TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 16:1–7. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
This psalm is entitled Michtam, which some translate a golden psalm, a very precious one, more to be valued by us than gold, yea, than much fine gold, because it speaks so plainly of Christ and his resurrection, who is the true treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament.
I.David here flies to God's protection with a cheerful believing confidence in it (Psa 16:1):
"Preserve me, O God! from the deaths, and especially from the sins, to which I am continually exposed; for in thee, and in thee only, do I put my trust." Those that by faith commit themselves to the divine care, and submit themselves to the divine guidance, have reason to hope for the benefit of both. This is applicable to Christ, who prayed, Father, save me from this hour, and trusted in God that he would deliver him.
II.He recognizes his solemn dedication of himself to God as his God (Psa 16:2):
"O my soul! thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord, and therefore thou mayest venture to trust him." Note,
1.It is the duty and interest of every one of us to acknowledge the Lord for our Lord, to subject ourselves to him, and then to stay ourselves upon him. Adonai signifies My stayer, the strength of my heart.
2.This must be done with our souls: "O my soul! thou hast said it." Covenanting with God must be heart-work; all that is within us must be employed therein and engaged thereby.
3.Those who have avouched the Lord for their Lord should be often putting themselves in mind of what they have done. "Hast thou said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord? Say it again then, stand to it, abide by it, and never unsay it. Hast thou said it? Take the comfort of it, and live up to it. He is thy Lord, and worship thou him, and let thy eye be ever towards him."
III.He devotes himself to the honour of God in the service of the saints (Psa 16:2, Psa 16:3): My goodness extends not to thee, but to the saints. Observe,
1.Those that have taken the lord for their Lord must, like him, be good and do good; we do not expect happiness without goodness.
2.Whatever good there is in us, or is done by us, we must humbly acknowledge that it extends not to God; so that we cannot pretend to merit any thing by it. God has no need of our services; he is not benefited by them, nor can they add any thing to his infinite perfection and blessedness. The wisest, and best, and most useful, men in the world cannot be profitable to God, Job 22:2; Job 35:7. God is infinitely above us, and happy without us, and whatever good we do it is all from him; so that we are indebted to him, not he to us: David owns it (Ch1 29:14), Of thy own have we given thee.
3.If God be ours, we must, for his sake, extend our goodness to those that are his, to the saints in the earth; for what is done to them he is pleased to take as done to himself, having constituted them his receivers. Note,
(1.)There are saints in the earth; and saints on earth we must all be, or we shall never be saints in heaven. Those that are renewed by the grace of God, and devoted to the glory of God, are saints on earth.
(2.)The saints in the earth are excellent ones, great, mighty, magnificent ones, and yet some of them so poor in the world that they need to have David's goodness extended to them. God makes them excellent by the grace he gives them. The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour, and then he accounts them excellent. They are precious in his sight and honourable; they are his jewels, his peculiar treasure. Their God is their glory, and a diadem of beauty to them.
(3.)All that have taken the Lord for their God delight in his saints as excellent ones, because they bear his image, and because he loves them. David, though a king, was a companion of all that feared God (Psa 119:63), even the meanest, which was a sign that his delight was in them.
(4.)It is not enough for us to delight in the saints, but, as there is occasion, our goodness must extend to them; we must be ready to show them the kindness they need, distribute to their necessities, and abound in the labour of love to them. This is applicable to Christ. The salvation he wrought out for us was no gain to God, for our ruin would have been no loss to him; but the goodness and benefit of it extend to us men, in whom he delighteth, Pro 8:31. For their sakes, says he, I sanctify myself, Joh 17:19. Christ delights even in the saints on earth, notwithstanding their weaknesses and manifold informities, which is a good reason why we should.
IV.He disclaims the worship of all false gods and all communion with their worshippers, Psa 16:4. Here,
1.He reads the doom of idolaters, who hasten after another God, being mad upon their idols, and pursuing them as eagerly as if they were afraid they would escape from them: Their sorrows shall be multiplied, both by the judgments they bring upon themselves from the true God whom they forsake and by the disappointment they will meet with in the false gods they embrace. Those that multiply gods multiply griefs to themselves; for, whoever thinks one God too little, will find two too many, and yet hundreds not enough.
