Psalms 16:1 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

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

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

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

Study Lenses

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

The next verse adds "O my soul thou hast said unto...", so "preserve" and "thee" should be read forward into that movement. In Psalms context, the local focus is worship, trust, the LORD's kingship, and covenant mercy.

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