8-11

     

     The title of this Psalm in the Hebrew is michtam ledavid, which the Chaldee translates, "A straight sculpture of David." The Septuagint, "The inscription on a pillar to David;" as if the Psalm had been inscribed on a pillar, to keep it in remembrance. As catham signifies to engrave or stamp, this has given rise to the above inscription, Michtam.

     We can find the superscription “Michtam of David” KJV or “Mikhtam of David” NASB; or “miktam” ESV, then some derive Miktaam (H4387) from kaatam (H3799) and could be pronounced “mick-tame of David.” The term “michtam” or “mikhtam” is found in six psalms (Psalms 16:1-11; Psalm 56:1-13; Psalm 57:1-11; Psalm 58:1-11; Psalm 59:1-17; Psalm 60:1-12).

     Gesenius (master of Hebrew grammar) supposes that “Michtam” means a “writing,” especially a poem, psalm, or song; and that its sense is the same as the title to the psalm of Hezekiah (Isaiah 38:9 “The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah,”) where the word used is rendered “writing.” According to Gesenius the word used here - miktâm - is the same as the word employed in Isaiah - miktâb - the last letter (b), having been gradually changed to (m).

     Michtam could means pure or stamped gold; and hence it has been supposed that this title was given to it on account of its excellence: a golden Psalm, or a Psalm worthy to be written in letters of gold; as some of the verses of Pythagoras (famous Greek philosophers) were called the golden verses, because of their excellence. Gold being the most excellent and precious of all metals, it has been used to express metaphorically excellence and perfection of every kind.  

     Since the exact meaning is unclear, therefore the meaning of this word “Michtam” or “Mikhtam” in Hebrew seems to have three suggested views by some.

     1. A poem psalm.

     2. A golden jewel psalm.

     3. An atonement psalm.

     Combining these three suggested views of some. regarding the Hebrew meaning of the word “Michtam” or “Mikhtam” we could therefore say that this Psalm 16 is a poem that is written by David that unfolds the life in this earth and in eternity that is described as golden and was valuable and joyful, which is a product on having a right relationship with God, which is based on God’s atonement work.

     In verse 10, the prophesied resurrection is one of the important themes of the Michtam or Mikhtam psalms. The atonement work in which the sacrifice is raised from the dead can truly bring true joy and happiness to one’s life.

     Because of David’s sincere trust and intimate fellowship with God, David had experienced the joyful life, even when he encounters many dangerous challenges in life, that is the idea expressed in this Psalm 16.

     This Psalm 16 is connected to Psalm 15 in the context. Psalm 15 enumerated those character traits of those who have intimate fellowship with God and Psalm 16 explained why we have the desire to have intimate fellowship with God.  The intimate fellowship with God is the reason where a person will find real joy, true happiness and godly security in life.

     In his sermon in Acts 2:25 Peter connects this Psalm 16 to the Savior Jesus Christ, and in Acts 13:35, the Apostle Paul connects this Psalm 16 to our Savior Jesus Christ. Having personal relationship with God by the atoning work of God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the real joy and happiness and peaceful security can only be found.

     The atoning work of God is Jesus Christ and the resurrected Savior is Jesus Christ, and anyone who does not have a personal relationship with Christ through repentance from sin and trust the finish redemptive work of Christ will never find the true happiness, fulfillment and security of life. 

     We see in verse 1 that David asks God to preserve him.

     The Hebrew word in verse 1 “preserve” means to preserve something by carefully watching and guarding to keep that something safe.

     The context implied when a person realizes the God who provided the atoning work and raised Christ from the dead is watching, guarding and keeping us safe that is the reason why the real joy, and happiness is found.

Psalm 16:1b  "Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust."    

Awit 16:1b “Ingatan mo ako, O Diyos, sapagkat sa iyo ako nanganganlong.” FILIPINO VERSION

     David said in verse 1, “for in thee do I put my trust.” Some translation renders “I take refuge in You.” NASB; “for in you I take refuge.” ESV. David is saying that God is his refuge. Refuge was a place for safety and a strong safe haven for a person to run to.

     David spent a great precious moment alone with God as his safe haven. The phrase “Preserve me, O God” means keep me; guard me; support me; defend me; save me. This language implies that there was imminent danger of some kind, perhaps this would seem to indicate, danger of death. These words are evidently spoken by one in trouble and distress, or in danger, either from his enemies or in some other way. As David was frequently in such circumstances, these words probably primarily spoken by David in his own person, and they are words which often suit the case of any believer, who has frequently need to pray for support under troubles and distresses, to be protected against David spiritual enemies, and preserved and kept from the sins to which David is exposed. This Psalm, besides the admirable expressions of David's faith and confidence in God, when, as it is supposed, he was violently persecuted by Saul. Every time that David found he was facing dangerous situations, he quickly flees to God as his refuge. The idea here is, that God was able to preserve him from the impending danger, and that he might hope God would do it.