2.He declares his resolution to have no fellowship with them nor with their unfruitful works of darkness: "Their drink-offerings of blood will I not offer, not only because the gods they are offered to are a lie, but because the offerings themselves are barbarous." At God's altar, because the blood made atonement, the drinking of it was most strictly prohibited, and the drink-offerings were of wine; but the devil prescribed to his worshippers to drink of the blood of the sacrifices, to teach them cruelty. "I will have nothing to do" (says David) "with those bloody deities, nor so much as take their names into my lips with any delight in them or respect to them." Thus must we hate idols and idolatry with a perfect hatred. Some make this also applicable to Christ and his undertaking, showing the nature of the sacrifice he offered (it was not the blood of bulls and goats, which was offered according to the law; that was never named, nor did he ever make any mention of it, but his own blood), showing also the multiplied sorrows of the unbelieving Jews, who hastened after another king, Caesar, and are still hastening after another Messiah, whom they in vain look for.
V.He repeats the solemn choice he had made of God for his portion and happiness (Psa 16:5), takes to himself the comfort of the choice (Psa 16:6), and gives God the glory of it, Psa 16:7. This is very much the language of a devout and pious soul in its gracious exercises.
1.Choosing the Lord for its portion and happiness. "Most men take the world for their chief good, and place their felicity in the enjoyments of it; but this I say, The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup, the portion I make choice of, and will gladly take up with, how poor soever my condition is in this world. Let me have the love and favour of God, and be accepted of him; let me have the comfort of communion with God, and satisfaction in the communications of his graces and comforts; let me have an interest in his promises, and a title by promise to everlasting life and happiness in the future state; and I have enough, I need no more, I desire no more, to complete my felicity." Would we do well and wisely for ourselves, we must take God, in Christ, to be,
(1.)The portion of our inheritance in the other world. Heaven is an inheritance. God himself is the inheritance of the saints there, whose everlasting bliss is to enjoy him. We must take that for our inheritance, our home, our rest, our lasting, everlasting, good, and look upon this world to be no more ours than the country through which our road lies when we are on a journey.
(2.)The portion of our cup in this world, with which we are nourished, and refreshed, and kept from fainting. Those have not God for theirs who do not reckon his comforts the most reviving cordials, acquaint themselves with them, and make use of them as sufficient to counterbalance all the grievances of this present time and to sweeten the most bitter cup of affliction.
2.Confiding in him for the securing of this portion: "Thou maintainest my lot. Thou that hast by promise made over thy self to me, to be mine, wilt graciously make good what thou hast promised, and never leave me to myself to forfeit this happiness, nor leave it in the power of my enemies to rob me of it. Nothing shall pluck me out of thy hands, nor separate me from thy love, and the sure mercies of David." The saints and their bliss are kept by the power of God.
3.Rejoicing in this portion, and taking a complacency in it (Psa 16:6): The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Those have reason to say so that have God for their portion; they have a worthy portion, a goodly heritage. What can they have better? What can they desire more? Return unto thy rest, O my soul! and look no further. Note, Gracious persons, though they still covet more of God, never covet more than God; but, being satisfied of his loving-kindness, they are abundantly satisfied with it, and envy not any their carnal mirth and sensual pleasures and delights, but account themselves truly happy in what they have, and doubt not but to be completely happy in what they hope for. Those whose lot is cast, as David's was, in a land of light, in a valley of vision, where God is known and worshipped, have, upon that account, reason to say, The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; much more those who have not only the means, but the end, not only Immanuel's land, but Immanuel's love.
4.Giving thanks to God for it, and for grace to make this wise and happy choice (Psa 16:7): "I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel, this counsel, to take him for my portion and happiness." So ignorant and foolish are we that, if we be left to ourselves, our hearts will follow our eyes, and we shall choose our own delusions, and forsake our own mercies for lying vanities; and therefore, if we have indeed taken God for our portion and preferred spiritual and eternal blessings before those that are sensible and temporal, we must thankfully acknowledge the power and goodness of divine grace directing and enabling us to make that choice. If we have the pleasure of it, let God have the praise of it.
