Psalm 16:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.

NIV: I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

NASB: I will bless the Lord who has advised me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.

CSB: I will bless the Lord who counsels me -- even at night when my thoughts trouble me.

NLT: I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me.

KJV: I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

NKJV: I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.

In close fellowship with the Lord David received guidance from God. The Lord told him what to do and what to avoid. Even during many nights, the Lord instructed David. In response to that help, David blessed the Lord. To "bless" means to speak well of.

David calls the Lord's counsel "instruction." David's statement here uses the Hebrew word kilyot, which refers to his inner organs—literally, to the kidneys. In Hebrew thinking, this was the center of one's feelings and emotions, much as "the heart" is used in modern English. It is the innermost part of a person (Psalm 139:13; Proverbs 23:16). That David then speaks about this in the context of guidance from God suggests the idea of the human conscience. When David did wrong, the Lord brought a feeling of correction, and David learned from it.

The Lord instructs believers today from His written Word. It is given for "training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). However, when a believer acts contrary to Scripture, God teaches him by chastening him. God treats believers as sons by chastening them. The chastening is temporary, and it is designed to yield "the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:7–11).

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.