     According to some commentaries, the words “Preserve me, O God” has the application to Jesus Christ which the Apostle Peter makes of a great part of this Psalm 16 in Acts 2:25-31 that obliges us to consider it as a prophesy, wherein the Son of God himself here introduced as speaking to God the Father. Some commentaries consider this word “Preserve me,” a prayer of the man Christ Jesus on his entering on his great atoning work, particularly his passion in the garden of Gethsemane. In that passion, Jesus Christ most evidently speaks as man; as it was the manhood, not the Godhead, that was engaged in the suffering. These first words of the Psalm, “Preserve me, O God” in Hebrew “shomreni” which means keep me, sustain, this feeble humanity, now about to bear the load of that punishment due to the whole sins of the human race. This briefly comprehend the prayer of Jesus Christ to His Father, related to John 17:1-26 and the prayer which Jesus made to the Father in His agony in Matthew 26:39,42,44 together with that great confidence in the love of God His Father, which Jesus shewed even to His death; which made Jesus enemies insultingly say to Him on the cross, “He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him:” (Matthew 27:43).

     Some commentaries applied the words “For in thee,” to the prophecy concerning the atoning work of Jesus Christ, in Hebrew chasithi, means “I have hoped.” It seems here that Christ is saying, “No human fortitude, or animal courage, can avail in my circumstances. These are no common sufferings; they are not of a natural kind; they are not proportioned to the strength of a human body, or the energy of a human spirit; and my immaculate humanity, which is subjected to these sufferings, must be dissolved by them, if not upheld by thee, the strong God.” It is worthy of remark, that our Lord here uses the term, El, which signifies the strong God, an expression remarkably suited to the frailty of that human nature, which was now entering upon its vicarious sufferings. It will be seen with the Messiah varies the appellations of the Divine Being in this address; a circumstance which no translation without paraphrase can express.

     Now, on the other hand, as it relates to situation of the writer, David asked God to preserve him, he mentioned one of the reasons, he said “For in thee do I put my trust” - That is, David’s hope is in God. David had no other reliance than God; but David had confidence in God - David felt assured that there was safety there. As chickens under the wings of the hens. Trust in God is the strongest argument why God should hear prayer for deliverance (Psalms 25:20 “O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.”).

     David is saying he found refuge and put emphasis “for in thee” as in Psalm 7:1 “O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust:”; Psalm 11:1 “In the Lord put I my trust:”. We do trust in the name of the Lord, for we can never expect to be preserved except by His protecting grace.

     The lesson we learned from this is that happiness in life comes to us when we speedily run to God whenever troubles come in our way. The joyful and happy life will not be eliminated by the times of trouble that come our way once we learn to flee quickly to our safety place of refuge which was God.

Psalm 16:2 “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;”

Awit 16:2 “Sinasabi ko sa Panginoon, “Ikaw ay aking Panginoon; ako'y walang kabutihan kung hiwalay ako sa iyo.” FILIPINO VERSION

     The words “O my soul” are not in the original. A literal rendering of the passage would be, “Thou hast said unto the Lord,” etc., leaving something to be supplied. The speaker evidently is the psalmist; David is describing his feelings toward the Lord, and the idea is equivalent to the expression “I have said.” Both translators of the Septuagint, Vulgate, and Syriac translated it to, 'I have said' ['aamartiy (H559), instead of 'aamart (H559)]. Some word must necessarily be understood, and our translators have probably expressed the true sense by inserting the words, “O my soul.” Indicated the state of mind in which a person is carefully looking at himself, his own perils, his own ground of hope, and when he finds in himself a ground of just confidence that he has put his trust in God, and in God alone.

