Psalm 16:8 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

NIV: I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

NASB: I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

CSB: I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

NLT: I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

KJV: I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

NKJV: I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.

Here, David testifies that he trusts in the Lord to protect and defend him. In ancient writing, the "right hand" represented someone's ultimate strength and power. In the case of David, the sense that God was at his right hand was a feeling of confidence.

Along the same lines, David has identified the Lord as his guide (Psalm 16:7), now he identifies God as his guard. Having the Lord as a protection kept David confident and unafraid. Nothing would move or shake him. He was secure in all the blessings the Lord had bestowed on him. This goes beyond a shallow assumption that David will survive—as the following passage shows, this is a confidence that God is eternally with David even if he meets death (Psalm 16:9–11).

In John 10:28–29 Jesus promises to safeguard all who trust in Him. He says, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." David knew that even if he walked through the valley of the shadow of death he did not have to fear because the Lord, his Shepherd, would protect him (Psalm 23:4).

Psalm 16:5–8 expresses David's elation in God and gives reasons for it. This celebratory tone is set up by the prior passage, which established God as David's ultimate refuge and source of goodness. The verses in this section form the core of the psalm's joyful song. David rejoices in his relationship with the Lord, in his inheritance in Israel, and in the Lord's direction for his life.

David asks the Lord for protection, trusting in God as a safe place from enemies and evil. He confesses that apart from the Lord he has nothing good. This psalm exudes David's joy, using words such as "delight," "pleasant," "glad," "rejoices," "joy," and "pleasures." David celebrates his relationship with God. Because the Lord is with him always, David feels secure, even in the face of death. This is because his eternal destiny is assured. His celebration foreshadows the Messiah, who would conquer death and experience resurrection.

This psalm belongs with those expressing David's confidence in the Lord. Despite opposition, David knew God was guiding and protecting him. The psalm exudes joy as David places his trust in the Lord. Perhaps David wrote these words after the Lord gave His covenant to David (2 Samuel 7:1–17) and guaranteed David would have an everlasting throne. A phrase in verse 10 is often cited in the New Testament when discussing the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.