Psalms 16:1
מִכְתָּ֥ם לְדָוִ֑ד שָֽׁמְרֵ֥נִי אֵ֝֗ל כִּֽי־חָסִ֥יתִי בָֽךְ׃
A Miktam; by David.
Guard me, Oh God for I take refuge in You.
Paraphrase: Oh God, look at all the dangers I face every day. There are threats to my person and safety; there are the constant temptations to sin and to turn my back on You. Oh God! Protect me! Guard me from all these devils which are so determined to ruin me. Remember the word You gave to me and on which I am resting. (Psalm 119:49) You promised to keep in safety all those who trust in You and now, YHWH, I am fleeing to you and taking refuge in your strong protection. (Proverbs 18:10) Keep the promise you made to me, Oh Lord, my God.
Comments:
Psalms 16:2
אָמַ֣רְתְּ לַֽ֭יהוָה אֲדֹנָ֣י אָ֑תָּה ט֝וֹבָתִ֗י בַּל־עָלֶֽיךָ׃
You said to YHWH, “You are my Lord, My good is nothing over you.”
Paraphrase: My soul, you said to YHWH many years ago, “You are My Owner and Master; I now belong to you. Bore a hole through my ear so that it will be clear to everyone that I am Your slave forever. (Deuteronomy 15:17) Now I can truly say that I seek my happiness and joy in You alone. (Psalm 73:26) There is nothing in this world that can satisfy me any more.” (Philippians 3:8)
Comments:
Psalms 16:3
לִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים אֲשֶׁר־בָּאָ֣רֶץ הֵ֑מָּה וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י כָּל־חֶפְצִי־בָֽם׃
to the saints which are in the land, they are mighty; all my delight is in them.
Paraphrase: My best times are those times I can spend with Your people. They are the truly powerful people in our land; they are the ones whom You have rescued from darkness and bondage. You have called them and sanctified them. I love their gatherings and am so blessed to fellowship with them.
Comments:
The translation here assumes the conjunction on וְאַדִּירֵי is not present. The fact that this noun is in construct is inexplicable to me.
Psalms 16:4
יִרְבּ֥וּ עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ אַחֵ֪ר מָ֫הָ֥רוּ בַּל־אַסִּ֣יךְ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם מִדָּ֑ם וּֽבַל־אֶשָּׂ֥א אֶת־שְׁ֝מוֹתָ֗ם עַל־שְׂפָתָֽי׃
Their pain will increase; other [Gods] they hasten; not one of their libations from blood will I cause to pour out, and not one of their names will I lift up on my lips.
Paraphrase: On the other hand, there are those who are chasing other gods. They are not satisfied with You; they don’t know You; they don’t even know their own misery. Every day, their misery and pain increases because they are running away from You, who is the Fountain of all Good. I want nothing to do with their worship. The ceremonies they perform, and the worship they offer to their god is all just foolishness and a delusion. I refuse to take the name of their deity on my lips; I will never offer up a prayer to any of their false gods.
Comments:
Contrast with the thought in Psalm 73:3-5.
Psalms 16:5
יְֽהוָ֗ה מְנָת־חֶלְקִ֥י וְכוֹסִ֑י אַ֝תָּ֗ה תּוֹמִ֥יךְ גּוֹרָלִֽי׃
YHWH is the allotment of my inheritance (Numbers 18:20) and my cup; You are holding my portion.
Paraphrase: Someone might object and point out that I am just a poor beggar with no land allotment and no property. I have no earthly wealth or power to which I can point as proof of my success, but what of that? I have YHWH Himself as my allotment; He is my inheritance. When I look in the cup which God gives me to drink, I see the life God has called me to. It’s a life lived in constant service to YHWH. Oh how happy I am to drink the entire cup! There is nothing which I could have received greater or better than this. I am the most privileged person on earth.
Comments:
Psalms 16:6
חֲבָלִ֣ים נָֽפְלוּ־לִ֭י בַּנְּעִמִ֑ים אַף־נַ֝חֲלָ֗ת שָֽׁפְרָ֥ה עָלָֽי׃
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes the inheritance is beautiful to me.
Paraphrase: Look at the boundary lines of my inheritance; is there anything comparable to it? Is there anything more pleasant or beautiful than this?
Comments:
Psalms 16:7
אֲבָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־יְ֭הוָה אֲשֶׁ֣ר יְעָצָ֑נִי אַף־לֵ֝יל֗וֹת יִסְּר֥וּנִי כִלְיוֹתָֽי׃
I will bless YHWH who advises me; yes, at night, my kidneys discipline me.
Paraphrase: Now because of His goodness to me, I will exalt the Name of YHWH to the highest. I will praise and bless His Name. He is the one who leads me and shows me the best way to go. Even in the night, my heart overflows with joy, and I continue to receive instruction and even correction from my Divine Counsellor.
Comments:
Psalms 16:8
שִׁוִּ֬יתִי יְהוָ֣ה לְנֶגְדִּ֣י תָמִ֑יד כִּ֥י מִֽ֝ימִינִ֗י בַּל־אֶמּֽוֹט׃
I have set YHWH before me always; because [He is] at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Paraphrase: I am always looking to YHWH for help and guidance. He is right there at my right hand. No matter what obstacles I face or difficulties, I can just turn to Him, and He helps me through. Nothing can shake me or cause me to turn from Him.
Comments:
Psalms 16:9
לָכֵ֤ן׀ שָׂמַ֣ח לִ֭בִּי וַיָּ֣גֶל כְּבוֹדִ֑י אַף־בְּ֝שָׂרִ֗י יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶֽטַח׃
Therefore, my heart rejoices, and my glory is glad; yes, my flesh will settle down in this refuge.
Paraphrase: Now the result of all this is that I am happy. My whole heart is singing God’s praises. My soul is glad and rejoicing in God. Even my body, which is growing weaker every day, will find refuge in the strong arms of my great God and Savior. (Deuteronomy 33:27)
Comments:
Psalms 16:10
כִּ֤י׀ לֹא־תַעֲזֹ֣ב נַפְשִׁ֣י לִשְׁא֑וֹל לֹֽא־תִתֵּ֥ן חֲ֝סִידְךָ֗ לִרְא֥וֹת שָֽׁחַת׃
For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; You will not give Your faithful ones to see the pit.
Paraphrase: Even in Sheol, you will not abandon me. You will not let me slip into that dreadful pit which you have prepared for those who turn away from You. (Hosea 13:14)
Comments:
On Sheol, see here. That some of the Old Testament saints had a rough idea of a different place for believers and unbelievers after death is clear in this passage and in other Psalms. (Psalms 73:23–28; 17:15; 49:15)
Psalms 16:11
תּֽוֹדִיעֵנִי֮ אֹ֤רַח חַ֫יִּ֥ים שֹׂ֣בַע שְׂ֭מָחוֹת אֶת־פָּנֶ֑יךָ נְעִמ֖וֹת בִּימִינְךָ֣ נֶֽצַח׃
You cause me to know the path of lives; a fullness of joys is with Your Presence; delights are at Your right hand forever.
Paraphrase: I give You all the praise. You were the One who showed me this path which gives such an abundance of life. On this path, I enter into Your presence; it leads me directly to Your right hand where I find a fullness of joy that I can never express. (1 Peter 1:8) Here are such delights as I was never able to find in this world. This kind of pleasure can only be found with You.
Comments: