The Path of Life, a Reflection on Psalm 16

When Peter preached to the crowd in Jerusalem about the resurrection of Jesus, he used the words from Psalm 16 telling how David had trusted God to protect him. Compare Acts 2:25-28 with Psalm 16:8-11.

David (or the psalmist in the voice of David) is praying to God for protection, reminding God (or himself) of the care that God, and only God, is capable of giving, and has been giving.

Peter's congregation needed reassurance.

And we, their descendants, need reassurance. During this week after we have just celebrated the resurrection of Christ, we can read the morning newspaper or watch the TV news and hear about war, crime, storm damage, disease, hunger, and so on and so on. Yes, we still need reassurance.

Psalm 16 provides words that are still relevant to our time:

Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you."

We need protection; we can't do it all by ourselves.