The message of Psalm 16 is one that speaks clearly of Christ, but also of His people.
The New Testament tells us plainly that God’s promise to Christ in the grave was given in this psalm. God would not allow His holy one to see corruption, which is why Christ was in the grave for only three days (Ps. 16:10). But notice that this promise presupposes that the holy one would die. This promise assumes that the holy one would come to the grave, but would not be abandoned there.
The psalm also exults in God’s goodness and kindness to us, His people. It says that the lines have fallen to us in pleasant places, and that we have a goodly heritage (Ps. 16:6). In the midst of affliction and trial we may want to murmur and complain. We might want to play the hermeneutics game, and say that the lines had fallen in pleasant places for David, the one who originally wrote these lines. Yes, but Scripture commands all God’s people to sing these psalms as our corporate expression. The lines have fallen for us in the pleasant places.
But why is this? How does it work? The answer is found here, at this Table. “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup . . .” (Psalm 16:5a). This cup is the cup of the new covenant, and you are the new covenant people of God. This is your inheritance. This is your goodly heritage. The wine is the sacrament of Christ’s blood, shed for you, and you partake of the benefit of that sacrifice as you partake in evangelical faith. And, as you see in this psalm, the Lord is your portion. The Lord Himself is your cup.
Your affliction is the Lord’s affliction. Your suffering is the Lord’s suffering. When you come to the grave, you have come to a place where the Lord has gone ahead of you. And because of that you know that you will not be left there. You have a good inheritance, and here it is, right in front of you. So come, and welcome, to Jesus Christ.
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