In his sermon on the day of Pentecost, Peter interpreted the last verses of Psalm 16 as a prophecy of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:25-31). David died and was buried, and his tomb was still known to the Jews of Peter’s day. But David “spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption” (Acts 2:31). The rest of the psalm is also about Christ.
The psalm is the song of a spiritual pilgrim who has learned to trust in the Lord. 1) He prays for preservation (v. 1). The pilgrim’s way is dangerous. 2) He celebrates the goodness of the Lord to him during his pilgrimage (vv. 2-6). The pilgrim’s way is blessed with the presence of the saints, and a good inheritance. 3) And he blesses the Lord for his counsel in the night (v. 7). The pilgrim’s way gives rise to many difficult questions and problems, but the Lord provides advice for all of them. During his earthly ministry, our Lord Jesus Christ was just such a pilgrim as we are, a stranger in the earth seeking the better and heavenly country. He blazed the trail for us to follow.
In verses 8-11 the pilgrim looks to the future. As he walks in the world he sets the LORD before him. No matter what troubles beset him, no matter how difficult his path, he keeps his eyes fixed on him (v. 8a). He knows that he is secure because the Lord is not only before him, but also at his right hand (v. 8b). The LORD will show him the path of life (v. 11a), so that all is clear before him. He will come into the presence of the LORD at the end of his journey, and he will stand then at the LORD’s right hand (v. 11b, c). That is a position of glory. Peter says that God “would raise up the Christ to sit on his [David’s] throne” (Acts 2:30).
However, between the pilgrim in his walk on earth and his accession to the throne of David stands death. But Christ is not daunted. “My heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; / My flesh also will rest in hope. / For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, / Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption” (vv. 9-10).
Throughout the sonf focuses intensely on the LORD. The pilgrim prays to him for preservation, confesses his name, rejoices in his goodness and the inheritance he gives, takes counsel from him, seeks him, trusts him to be with him, and hopes for pleasures at his right hand. He knows that nothing that a pilgrim needs will be lacking to him.
That is the faith of our Lord during his pilgrimage. It is also ours because we are dead and buried with him (Rom. 6:1-11). Like David we will see corruption, but our Lord will undo it when the body sown in corruption is raised in incorruption. “It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:43-44). He will transform our bodies to be like his own most glorious body, “according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself” (Phil. 3:21).