     When David “said unto the Lord”, David is speaking to Jehovah, his LORD and when David said in verse 2 “Thou art my Lord,” David is saying his LORD Jehovah was his Lord Adonai.  When the Psalmist said, “Thou art my Lord” the Psalmist is saying “Thou hast a right to rule over me; or, I acknowledge thee as my Lord, my sovereign.” David said, “Thou art my Lord” by creation, preservation, and on various other accounts: as the king, to whom I am subject, as the master whom I serve, as the father whom I obey, as the husband and portion whom I love, and to whom I cleave.” The second word “Lord” here is not Jehovah or Yahweh, but Adonai – it is a word of more general signification than Yahweh or Jehovah. The sense is, “I have acknowledged Yahweh or Jehovah to be my Lord and my God. I receive him and rest upon him.” This mean that the God of the universe, Jehovah, who is the great I AM, the supreme, self-existing, and eternal Being, the powerful One, who can do whatever He wants to do, was David’s Adonai, who was the master and ruler of David’s life, David could not find any good or true joy and happiness apart from God. That is why David concludes and said “my goodness extendeth not to thee” KJV; “I have no good apart from you.” ESV; “I have no good besides You.” NASB. In Filipino Bible version “ako'y walang kabutihan kung hiwalay ako sa iyo.”

     The word in verse 2 “goodness” or “good” refers to what is happy, bright, beautiful and pleasant.

     David is saying he could not find any good or joy and happiness anywhere than his personal relationship with God. David is saying there is no other place he finds good or joy and happiness, only in his relationship with the Lord. Although, it is possible for someone to find and enjoy pleasure only for a brief moment apart from God, but that someone will never in anyway, in anyhow, find the true happiness apart from his relationship with God.

     1. Anyone will never find happiness or goodness in life apart from God

     2. Anyone will never find happiness or goodness in life if God is not the master of life.

     You will end up miserable in life once you govern your own life as your own master. Allow God the master of life and assuredly you will experience many good or goodness and wonderful and happy things in life. Therefore, the question is who or what is the master of your life. Do you govern your own life as your own master or is it God the master of your life?

     Some commentaries applied this as a prophecy with regards to the atoning work of Jesus Christ, as the Messiah, or Son of God, Jesus derived His being and support from Jehovah; and the man Christ was supported by the eternal Divinity that dwelt within Him, without which Jesus could not have sustained the sufferings which He passed through, nor have made an atonement for the sin of the whole world; it is the suffering Messiah, or the Messiah in prospect of His sufferings, who here speaks as some theologian applied.

     There are almost endless explanations of this clause “My goodness extendeth not to thee”; no man can read them without being confounded by them. The SEPTUAGINT translation read, Because thou dost not need my goods. The VULGATE translation follows the Septuagint. The CHALDEE translation: My good is given only by thyself. So, the SYRIAC translation: My good is from thee. The ARABIC translation: Thou dost not need my good works. And in this sense, with shades of difference, it has been understood by most commentators and critics.

     Bishop Samuel Horsley of the church of England of the late 18^th century translates, “Thou art my good - not besides thee.” Dr. Benjamin Kennicott, English Hebraist of 18^th century translates “My goodness is not without thee.”

     In the application and in connection with the sacrifice agony of Jesus, the words “my goodness extendeth not to thee;”; “I have no good apart from you.” ESV; “I have no good besides You.” NASB, could also be understood of what the Messiah, the Savior was doing for men. It means, as applied to Christ, that the services which Christ performed by His ministry, and the benefits which Christ procured His sufferings, did not make any addition of happiness or glory to God; because, God being infinitely perfect in Himself, God’s glory cannot be increased by any services that are paid by Christ as Christ suffers and doing the atonement work for the sins of all men.

     Again, when we relate it to the Psalmist, David said, “My goodness extendeth not to thee,” he is saying, “whatever piety, or virtue, or goodness may be in me, or be done by me, it does not add any thing to thy felicity, for thou dost not need me nor my service, nor art capable of any advantage from it.”

     Notice again, David says at the end of verse 2, “I have no good besides You.” NASB; “I have no good apart from you.” ESV, David acknowledges that apart from the grace of God, he did not have goodness on himself. God is good and righteous, but we are not, we have no goodness apart from God. In fact, the Bible says, we are all sinners (Romans 3:10 “as it is written, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”) who have all gone astray (Isaiah 53:6 “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” therefore, just as David did, we all need to depend on the grace of God for our righteousness (II Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”; Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:”).

     The meaning of the words “My good is nowhere except in thee,” is I have no source of good of any kind - happiness, hope, life, safety, salvation - but in thee. “My good is not without thee.” This accords with the idea in the other sentences, where he acknowledges Yahweh or Jehovah as his LORD; in other words, the Psalmist found in Yahweh all that is implied in the idea of an object of worship - all that is properly expressed by the notion of a God. David renounced all other gods, and found his happiness - his all - in Yahweh or Jehovah, LORD, none other else.

