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Psalm 16

You Will Not Abandon Me to the Grave

Heading

A miktam[a] by David.

You Are My Lord

Guard me, O God, for I take refuge in you.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord.
I have no good apart from you.”[b]
The holy ones who are in the land are glorious.
All my delight is in them.
Those who chase after another god will increase their sorrows.
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood.
I will not take up their names on my lips.

You Will Not Abandon Me to the Grave

Lord, you are the cup that has been given to me.
You have secured an allotment for me.
The property lines chosen for me fall in pleasant places.
Yes, a delightful inheritance is mine.
I will bless the Lord, who guides me.
Even at night my heart[c] instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad,
and my whole being[d] rejoices.
Even my flesh will dwell securely
10     because you will not abandon my life to the grave.
    You will not let your favored one[e] see decay.
11 You have made known to me the path of life,
    fullness of joy in your presence,
    pleasures at your right hand forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 16:1 The meaning of miktam is uncertain. It may mean a golden psalm or a choice piece or a psalm inscribed on a tablet.
  2. Psalm 16:2 The Hebrew of verses 2–4 is difficult and may be understood in more than one way.
  3. Psalm 16:7 Literally kidneys. In Hebrew the word kidneys has some of the same connotations that heart does in English.
  4. Psalm 16:9 Literally my glory. A few manuscripts read liver, which in Hebrew idiom parallels heart as a center of emotion.
  5. Psalm 16:10 The Hebrew word hasid refers to a person who receives favor or distributes mercy. Here it refers to Christ, but it is not capitalized because it does not become one of his messianic titles.

Psalm 16

A miktam[a] of David.

Keep me safe,(A) my God,
    for in you I take refuge.(B)

I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;(C)
    apart from you I have no good thing.”(D)
I say of the holy people(E) who are in the land,(F)
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
Those who run after other gods(G) will suffer(H) more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names(I) on my lips.

Lord, you alone are my portion(J) and my cup;(K)
    you make my lot(L) secure.
The boundary lines(M) have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.(N)
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;(O)
    even at night(P) my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand,(Q) I will not be shaken.(R)

Therefore my heart is glad(S) and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,(T)
10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,(U)
    nor will you let your faithful[b] one(V) see decay.(W)
11 You make known to me the path of life;(X)
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,(Y)
    with eternal pleasures(Z) at your right hand.(AA)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 16:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
  2. Psalm 16:10 Or holy