5.Making a good use of it. God having given him counsel by his word and Spirit, his own reins also (his own thoughts) instructed him in the night-season; when he was silent and solitary, and retired from the world, then his own conscience (which is called the reins, Jer 17:10) not only reflected with comfort upon the choice he had made, but instructed or admonished him concerning the duties arising out of this choice, catechized him, and engaged and quickened him to live as one that had God for his portion, by faith to live upon him and to live to him. Those who have God for their portion, and who will be faithful to him, must give their own consciences leave to deal thus faithfully and plainly with them.
All this may be applied to Christ, who made the Lord his portion and was pleased with that portion, made his Father's glory his highest end and made it his meat and drink to seek that and to do his will, and delighted to prosecute his undertaking, pursuant to his Father's counsel, depending upon him to maintain his lot and to carry him through his undertaking. We may also apply it to ourselves in singing it, renewing our choice of God as ours, with a holy complacency and satisfaction.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
"Their infirmities have been multiplied" [Psalm 16:4]: their infirmities have been multiplied not for their destruction, but that they might long for the Physician. "Afterwards they made haste." Accordingly after infirmities multiplied they made haste, that they might be healed. "I will not gather together their assemblies by blood." For their assemblies shall not be carnal, nor will I gather them together as one propitiated by the blood of cattle. [Isaiah 1:11-12] "Nor will I be mindful of their names within My lips." But by a spiritual change what they have been shall be forgotten; nor by Me shall they be any more called either sinners, or enemies, or men; but righteous, and My brethren, and sons of God through My peace.
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Summary
Psalm 16:4 stands as a powerful declaration of the psalmist's exclusive and unwavering devotion to the one true God, Yahweh, coupled with an emphatic rejection of idolatry and its associated pagan rituals. It starkly contrasts the escalating sorrows that inevitably befall those who eagerly pursue false deities with the profound blessedness and security found solely in the worship of the living God, unequivocally stating the psalmist's refusal to participate in or even acknowledge the legitimacy of any other god.
Context
Literary Context
Psalm 16 is a "Michtam of David," a term often translated as "golden psalm" or "epigrammatic poem," indicating its profound theological significance and enduring value. The psalm opens with David's heartfelt plea for divine preservation and his declaration of refuge in the Lord, stating, "Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge" (Psalm 16:1). Throughout the preceding verses, David articulates his deep trust and reliance on God, affirming Him as his "portion and my cup" (Psalm 16:5). Verse 4 thus serves as a crucial negative affirmation of this positive commitment, articulating David's abhorrence for the false gods and their defiling rituals that stood in direct opposition to his singular devotion. It highlights the spiritual and practical dangers of turning away from the living God, setting the stage for the psalmist's subsequent expressions of joy, security, and the promise of eternal life found only in Yahweh, who shows him "the path of life" (Psalm 16:11).
Historical & Cultural Context
The ancient Near East was a polytheistic landscape, where numerous gods and goddesses were worshipped through elaborate, often grotesque, and morally abhorrent rituals. Surrounding nations like the Canaanites, Moabites, and Ammonites engaged in practices that included human sacrifice (particularly child sacrifice to deities like Molech), ritual prostitution, and various "drink offerings of blood" or other illicit substances intended to appease or manipulate their pantheon. These practices were an utter abomination to the God of Israel, who demanded exclusive worship and a strict moral code. David's declaration in Psalm 16:4 is therefore not merely a personal preference but a radical, counter-cultural statement, aligning himself with the distinct covenantal demands of Yahweh, particularly the First Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). His refusal to "take up their names into my lips" further underscores a profound disassociation from the very existence, authority, and influence of these false deities in his life and the life of his nation.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several foundational themes within the Psalms and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it underscores The Consequences of Idolatry, explicitly stating that "Their sorrows shall be multiplied" for those who pursue other gods. This emphasizes that turning away from the true God does not lead to freedom or happiness but rather to increased suffering, spiritual emptiness, and divine judgment, a consistent theme found throughout the Old Testament, such as in Deuteronomy 28. Secondly, it highlights the Exclusivity of True Worship, as David's declaration, "their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips," demonstrates a radical commitment to the Lord alone, refusing to participate in or even acknowledge the legitimacy of false deities. This aligns perfectly with the foundational principle of monotheism central to Israel's identity and covenant relationship with Yahweh, as articulated in the Shema. Lastly, the verse touches upon the Purity and Holiness of Worship, contrasting the defiling and often abhorrent rituals of paganism with the clean, righteous, and life-giving worship demanded by Yahweh, thereby emphasizing the moral and spiritual chasm between true devotion and idolatrous practices.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H6094) denotes pain, grief, or suffering. Intriguingly, it is closely related to the Hebrew word for "idols" ('etsev or 'atsab), suggesting a profound linguistic connection. The very act of pursuing idols ('atsabim) inherently brings about pain and affliction ('atstsebeth). This linguistic tie underscores a divinely ordained consequence where the object of worship itself becomes the source of the worshiper's distress and spiritual wound.
