The psalm falls into two sections. Verses 1–8 speak of the psalmist’s present faith and verses 9–11 speak of his future hope. In each section there is a threat.

Verses 1–8. What are the marks of the psalmist’s faith in the Lord? Identify which of these you relate to most. Hold that in your mind. Verses 3 and 4 contrast two groups of people. First, those who follow the Lord – the psalmist takes great pleasure in associating with them (v 3). Second, those who worship other gods – they are a threat to the psalmist, and he refuses to have anything to do with them (v 4). What might these two verses say to us today about those who put possessions, wealth or success before God?

Verses 9–11 speak about the future hope the psalmist has in the Lord. What are the marks of this? To which of these do you relate most strongly? Keep that in your mind. The threat to the psalmist’s future hope comes as the threat of death and bodily decay (v 10). Verse 11 reminds us that for those who trust the Lord death is not a threat, but opens the door to eternity in his presence.

‘Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night.’¹

Last Sunday, we related the words of Psalm 15 to the life of Jesus. All the more, Psalm 16 demands such an approach, for the New Testament takes verses 8–11 and explicitly applies them to the Lord.² Read the psalm thoughtfully and reverently, imagining these words on the lips of Jesus, spoken to his Father with whom he enjoyed perfect communion. See especially the implicit promise of resurrection (v 10) that was picked up both by Peter and Paul and applied to Christ. Sunday – resurrection day – is always a good time to praise Jesus who is alive for evermore. Let’s worship him in the presence of his people as the ‘eternal’ one; as we do so, may he grant us his ‘joy’ (v 11). 

If we can – reverently – imagine Jesus praying this psalm, we ought to pray it as well. Such prayer can be offered both day and night, in sunshine and shadow (v 7). The psalms as a whole have a lot to say about praying during the night. Yes, night-time is for sleeping, and God ‘grants sleep to those he loves’,³ yet most of us experience times when our sleep is disturbed. There are many – including faithful Christians – who have to deal with a significant degree of insomnia. Alternatively, you may be a shift worker who works unsociable hours as, say, a nurse or security guard. The night can be a time when we’re alone with our thoughts and we feel particularly isolated or afraid. The psalmist shows that in those moments we can turn to God and be instructed. He sees us, for ‘the darkness will not be dark’ to him.⁴ As you sing your songs in the night, may the Light of the World himself come to you and lighten your darkness.⁵ 

Pray for those who are struggling in darkness, either mental or physical. If this is you, know that God is with you as your light. 

¹ The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils, Evening Prayer, The Book of Common Prayer ² Acts 2:25–27  ³ Ps 127:2  ⁴ Ps 139:12  ⁵ John 8:12