Scripture
1Keep me safe, O God,
for I have come to you for refuge.
2I said to the Lord, “You are my Master!
Every good thing I have comes from you.”
3The godly people in the land
are my true heroes!
I take pleasure in them!
4Troubles multiply for those who chase after other gods.
I will not take part in their sacrifices of blood
or even speak the names of their gods.
5Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
6The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!
7I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
8I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
9No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice.[1]
My body rests in safety.
10For you will not leave my soul among the dead[2]
or allow your holy one[3] to rot in the grave.
11You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever.[4]
Translation notes (4)
- 16:9 Greek version reads and my tongue shouts his praises. Compare Acts 2:26.
- 16:10a Hebrew in Sheol.
- 16:10b Or your Holy One.
- 16:11 Greek version reads You have shown me the way of life, / and you will fill me with the joy of your presence. Compare Acts 2:28.
I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.
Are you feeling lonely today? As I write this, we are facing a nationwide pandemic, the coronavirus, and many of us are working from home and practicing social distancing. It can feel very lonely. I am clinging to the truth that I am not alone because God is with me. Maybe you need the reminder today, too, that you are not alone; God is with you. We are going to talk about this today as we study Psalm chapter 16, and we are going to be reminded that we are never alone if we place our faith in Christ.
We find in Psalm 16 that God is a refuge for us. As our refuge, He protects us in times of trouble. Recounting on these truths about God, the Psalmist says, "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me" (verse 8). This means that in times when it feels like we are all alone and all by ourselves, we can rest assured that we are not alone because God is right beside us. The fact that He is right beside us means that He is walking with us through any storm we face, including the monsoon of loneliness. This is the truth that we can hold on to in times of loneliness.
Are you feeling lonely today? Let me assure you, my friend, that, even when it feels like you have no one else, God is with you, right by your side. He will never leave you. He is your refuge. He is walking with you as you navigate times of loneliness. May you find deep comfort in this truth today.
Moving Toward Action
Take some time today to really focus on the digging deeper section, which is listed below. Read through these verses in Psalm chapter 16 three times. As you read these verses, underline the words, phrases, and statements that stand out to you. As you read these verses, may you be reminded that you are not alone because God is with you.
Going Deeper
Read Psalm 16:1-11 (NLT)
Loading saved progress…
Your place is saved in this browser. It will not follow you to another device, and clearing browser data removes it.