Enjoying the Full Benefits

Key Verse to Read and Treasure:

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11, ESV)

For Insight

I was reading up on the qualities of sourdough bread. Reacquainting myself with the reasons it is something good to add and include in my diet. I was reminded that because of its natural fermentation process it’s a great digestive aid. It can break down complex carbohydrates and gluten which makes it easier for the body to digest. It has a lower glycemic index, so it won’t spike blood sugar levels. It is also packed with nutrients like vitamins B, iron, and zinc which are important for maintaining good health. It is anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, and anti-diabetic. It is rich in prebiotics as well as antioxidants. All this good stuff is ours when we have a slice.

Long before he was king on the throne, David discovered the benefits of an abiding relationship with the Lord God. David’s history with God went all the way back to his childhood and spanned the decades. In Psalm 16 he states a few of pleasures he enjoyed while abiding in the Lord. David wrote that:

God was his protector (v1)

God was his refuge (v1)

God was his Lord (v2)

God was his only “good” (v2)

God was his portion (v5)

God was his cup of blessing (v5)

God held his future (v5)

God was the “shaper/designer” of his life (v6)

God was his Counselor (v7)

God was his conscience-keeper (v8)

God dominated his thoughts (v8)

God made his heart glad (v9)

God made his spirit rejoice (v9)

God guarded and kept him from hell (v10)

God revealed the path of life to him (v11)

God had abundant joy (v11)

God held eternal pleasure in his right hand (v11)

David found pure joy in God’s presence.

When king Saul disobeyed the Lord by stepping into the role of a priest, making a burnt offering before God, it was Samuel who told him, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for himself a man after his own heart” (I Sam. 13:14). Who was that man God had chosen and had sought the heart of God through an abiding relationship? None other than young David. Even in his youth David learned to practice the presence of God and God had loved and watched over David as he sought the Lord fervently.

Practicing the presence and seeking the heart of God is not a practice exclusive to David or those living in that age or generation. We can do the same today. The same God whom David found to be sufficient and possess every quality he could ever want, or need is the same God with us today. Everyone who abides in Jesus will experience the same fulfillment as David. Those pleasures and even more than those.  

Jesus, your heart do I seek! Let me experience the fullness of joy as David did as I abide in you, and you abide in me. Amen  

Ask Yourself

What would I write about God if I were writing my own Psalm 16?   

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