Psalms 16 (KJV)

Chapter Text

16:1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.

16:2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

16:3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.

16:4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.

16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.

16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

16:9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "light", "preserve", "thee", "trust", "soul", "thou", "hast", and "said". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "light" and "preserve", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The local KJV text gives this verse as the immediate unit, so "light" and "preserve" carries the first interpretive weight. In The LORD as Shepherd, the local focus is trust, covenant mercy, guidance, and worship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "light" and "preserve" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.