                                - - - - - Continuation on Part 2 - - - - -

Psalm 16:3 “But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.”

Awit 16:3 “Tungkol sa mga banal na nasa lupa, sila ang mararangal, sa kanila ako lubos na natutuwa.” FILIPINO VERSION

     Jesus in His humanity with His perfect goodness was of profit “to the saints that are in the earth” - to those whom Jesus Christ sanctified by His blood, to those people who were consecrated as His own, by His everlasting purpose of love, whereby also Jesus sanctified or consecrated Himself for their sakes (John 17:19 “And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.”).  

     We can see in verse 3, David said “to the saints” that is God’s people, then David said “in whom is all my deight.” means God’s people are David’s delight.  The idea is that David found his pleasure, not in the rich and the great, not in princes and nobles, but in those who were distinguished for virtue and piety. In heaven David had none but God; on earth David found his happiness only in those who were the friends of God.

     The phrase “and to the excellent,” Not so much "excellent" in themselves, as in respect to their high calling of God. Christ's righteousness as man was done for the sake of these people, that they might be the "righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21). They are excellent not because of their goodness but because of what Christ hath done for their sins, because of the atonement work of God by the resurrection of Christ.

     In verse 3 David states, as a further proof of his attachment to God, that David regarded with deep affection the saints of God; that David found his happiness, not in the society of the wicked, but in the friendship of the excellent of the earth. So, verse 3 may be thus rendered: “As to the saints in the earth (or in respect to the saints in the earth), and to the excellent, all my delight is in them.” Formerly, in verse 2 David had stated that, as to God, or in respect to God, David had no source of blessing, no hope, no joy, beyond God, or independent of God; now, in verse 3 David says that in respect to the saints - the excellent of the earth - all his delight was in them. Thus, the Psalmist was conscious of true attachment to God and to the people of God. Here we observed that David had what must ever be essentially the evidence of true piety – that is a feeling that God is all in all, and real love for those who are His saints; a feeling that there is nothing beyond God, or without God, that can meet the wants of the soul, and a sincere affection for all who are God’s friends on earth.

     David found his great delight by having fellowship with the faithful believer of God in this earth. Believers who are right with God have that intense desire and long to fellowship with other believers who are right with God. Those believers of God who love the Word of God, have that intense desire and long to fellowship with other believers who love the Word of God. Psalmist expresses that he truly loved the friends of God.

     Having long or having delight to fellowship with other faithful believers who love the Word of God is a good healthy test with regards to our spirituality and it brings unto us happiness. The true state of the believer’s heart is indicated by his love for the faithful people of God. David found all his happiness in the society and friendship of the saints in the earth and the excellent who are righteous people of God.

     Those people of God who love the Word of God will be drawn to others who also Scriptural minded people of God. They have the same mind. Those who are growing deeper in doctrine will have a kindred fellowship with other believers of God who study the Word with a solid and sound doctrine.

     Those bible believers who really love God and His holy Word, have a majestic quality to them.

Psalm 16:4 “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.”

Awit 16:4 “Yaong mga pumili ng ibang diyos ay nagpaparami ng kanilang mga kalungkutan; ang kanilang inuming handog na dugo ay hindi ko ibubuhos, ni babanggitin man sa aking mga labi ang kanilang mga pangalan.” FILIPINO VERSION

     Here we can see that godless people are not David’s delight.

     Having shewed his affection to the faithful people of God or servants of the true God in verse 3, Psalmist now declares what an abhorrence he has for those that worship idols in verse 4. 

     At the opening part of verse 4 it says “Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god,” we can see the implication that if one goes after anything other than God, that someone will continuously experience sorrows. That someone will not only miss happiness but also in verse 4 says “sorrow shall be multiplied.” The meaning is that sorrow, pain, anguish, must always attend the worship of any other gods than the true God; therefore, the psalmist would not be found among their number, or be united with them in their devotions.

      The Chaldee has translated without the word “god”, "They multiply their idols, and afterwards hasten that they may offer their gifts." In the Hebrew text there is no word for God, the word god is not in the original, but the word “god” was added here according from other commentary because most of the interpreters supposing that this text relates to idolaters. Some commentary used the application here, as it may understand another Messiah; Our blessed Savior might be as well substituted; and then the whole will refer to the unbelieving Jews, who rejected the true Anointed Messiah, and expected a Messiah very different from Him, they would not have the true Christ; they have sought, and are seeking, another Messiah; and how the prophetic declaration been fulfilled in them! Their sorrows have been multiplied for more than 2,000 years. The majority of the Israelites do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Jewish Messiah, they don’t believe Christ is the Messiah, they are still looking for the coming Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ. The Jews multiplied their sorrows ang goes to many idols as we read in the Bible until Christ comes to reign in Millennial kingdom as their Messiah, the Ruler and their King.

     The persons mentioned here in verse 4 shall be very different from that of the saints mentioned in verse 3, who are the objects of God’s love. As considered prophetically by some commentary, the words, shall be multiplied, may suppose our blessed Savior to comprehend all the calamities which befell the Jews, for having rejected the true Messiah, and for having desired another Messiah. And this expression, “Their sorrows shall be multiplied,” perfectly agrees with the condition wherein the Messiah found the Jews at His coming to reign as their King into the world after tribulation period: they had then for a considerable time been subject to the Roman yoke of worship other gods: but within a few years after, their sorrows were to be exceedingly multiplied, as a punishment to them for rejecting that true Messiah.

     Those godless people who multiplied their sorrows are those people in verse 4, “that hasten after another god:” The common meaning of the word is to hasten, and this is clearly the sense here. The idea is that the persons referred to show a readiness or willingness to forsake the true God, and to render service to other gods. Their conduct shows that they do not hesitate to do service to other gods when it is proposed to them; that they embrace the first opportunity to do it. On the other hand, men hesitate and delay when it is proposed to them to serve the true God; they readily embrace an opposite course - following the world and sin.

     Now, the Psalmist said “their drink offerings of blood will I not offer,”

     The “libations of blood” here seem to refer to the horrible, frightful, dreadful shocking rites of Moloch and Chemosh who were abominable idols..

     As prophetically applicable to our Lord redemptive work, this verse here is an intimation or indication that their libations and sacrifices should cease. The sacrifices which the unbelieving Jews made to God of the blood of beasts, should be no more accepted, and that he would no longer have regard to the oblations of that unbelieving people. None of these should exist under the Christian dispensation; Jesus Christ's offering upon the cross being the accomplishment and termination of all such sacrifices.

     It was usual to pour out a drink-offering of wine or water in the worship of idol gods, and even of the true God. That is why Jacob is said to have set up a pillar in Padan-aram, and to have “poured a drink-offering thereon.” (Genesis 35:14 “And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.”). Compare the forbidden drink offering for idol gods in Exodus 29:40-41“wine for a drink offering.”; Exodus 30:9 “neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon.”; Leviticus 23:13 “the drink offering thereof shall be of wine”; Numbers 15:5; “wine for a drink offering”. The phrase “drink-offerings of blood” would seem to imply that the blood of the animals slain in sacrifice was often mingled with the wine or water that was thus poured out in the services of the pagan gods. But, according to the view of other commentator, it is not that literally offered blood; but be means, “Their drink offerings” are as much an abhorrence (because offered to idols) as if they were not of wine, but of blood. The phrase is appropriate, since wine is "the blood of grapes" (Genesis 49:11 “the blood of grapes”).  Now, some theologians says the heathen used it not only to offer, but even to drink part of the blood of their sacrifices, whether of beasts or men, according as either of them were sacrificed. Which must needs have been very hateful to God, because he had so severely forbidden his people to drink or eat blood, either at their sacrifices or at their common meals. By this the writer, the Psalmist probably meant to convince those Israelites of the greatness of their sin who hankered after idolatry, and made no conscience of maintaining communion with idolaters, (which was the case with many of them in Saul's time.)

     It would seem, also, that the worshippers themselves drank this mingled cup. They did this when they bound themselves by a solemn oath to perform any dangerous service. The eating, and consequently the drinking of blood, was solemnly forbidden to the Israelites (compare Genesis 9:4 “blood thereof, shall ye not eat.”; Leviticus 3:17 “ye eat neither fat nor blood”; Leviticus 7:26 “ye shall eat no manner of blood”; Leviticus 17:10 “I will even set my face against that soul that eateth blood”); and the idea here is, that the psalmist had solemnly resolved that he would not partake of the abominations of the pagan, or be united with them in any way in their worship. Psalmist give a statement of the fact that he had no sympathy with those who rejected the true God; that he did not, and would not, participate in their worship. Idolaters, notwithstanding all their zeal or cost about their idols, gain nothing to themselves but abundance of sorrow and misery. This what the Psalmist mentioned as a reason why he would have no fellowship with them in their idolatrous worship. 

     None of those sacrifices shall be mentioned with any kind of respect after the end of their institution shall have been accomplished; for sacrifice, offering, burnt-offering, and sacrifice for sin, such as are offered according to the law, God would no longer receive; therefore, Jesus said in Hebrews 10:5-10, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: ⁶ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. ⁷ Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. ⁸ Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; ⁹ Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. ¹⁰ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

     As objects of worship, the Psalmist said, “Nor take up their names into my lips,” he is saying, I will not in any way acknowledge them as gods, or render to them the homage which is due to the true God. The very mention of the name of any other god than the true God was solemnly forbidden by the law of Moses Exodus 23:13, “make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth.”; Deuteronomy 12:3 “and ye shall overthrowb their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.”; And the Lord himself strongly against it in Hosea 2:17 “For I will take away the names of Baalim out of her mouth, and they shall no more be remembered by their name.” So the apostle Paul says Ephesians 5:3,5 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; ⁵ For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” To the Hebrews the very name of a god included a predication of his power. Hence the avoidance of even mentioning baal, but substituting bosheth, for it is a shameful thing even in proper names. The idea in these places seems to be, that the mere mention of the name of other gods, would tend to produce dangerous familiarity with them, and by such familiarity take off something of the repugnance and horror with which they should be regarded, They were, in other words, to be utterly avoided; they were never to be thought of or named; they were to be treated as though they were not. However, other commentary, explained that Psalmist not thought it absolutely unlawful to mention the names of these idols, which is frequently done by holy prophets, but according to other commentary, the Psalmist means thus to express the odiousness of idolatry, to prove by showing his hatred to the very names of idols. No one can safely so familiarize himself with vice as to render it a frequent subject of conversation. Pollution will flow into the heart from words which describe pollution, even when there is no intention that the use of such words should produce contamination. Psalmist will not pollute his lips with the names of false gods.

     Any believer who sincerely loves the true God cannot have any regard for God’s rivals; that believer will have no communion with false gods in any shape or form. We must be faithful to God, to the God revealed to us in the Book of God, the God of the Old Testament of the New Testament, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must keep to God, not make another god after our own imagination. It is practical idolatry even to conceive of God otherwise than God is revealed in Holy Scripture. This we must not do, but say, concerning the God of the Bible, “This God is our God for over and ever.”

     David, the writer expresses that he would not associate himself with other religious people who were involved or having connection in false religious worship. David defends the Scriptural truth against the unbiblical doctrines, so David applied an ecclesiastical separation. David is loyal to God and His holy Word and David refused to have fellowship with others who hold and teaches contrary to the Biblical sound doctrine, David separates himself and has no fellowship with the false religious godless people.

     Notice that David in verse 1 ““Preserve me, O God”, David asks God to preserve him, so in context, expectedly and obviously his decision is to separate and not to fellowship with those godless religious people who have beliefs and doctrines against the bible truth. David could honestly ask God his refuge to preserve him for these very reasons to keep him safe against those erroneous, devilish, humanistic views and to preserve him by separating and have no fellowship with this false religious worship of godless people.

Psalm 16:5-6 “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. ⁶ The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

Awit 16:5-6 “Ang Panginoon ang aking piling bahagi at aking saro; ang aking kapalaran ay hawak mo. ⁶ Ang pisi ay nahulog para sa akin sa magagandang dako; oo, ako'y may mabuting mana.” FILIPINO VERSION

     When we applied this prophetically to Christ, here in verse 5 the Messiah speaks, “Jehovah is the portion of mine inheritance, I seek no earthly good, I desire to do the will of God my Father, and nothing else. It is God my Father who has given me this lot to redeem the mankind to have them as my inheritance. From my Father I received the cup of suffering, which I shall drink for their sake as sinners, through which I shall impart to every man the cup of consolation.” Jesus Christ, the Messiah, by the grace of God, has tasted death for every man, and Jesus has instituted the cup of blessing to commemorate His passion of death.

     As we applied verse 5 to the statements of the Psalmist, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance”, Hebrew, [chel·ki (H2506)] of my division, that is, of that portion, tract or territory which God hath mercifully divided, or distributed to me, and which, by his grace, I have chosen for myself. This word is in contradistinction from idols. Psalmist will have nothing to do with idols. The Lord is his portion. It seems that David is saying “I envy not the vast riches and glory of idolaters, I heartily rejoice in God as my portion, and desire no better, no other felicity (kaligayan, katuwaan, kagalakan).  God, who hath suffered other nations to walk in their own idolatrous ways, hath granted this favour to me, that I should know, worship, and serve him, the only true God. And as other nations have chosen, and adhere to their false gods, so have I chosen Jehovah, and will cleave to him.” What the Psalmist wants to point out here is that Yahweh was the being whom the Psalmist worshipped as God, and that David sought no possession or comfort which did not proceed from God. God was the portion of David because everything in David life and everything that David would receive in his life came from the God of grace.