The Hebrew verb mâhar (H4116) means "to hurry," "to be quick," or "to be eager." In this context, it implies not merely a passive acceptance of other gods but an active, zealous, and fervent pursuit. It vividly portrays the intentionality and devoted energy that idolaters pour into their false deities, contrasting sharply with the psalmist's singular, unwavering devotion to Yahweh. It suggests a rash, headlong rush into spiritual error.
This term (H5262) refers specifically to a libation or a poured offering, often of wine or oil, used in both Israelite and pagan worship. However, when combined with "of blood" (H1818, dâm), it points to specific pagan sacrificial rites that were anathema to Israelite worship. While the Mosaic Law permitted blood sacrifices for atonement, the phrase "drink offerings of blood" in conjunction with "another god" strongly implies the abhorrent practices of pagan religions, which often involved human sacrifice, ritual mutilation, or other violent and defiling acts that were an abomination to God. The psalmist's refusal to offer them signifies a complete and absolute rejection of such defiled worship.
Verse Breakdown
"Their sorrows shall be multiplied"
This clause declares the inevitable and escalating consequence for those who abandon the true God for false deities. The pursuit of idols leads not to peace, joy, or fulfillment, but rather to an increase in pain, grief, spiritual emptiness, and divine judgment. This is both a natural outcome of severing oneself from the source of life and blessing, and a direct result of divine displeasure.
"[that] hasten [after] another [god]:"
This specifies who will experience multiplied sorrows: those who eagerly, zealously, and actively pursue, chase after, or devote themselves to deities other than Yahweh. It describes a deliberate and fervent turning away from the one true God towards false objects of worship, highlighting the willful nature of idolatry.
"their drink offerings of blood will I not offer"
This is the psalmist's resolute declaration of non-participation and a profound act of spiritual separation. He refuses to engage in the abhorrent, often violent, and defiling sacrificial rituals associated with pagan worship. This signifies a profound commitment to the purity, holiness, and distinctiveness of Yahweh's worship, which stood in stark contrast to the practices of surrounding nations and was strictly forbidden by the Mosaic Law.
"nor take up their names into my lips."
This is an even more profound statement of absolute disassociation, contempt, and spiritual purity. The psalmist refuses to even utter the names of false gods, signifying that they hold no authority, legitimacy, or place in his life, thoughts, or speech. It is a refusal to dignify them by acknowledgment, affirming Yahweh as the sole object of his reverence, devotion, and allegiance, and protecting himself from any spiritual contamination.
Literary Devices
Psalm 16:4 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message with striking clarity and force. Contrast is central to the verse, sharply juxtaposing the multiplied sorrows of idolaters with the psalmist's blessedness and security found in exclusive devotion to God (a theme implied by the surrounding verses of the psalm). The phrase "their sorrows shall be multiplied" can be understood as Hyperbole, emphasizing the severe, overwhelming, and escalating negative consequences of idolatry, rather than a mere increase. The "drink offerings of blood" function as a potent Metonymy, where a specific, abhorrent pagan ritual stands in for the entire system of idolatrous worship, encapsulating its defiling and abominable nature. Finally, the entire verse, particularly the latter two clauses, is a powerful Declarative Statement of the psalmist's unwavering commitment and resolute rejection, underscoring his firm resolve and the absolute clarity of his spiritual allegiance to Yahweh alone.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalm 16:4 resonates deeply with the biblical emphasis on God's exclusive claim to worship and the severe consequences of idolatry. It underscores the theological truth that God is a jealous God, who will not share His glory with another, and that turning to false gods is a form of spiritual adultery that inevitably leads to suffering, spiritual emptiness, and separation from the source of true life and blessing. This verse serves as a timeless warning against any allegiance that displaces God from His rightful, supreme position in our lives, whether it be to physical idols or the more subtle idols of wealth, power, self, human philosophies, or even good things that become ultimate things.
