(Continued from p.308.)
Psalm 16 is one of the titled psalms. Of the whole collection there are thirty-four 'without titles, often called "Orphan psalms." The titles are fully inspired, and often indicate the contents of the psalm and give force and beauty to it.
A translation of the title will generally be found in the margin of the Bible, and while scholars sometimes differ in judgment, the meaning given in our King James' Version is usually accepted.
Some translate the title of Psalm 16, "Michtam of David," as "Jewel Psalm,"* but the translation of our King James' Version is generally accepted as correct, "A Golden Psalm." *W. Kelly and others.*
Either expresses its beautiful contents, for it is indeed a "jewel" among the psalms, and "A Golden Psalm" would be a fitting designation.
Psalm 16 commences a beautiful series, the group extending over Psalm 24.
In these we have a very complete presentation of our Lord:Ps. 16 giving His earthly pathway; Ps. 22, the cross; Ps. 23, His present service as risen and ascended; Ps. 24, His future, displayed glory. Here in our psalm Christ directly and definitely takes His place among men. "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same" (Heb. 2:14). But His humanity was untainted and incorruptible. That "Holy Thing. . .shall be called the Son of God," was the angel's message to Mary. He is here seen, however, in fullest association with the godly remnant, and gives full character and hope to faith.
THE DEPENDENT MAN is before us in ver. 1 of Ps. 16:"Preserve Me, O God; for in Thee do I put My trust." He is a perfect Man, trusting in God, the God of Jacob, and owns Him Lord. Dependence marked each step of His pathway, not an act performed nor a word spoken apart from the One He came to glorify. How truly it has been said, "He never uttered a word He had to retract, nor took a step He had to retract." Perfect, blessedly perfect in His dependence, when Satan, after those forty days of fasting in the wilderness, sought to overthrow Him; He refused to exercise His prerogative and command the stones be made bread! In His dependence His refuge was the word of God. "It is written," three times repeated, was His effectual answer to the temptations, and Satan was defeated. What a blessed example for us!
THE LOWLY MAN. "My goodness extendeth not to Thee, but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent (or, they are the excellent) in whom is all My delight." Having "emptied Himself" He assumes fellowship with the saints (the Jewish remnant), and thus, as in Hebrews 2, "the Sanctifier and the sanctified are all of one, for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren:" all this is grace, having taken the path of the servant to tread the path of faith, leading on through death to fulness of joy at God's right hand. This He did outwardly on the banks of Jordan, being baptized of John, and thus identifying Himself with the poor of the flock-the repentant remnant.
Paul wrote to the saints in Rome, "Not minding high things, but going along with the lowly" (Rom. 12:16, New Trans.). In this, the saints would be likeminded with their blessed Example.
THE SEPARATE MAN (ver. 4). The great sin of Israel was idolatry, and into this they will fall again in the latter days (see Matt. 12:43-45), and by this "their sorrows" will "be multiplied." This blessed perfect Man would own no God but Jehovah. He ever trod a pathway of entire separation to God from all that was contrary to Him. "Separate from sinners" is written of Him, though well we know He was most accessible where human need existed.
THE SATISFIED MAN (vers. 5, 6). In this perfect pathway this blessed Man found infinite joy-Jehovah was His portion, His inheritance and source of joy. "The lines have fallen unto Me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage." Jehovah's portion was His people; into this He entered, and His counsels were His delight. While He was the "Man of Sorrows," there was ever a deep well-spring of joy within His heart, that which flowed from perfect communion with the God He came to glorify.
THE WORSHIPING MAN (ver. 7). Here He blesses Jehovah whose counsel guided His way and preserved Him as Man; in the night season He received, as dependant, instruction from the Lord. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him," and thus, as alone in communion with God, there was guidance and direction.
THE STEADFAST MAN (ver. 8). Unswervingly He pursued the pathway of obedience and dependence, the Lord and His glory guiding His every step. "I have set the Lord always before Me:because He is at My right hand I shall not be moved." Blessedly true are these words of our adorable Lord. He could say at the close of His pathway, "I have glorified Thee on the earth; I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." Nothing moved Him, for Jehovah was His support, and from the Garden of Gethsemane, strengthened by angelic ministry, He went forward to the full accomplishment of God's holy will.
THE GLORIFIED MAN (vers. 9-11). Here the resurrection is introduced for the first time. Jehovah, in whom He delighted and in whom He trusted, would not leave His soul in hades, nor suffer His Holy One to see corruption. He could go into death with perfect confidence, rejoicing in an undimmed hope, whom should He fear? (Ps. 27:1). The path of life, beyond the region of death, Jehovah would reveal. This, we know He did most blessedly, and that path led on to eternal joys, far eclipsing all the blessings of the nation with whom for a brief moment He had sojourned. There, His own- as yet-could not follow, as the Lord told Peter (John 13:33-36). The "Ark" must go into the midst of the Jordan to dry up its waters and thus make a path for His own to the place where He was going. If the path was "a path of life," since it led through death it must lead to that which lay beyond, viz., the presence of Jehovah, at whose right hand there are pleasures forever-more. Thither He has gone, our blessed Forerunner, having trodden the path of faith before us, and left us an ensample. He has given us the light of that path of life beyond the region of death, yea, already we have a life which belongs not to this region of darkness and death, a life which belongs to heaven, where we too shall know fulness of joy and pleasures forevermore.
If a scripture reason were asked for the application of this psalm to the blessed Lord, what more convincing proof could be given than that the Spirit of God through both Peter and Paul applies these closing verses to Him. In Acts 2:25-31 the apostle shows clearly that the closing verses of Ps. 16 could apply to no other. The writer, David, was "both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day," but he adds, "Being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn by an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit on his throne:he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in hades, neither His flesh did see corruption."
In Paul's first recorded sermon (Acts 13) he says, "David saith also in another psalm (16), Thou wilt not suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption," and then comes the application to the Lord, "David, after he had served his generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid to his fathers and saw corruption, but He whom God raised again saw no corruption." How blessedly therefore these closing verses tell of His glorious resurrection and ascension to the presence of God!
"Jesus, what memories thrill our hearts,
Of Thy blessed footprints here,
While now to heaven we turn our eyes,
And gaze upon Thee there."
J. W. H. Nichols
(To be continued, D. V.)