     The margin here is, “of my part.” Which properly means “lot, portion, part” and is applicable to the portion of booty (nadambong) or plunder that fell to anyone or to the portion of land that belonged to anyone in the division of an estate (II Kings 9:10 “And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel,”; II Kings 9:36-37 “the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: ³⁷ And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel;”).

     The Psalmist said, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.” This image is from the tribe of Levi and Aaron the high priest in Lamentation 3:24 “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”. That tribe of Levi and Aaron the high priest is whom God spoke because the Levites, as a tribe, had no inheritance in the land of Canaan; but God was their portion. God said “I am thy part” KJV; “I am your portion” ESV, NASB. That is Levitical portion. Instead of an inheritance in land, the Lord gave Himself to the priests and said in (Numbers 18:20 “And the Lord spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I am thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel.”) God is saying “I am thy portion and thine inheritance.”, and who shall dare to say that they had not the best of it? So, the true Israelites feel the Lord to be their inheritance, whether they have more or less of this world's goods.  Every believer is now a priest unto God and therefore can appropriate the same language. That is the believer's portion, his God. Now, child of God, if you could have your choice, what would you choose, goods or God? Earthly wealth, or the God who is the source of all good things? Paul said in I Corinthians 3:21, 23 “All things are yours; for ye are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s;” which rather recalls Deuteronomy 32:9 “For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.” where the correlative truth occurs in Numbers 18:20. The Lord’s portion is his people (Deuteronomy 32:9) and God’s people portion is the Lord (Number 18:20). That is why the writer of Lamentation 3:24 said, “Thereofore, will I hope in Him.” To have God for our portion is the one only foundation of hope.

     Now, when we applied this to Christ, the Antitype, in the fullest sense, made 'the Lord His portion:' as the second Adam, Jesus Christ resumed that standing of implicit trust in Yahweh as His all, from which the first Adam fell, beguiled by the illusory promises of another inheritance held out by the father of lies.

     The Psalmist allusion here “and of my cup” refers to what we drink, and hence, the term is used in the sense of “lot” or “portion.” See the notes in Isaiah 51:17 “Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord” compare that at Psalm 11:6 “Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.”) As we see in Psalm 11:6, the figure of the cup, had already became a synonym for condition in life. Thus, while the carnal part of mankind take the world for their chief good, and place their felicity in the enjoyments of it, every truly pious and spiritual person, like David, will say, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup. This is the portion I make choice of, and will gladly take up with, how poor soever my condition may be in this world. Let me have the love and favour of God, and be accepted of Him: let me have the comfort of communion with Him, and satisfaction in the communications of His graces and comforts: let me have an interest in His promises, and a title by promise to everlasting life and happiness in the future state, and I have enough, I need no more, I desire no more, to complete my felicity.” 

     The Psalmist is saying that the “cup” is the portion which is put into my cup”, as the ancient manner was in feasts, where each had his portion of meat, and of wine allotted to him. The idea here is as it seems the Psalmist is saying “The cup that I drink, that cheers, refreshes, and sustains me is the Lord. I find comfort, refreshment, happiness, in God alone, not in the intoxicating bowl, not in sensual joys, but in God, in His being, perfections, friendship.” David compared his relationship with God to a cup that was filled with blessing and to an allotment (bahagi) that was so wonderful, as he acknowledge God said in verse 5 “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup.”  In prosperity David's piety was distinguished by gratitude and love. The Lord was David’s portion, David’s cup, and David’s lot.

     The Psalmist is saying, “Thou maintainest my lot” [towmiyk (H8551)] he is saying “Thou dost defend my portion, or that which is allotted to me, thou will not allow anyone to dispossess (itapon, tanggalin) my lot.” Not like earthly possessions, from which the lawful owner is often dislodged (pinaalis, tinanggal). The Hebrew word means to prop (suhayan, tukuran) one up, sustain, so that it will not fall, like Aaron and Hur who propped the hands of Moses (Exodus 17:12). Satan cannot, by force or fraud, deprive the saints of their lot, once the saints have obtained it, by grace here and glory hereafter (John 10:28). The Psalmist refers specifically to his inheritance he mentions in verse 5, and the Psalmist says that inheritance which was so valuable to him was sustained or preserved by God. God was the portion of the soul of David, God was the source of all joy of David, God maintained or preserved all that was dear to the heart of David. Lot of moments in David’s life was in the hand of God as David said in the last part of verse 5 “thou maintainest my lot.”; “you hold my lot” ESV; “You support my lot.” NASB; “ang aking kapalaran ay hawak mo.” FILIPINO VERSION.  Likewise, the true Christian may say: “Thou, that hast by promise made over Thyself to me to be mine, wilt graciously make good what Thou hast promised. Thou wilt not leave me nor forsake me, nor put it into the power of mine enemies to rob me of my happiness in communion with Thee, while I cleave to Thee with full purpose of heart; and while the life I live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

     When we applied prophetically this phrase “Thou maintainest my lot” to Jesus Christ, it means that God the Father preserved for Jesus Christ the glory to which Christ was to be exalted in the quality of Messiah.

     Some great men have his motto, “I will maintain it.” But the psalmist's is a much better one: “Thou maintainest my lot.” It is better to have God for our Guardian than to have all possible human strength with which to defend ourselves.

     Now, as we applied verse 6 prophetically to Christ, the Messiah continue speaking “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places.” Here is an allusion (tinutukoy, pagbabanggit) to the ancient division of the land by lot among the Israelites, the breadth and length being ascertained by lines which were used in measuring. So, the Messiah here said, “I have got a rich inheritance of immortal spirits, and I myself, manifested in the flesh as man, shall have a name above every name, and be raised to your throne O Father, on which I shall sit, and be admired in my saints to all eternity.”

     The word “The lines” used here in verse 6 refers to the “lines” an image from the cords in which they used in measuring and dividing allot lands, compare this in (Amos was accused then replied by the Words of the Lord to Amaziah in Amos 7:17 “thy land shall be divided by line”; When David triumphs and defeated Moab in II Samuel 8:2 “and measured them with a line, casting them down to the ground; even with two lines measured he to put to death, and with one full line to keep alive.”). Hence, the word “lines” comes to denote a portion of land that is “measured out” (or that is “surveyed off”) to anyone – means his possession or property, and hence, the word “lines” here refers to the condition in life. The meaning here is, that in running out such a survey, “his” inheritance had been fixed in a pleasant and desirable part of the land.

     The Psalmist said that the lines “are fallen unto me” naapluw (H5307) liy (H3807a)] means to be assigned unto, referring to the appropriation parts of the land by lot (kapalaran) (Numbers 34:2 “Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:”). The idea is, the lands were measured by measuring cords or was surveyed into distinct portions, and then that the part which fell to anyone was determined or distributed by lot. This was actually the case in distributing the land of Canaan (Numbers 26:55; Numbers 33:54; Numbers 36:2; Joshua 15-19).

     The Psalmist said that the lines are fallen unto him “in pleasant places” [banª`imiym (H5273)], it means in a pleasant, delightful or desirable part of the land. That is fallen in a land flowing with milk and honey, and above all, blessed with the presence and knowledge of God. In Job 36:11 “If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.” we have here the same Hebrew [banª`imiym (H5273)], “pleasures,” stands parallel to “prosperity.” So here translate, 'in delights,', pleasant or pleasures.

     The Jewish rulers stretched the measuring or dividing lines over the plots of land that fell to the different members of the family; but here David, the man of God declares that, since God was his portion, the lines had fallen to him in pleasant places. There is no choice of places, or times, or circumstances, with the man who thoroughly loves his God. David can find God in loneliness, and so enjoy the best company, if David has God in poverty, he has great riches, O happy man, who has God to be his all!

     Then Psalmist said “yea, I have a goodly heritage” that is good, a desirable inheritance. The point is David regarded it as a desirable heritage that he lived where the true God was known, where David enjoyed God’s favor and friendship of God. Those have reason to speak in this language who have God for their portion, for they have a worthy portion, a goodly heritage. David compared his personal relationship with God as a valuable inheritance that had been passed down to him from his ancestors, according to verse 6 “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” What can they have better? What can they desire more?

     Notice again the words, “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places,”, that is a prophetic message which is an implication that because of Israel Davidic connection, Israel would one day live in a beautiful, pleasant land and prophesied also that through David’s line there would come someone who would be beautiful as we read in last part of verse 6 “I have a goodly heritage.” That someone who prophetically would come would be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. When we applied these words to Christ the “goodly heritage,” was first, the glory to which Jesus was advanced by His ascension, and secondly, the establishment of His Millennial Kingdom throughout the world.

                                                                                                - - - -  To be continued - - - - -