Psalm 16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:5

Verse 5 5.The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. Here the Psalmist explains his sentiments more clearly. He shows the reason why he separates himself from idolaters, and resolves to continue in the church of God, why he shuns, with abhorrence, all participation in their errors, and cleaves to the pure worship of God; namely, because he rests in the only true God as his portion. The unhappy restlessness of those blind idolaters (320) whom we see going astray, and running about as if... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:6

Verse 6 6.The lines (325) have fallen to me. The Psalmist confirms more fully what he had already said in the preceding verse with respect to his resting, with a composed and tranquil mind, in God alone; or rather, he so glories in God as nobly to despise all that the world imagines to be excellent and desirable without him. By magnifying God in such honorable and exalted strains, he gives us to understand that he does not desire any thing more as his portion and felicity. This doctrine may be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:7

Verse 7 Last of all, David confesses that it was entirely owing to the pure grace of God that he had come to possess so great a good, and that he had been made a partaker of it by faith. It would be of no advantage to us for God to offer himself freely and graciously to us, if we did not receive him by faith, seeing he invites to himself both the reprobate and the elect in common; but the former, by their ingratitude, defraud themselves of this inestimable blessing. Let us, therefore, know that... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:8

Verse 8 8.I have set Jehovah, etc. The Psalmist again shows the firmness and stability of his faith. To set God before us is nothing else than to keep all our senses bound and captive, that they may not run out and go astray after any other object. We must look to him with other eyes than those of the flesh, for we shall seldom be able to perceive him unless we elevate our minds above the world; and faith prevents us from turning our back upon him. The meaning, therefore, is, that David kept... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:9

Verse 9 9.Therefore my heart is glad. In this verse the Psalmist commends the inestimable fruit of faith, of which Scripture every where makes mention, in that, by placing us under the protection of God, it makes us not only to live in the enjoyment of mental tranquillity, but, what is more, to live joyful and cheerful. The principal, the essential part of a happy life, as we know, is to possess tranquillity of conscience and of mind; as, on the contrary, there is no greater infelicity than to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:10

Verse 10 The Psalmist goes on to explain still more fully the preceding doctrine, by declaring that as he is not afraid of death, there is nothing wanting which is requisite to the completion of his joy. Whence it follows, that no one truly trusts in God but he who takes such hold of the salvation which God has promised him as to despise death. Moreover, it is to be observed, that David’s language is not to be limited to some particular kind of deliverance, as in Psalms 49:15, where he says,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:11

Verse 11 The Psalmist confirms the statement made in the preceding verse, and explains the way in which God will exempt him from the bondage of death, namely, by conducting and bringing him at length safely to the possession of eternal life. Whence we again learn what I have already observed, that this passage touches upon the difference which there is between true believers and aliens, or reprobates, with respect to their everlasting state. It is a mere cavil to say, that when David here... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 16:1

Preserve me, O God; i.e. keep me, guard me—protect me both in body and soul. It does not appear that the writer is threatened by any special danger. He simply calls upon God to continue his protecting care. For in thee do I put my trust. In thee, and in thee only. Therefore to thee only do I look for protection and preservation. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 16:1-6

Grounds of the prayer for preservation. This psalm is golden in thought, feeling, and expression. The substance of it is comprised in the first verse: "May God preserve him who has no other refuge in which he can hide but him!" The subject up to the end of the sixth verse may be called — Grounds of the prayer for preservation. I. HE HAS TAKEN GOD FOR HIS SUPREME GOOD . ( Psalms 16:2 , "I said to Jehovah, Thou art my Lord; beside thee I have no good.") The "good"... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:7

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:8

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Psalms 16:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 16:1

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 16:1-6

The Pulpit Commentary - Psalms 16:1-11

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