Psalm 16

“You will not abandon my soul to Sheol… You make known to me the path of life.” (Psalm 16:10-11)

In literary form, Psalm 16 is an individual psalm of trust.1 Nowhere in the psalm does God speak, nor do we hear other voices in the psalm—no enemies, no oppressed cries, no accusers. The psalmist is alone with God, and the intimacy of his relationship permeates the poem. Psalm 16 represents a plateau in progression from the dismissive fool of Psalm 14, who says there is no God, to the searching suppliant of Psalm 15, who asks about requirements for entry into the Lord’s house, to the joyful worshiper of Psalm 16, who knows there is no life apart from God. The historical allusions in this psalm, discussed below, are of notable value. David was aware of Israel’s past, as a king should be, and echoed Israel’s sacred writings. His references to Yahweh as his “portion,” “lot,” and “cup” (16:5) call to mind the Levites, whose portion was the Lord rather than a landed inheritance (Num. 18:20; Deut. 10:9; 18:1).

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