"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore" — Psalm 16:11
The sixteenth psalm applies unmistakably to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with reference to His death and resurrection. This is confirmed by more than one reference in the New Testament. In Acts 2, for example, Peter makes reference to it in his inaugural address on the day of Pentecost, saying "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [Acts 2:22-36]." What the psalm relates to Christ by interpretation, applies to believers by application.
Consider first, the path of life. For the incarnate Son of God, the path of life led clearly through "the valley of the shadow of death," to the cross. It was, quite literally, the Father's will for Him and the avenue of victory. And, pursuing that course, He opened up the path of life for us in a figurative and spiritual sense. "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [Rom. 6:4]."
Following the path of life leads into the presence of God. Scripture declares of Christ that God the Father "raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places… [Eph. 1:20ff]," and again, "… We have… an high priest, Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens [Heb. 8:1]" and, "… this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God… [Heb. 10:12]." For the Lord Jesus, the "path of life" led by the way of the cross to the highest position of honor and glory in the universe, and He is there today. Again, spiritually the same is true for us; for "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath [made us alive] together with Christ. (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Eph. 2:4-5]," Where He is in fact, we are in principle; at the Father's right hand.
This in turn eventuates in pleasures forevermore. While following the path of life, the Savior once said, "My meat (i.e., pleasure, gratification) is to do the will of Him who sent me [John 4:32]." If that was His pleasure while he pursued the path of life through the way of the cross, what pleasure must be His now, having been welcomed home by the Father to hear, "well done, good and faithful Servant!" So for the believer; pleasures for ever more are found abiding in His presence and immersed in His will. Moses among others, understood it; "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward [Heb. 11:24-26]."
Indeed, the path of life leads through the cross into the privilege of an abiding relationship with the Lord of glory. All else leads to death and eternal destruction ("If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die [Rom. 8:13a].") Therefore, beloved, choose LIFE!
For our everlasting pleasure,
"Pastor" Frasier
The sixteenth psalm applies unmistakably to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that with reference to His death and resurrection. This is confirmed by more than one reference in the New Testament. In Acts 2, for example, Peter makes reference to it in his inaugural address on the day of Pentecost, saying "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ [Acts 2:22-36]." What the psalm relates to Christ by interpretation, applies to believers by application.
Consider first, the path of life. For the incarnate Son of God, the path of life led clearly through "the valley of the shadow of death," to the cross. It was, quite literally, the Father's will for Him and the avenue of victory. And, pursuing that course, He opened up the path of life for us in a figurative and spiritual sense. "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life [Rom. 6:4]."
Following the path of life leads into the presence of God. Scripture declares of Christ that God the Father "raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places… [Eph. 1:20ff]," and again, "… We have… an high priest, Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens [Heb. 8:1]" and, "… this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God… [Heb. 10:12]." For the Lord Jesus, the "path of life" led by the way of the cross to the highest position of honor and glory in the universe, and He is there today. Again, spiritually the same is true for us; for "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath [made us alive] together with Christ. (by grace ye are saved;) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus [Eph. 2:4-5]," Where He is in fact, we are in principle; at the Father's right hand.
This in turn eventuates in pleasures forevermore. While following the path of life, the Savior once said, "My meat (i.e., pleasure, gratification) is to do the will of Him who sent me [John 4:32]." If that was His pleasure while he pursued the path of life through the way of the cross, what pleasure must be His now, having been welcomed home by the Father to hear, "well done, good and faithful Servant!" So for the believer; pleasures for ever more are found abiding in His presence and immersed in His will. Moses among others, understood it; "By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward [Heb. 11:24-26]."
Indeed, the path of life leads through the cross into the privilege of an abiding relationship with the Lord of glory. All else leads to death and eternal destruction ("If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die [Rom. 8:13a].") Therefore, beloved, choose LIFE!
For our everlasting pleasure,
"Pastor" Frasier
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