The Promises of God

Most of the Psalms, like much of modern hymnody, were written in the context of affliction, stress, pain and hurt. There is a reason for this; because life is spent in the furnace of affliction and it is there that life comes into focus. But there is another reason; because the Psalms present to us the emotional life of our Savior. Jesus took on himself our life, our sufferings, our pain, and this reflected in the Psalms.

In the midst of all of this, Peter tells us that the Lord made promises to David (Acts 2:30), that were fulfilled in Christ. David’s Saviour is our Saviour and the promises made to David are also made to us. Notice these promises in Psalm 16.

The Promise of a Path (7, 11). The promise is that the Lord will reveal the path. His word is a lamp unto our path, and he speaks to us; “This is the way walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21). Notice however that the path that the Psalm is speaking of is through suffering and death. It is life through death; more specifically, life in Christ through the death of self.

The promise of Preservation. Having been promised the resurrection from the dead, the Psalmist writes can write confidently. It is the preservation of soul and body in the resurrection.

The Promise of a Portion. The mention of ‘cup’ corresponds with ‘portion’ which would then refer to food. The Lord is all the Psalmist needs (Vs. 5a). The language of Vs. 6 is taken from the usage in Israel of surveying land for distribution, (Amos 7:17; II Samuel 8:2).

The Promise of his Presence (11, Psalm 23:4). Both now and through eternity.