Question 1

What does “Preserve me, O God, for in thee do I put my trust” mean?

Accepted Answer

This opening line is a simple, honest prayer for protection. David is not claiming to be strong on his own. He knows he needs God to keep him, so he asks, “Preserve me.” When he says, “for in thee do I put my trust,” he is saying that his safety does not rest in his own plans, power, or friends, but in God alone. It shows that real prayer is joined with real trust. He asks God to guard him because his heart has already run to God as his refuge.

Question 2

What does it mean when David says, “Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee”?

Accepted Answer

Here David speaks to God from his own soul. He says, “You are my Lord,” which is a personal claim of belonging and obedience. When he adds, “my goodness extendeth not to thee,” he admits that nothing he does can add to God or make God richer. God is already perfect and needs nothing. Any good that flows from David is meant to serve others, especially God’s people. It is a humble way of saying, “All my good is from you and for your people, not to improve you.”

Question 3

Who are “the saints that are in the earth, and the excellent” in this passage?

Accepted Answer

“The saints that are in the earth” are God’s set-apart people, those who belong to Him and trust Him. They may still be weak and sinful in themselves, but God has claimed them as His own. David calls them “the excellent,” not because the world sees them as great, but because they are precious in God’s sight. He says that all his delight is in them. This shows a heart that not only loves God but also loves those who love God, and finds joy in their company.

Question 4

Why does David say the sorrows of those who follow other gods will be multiplied?

Accepted Answer

David is clear that chasing other gods only brings pain. Those who “hasten after another god” turn from the living God to idols, hoping for help and happiness. Instead, they gain more grief, both in this life and in the end. Their worship often involved harsh and bloody rites, but David refuses any share in it. He will not pour out such offerings or even take the names of those gods on his lips. He knows that turning from the true God cannot bring real joy, only deeper sorrow.

Question 5

What does it mean that “The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup”?

Accepted Answer

This picture comes from how land was divided as an inheritance. Each family received a measured portion, marked out with lines. David says that his real portion is not a field or a palace, but God Himself. God is his inheritance and his “cup,” the share he receives and enjoys. To have God is better than having anything else. When he adds, “Thou maintainest my lot,” he rests in the thought that God Himself keeps and guards this portion, so it cannot be taken away by people or circumstances.

Question 6

What is meant by “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage”?

Accepted Answer

David is using the image of boundary lines that mark out a property. When he says the lines have fallen in pleasant places, he is saying that what God has given him is truly good. His “heritage” is not just outward blessings, but God as his portion and God’s people as his company. Even if his outward life is hard at times, he looks at what God has given him by grace and calls it pleasant and beautiful. It is a way of confessing contentment with God’s wise and kind choice for him.

Question 7

What does it mean that God will not leave his soul in hell or let His Holy One see corruption?

Accepted Answer

This part of the psalm looks beyond David’s own experience. The wording has been understood in more than one way, but the main sense is that God will not abandon His faithful one to the grave or let His chosen Holy One decay there. David speaks with hope for himself, but the words fit perfectly with Jesus, who died and rose again without seeing decay. Through this, believers are sure that death is not the end, and that those who belong to Christ will share in His life beyond the grave.

Question 8

What is “the path of life” and “fulness of joy” in God’s presence?

Accepted Answer

“The path of life” is the way that leads to real, lasting life with God. God Himself must show this way; we do not find it by guessing. For those who trust Him, that path leads into His presence, where there is “fulness of joy” and “pleasures for evermore.” This is more than short, earthly happiness. It speaks of deep, complete joy that does not end, found in seeing and enjoying God. It points to eternal life, where nothing good is missing and nothing spoils the joy.

Question 9

How does this psalm point to Jesus and His resurrection?

Accepted Answer

While David speaks about his own trust and hope, some lines reach beyond what happened to him personally. The words about God not leaving his soul in the grave and not letting His Holy One see corruption fit Jesus perfectly. Jesus trusted the Father, suffered, died, and yet His body did not decay in the tomb. God raised Him up. In this way, the psalm gives a preview of the Messiah’s suffering and rising again. Because of this, believers can rest in hope, knowing their life is tied to the risen Christ.

Question 10

How can I apply this psalm to my life today?

Accepted Answer

You can take the same steps of heart that David takes. First, turn to God as your shelter and plainly say, “You are my Lord.” Refuse the idols of today, whether they are pleasure, money, or human praise, knowing they only add sorrow. Love and value God’s people, seeing them as your family and delight. Thank God that He Himself is your portion and that He guides you. Set Him always before you in your choices. Finally, rest your hope on the risen Christ, trusting God for life beyond death and joy in His presence.

Psalm 16:1

Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

The Presence of the LORD

A Miktam of David.

The Presence of the LORD

A Miktam of David.

Cross References

Psalm 16:1

Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

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The Presence of the LORD

A Miktam of David.

The Presence of the LORD

A Miktam of David.

Cross References