Praying Through: Psalm 16

The Psalm

Psalm 16 (CSB)
A Miktam of David.

¹ Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.

² I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides you.”

³ As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them.

⁴ The sorrows of those who take another god for themselves will multiply; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, and I will not speak their names with my lips.

⁵ LORD, you are my portion and my cup of blessing; you hold my future.

⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

⁷ I will bless the LORD who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me.

⁸ I always let the LORD guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my body also rests securely.

¹⁰ For you will not abandon me to Sheol; you will not allow your faithful one to see decay.

¹¹ You reveal the path of life to me; in your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.

The Prayer

I have gone everywhere. I have not found any good apart from you.

When I turn away from you or try to find not You, my sorrow and grief run deep. It crushes my hearts and buries my soul.

When I try to give life to my idols, they give nothing back because there are no other gods. And I die.

When will I realize that you alone are my All-in-all? When will I realize that you are the only One I ever need? When will I realize you are my infinite inheritance?

Oh, when I turn to you and when I peer into your lovely face, my soul awakens and my fills with gladness and joy.

You have not ignored me. You give me wisdom. You have not stripped me. You give me strength. You have not given me over to my iniquities. You have given me your soft, tender, and healthy heart. You have not left me to drown in my sorrows. You have given me your Rock to stand upon. You did not cast me into hell. You hold me in your heart. You did not give me over to sin. You have cleansed me from all unrighteousness. You have not left me for dead. You have given me true life. You have not abandoned me to sadness and grief. When I’m with you, my heart is constantly, consistently, perfectly filled joy.

I am no longer in pain. You have wiped away all my tears. You place my hand into your hand. At that moment, I will have unlimited access to your constant, consistent, perfect bliss forevermore.

I love you, Lord and all that is in me I will bless your holy name forever.

In your Son’s perfect name I pray, Amen.