Reflection and Application
While modern society may not engage in literal "drink offerings of blood" to carved images, the principle of idolatry remains profoundly relevant and insidious. Anything that takes precedence over God in our lives—be it money, power, possessions, career, relationships, self-gratification, entertainment, or even noble causes—can become an idol, demanding our "hastening after" it and ultimately multiplying our sorrows. This verse challenges believers today to engage in honest self-examination of their allegiances and ensure that their devotion is singularly focused on God. It calls for a clear, conscious, and active rejection of anything that competes for His rightful place in our hearts and minds, reminding us that true joy, lasting peace, and genuine fulfillment are found only in Him, the source of all life and blessing. Living by the spirit of Psalm 16:4 means consciously choosing to honor God alone, refusing to give any attention, allegiance, or ultimate trust to the "false gods" of our age, and trusting that He alone is our sufficient portion and inheritance.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What are "drink offerings of blood" and why are they so strongly rejected in this verse?
"Drink offerings of blood" refer to specific, abhorrent sacrificial rituals practiced by pagan religions in the ancient Near East. Unlike the blood sacrifices commanded by God in the Mosaic Law, which were for atonement and purification and pointed to a greater sacrifice, these pagan rites often involved the literal shedding of human or animal blood in violent, defiling ways, sometimes even involving child sacrifice or ritual mutilation, to appease or manipulate false deities. The psalmist's strong rejection signifies his absolute refusal to participate in such practices, which were an abomination to Yahweh and represented the antithesis of the pure, holy worship commanded by the true God. It underscores the vast moral and spiritual chasm between the worship of the God of Israel and the idolatrous practices of surrounding nations, as seen in passages like Leviticus 18:21 and Deuteronomy 12:31.
How does Psalm 16:4 apply to Christians today who do not worship physical idols?
While physical idol worship might be less common in many modern contexts, the principle of idolatry remains profoundly relevant. Idolatry, at its core, is placing anything in God's rightful place of ultimate devotion, trust, and worship. For Christians today, "another god" can manifest as anything that consumes our time, energy, affection, and loyalty more than God does—be it wealth, career, relationships, self-image, power, pleasure, comfort, or even ideologies and causes. The verse warns that "their sorrows shall be multiplied" for those who "hasten after" these modern idols, as they inevitably lead to spiritual emptiness, dissatisfaction, and brokenness, rather than the true life and joy found in God alone. It calls believers to a singular, undivided devotion to Christ, recognizing that "no one can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24) and that true worship is "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalm 16:4 finds its ultimate fulfillment and deepest meaning in the person and work of Jesus Christ. David's resolute rejection of idolatry and his singular devotion to God foreshadow the perfect, unblemished allegiance of Christ to His Father. Jesus consistently demonstrated exclusive worship, famously rebuking Satan's temptation to worship him with the declaration, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve" (Matthew 4:8-10). He taught His disciples that "no one can serve two masters" (Matthew 6:24), embodying this principle through His life of complete obedience and devotion, even unto death on the cross. Furthermore, the "drink offerings of blood" that David refused to offer are rendered utterly obsolete by Christ's singular, perfect sacrifice. His blood, shed once for all, is the true and final offering that takes away sin and establishes an eternal covenant, making all other blood sacrifices, whether pagan or Old Covenant, unnecessary and powerless (Hebrews 9:12 and Hebrews 10:10-14). Through Christ, believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to reject the idols of this world and offer themselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, worshipping Him in spirit and truth, just as Jesus taught (Romans 12:1-2 and John 4:23-24). In Christ, the multiplied sorrows of idolatry are replaced with the "fullness of joy" and "pleasures forevermore" found in God's presence (Psalm 16:11).