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Psalms 16:2
Verse
Context
Sermons
Bob Clark
Thomas Watson
St. AugustineSummary
Commentary
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
my soul--must be supplied; expressed in similar cases (Psa 42:5, Psa 42:11). my goodness . . . thee--This obscure passage is variously expounded. Either one of two expositions falls in with the context. "My goodness" or merit is not on account of Thee--that is, is not for Thy benefit. Then follows the contrast of Psa 16:3 (but is), in respect, or for the saints, &c.--that is, it enures to them. Or, my goodness--or happiness is not besides Thee--that is, without Thee I have no other source of happiness. Then, "to the saints," &c., means that the same privilege of deriving happiness from God only is theirs. The first is the most consonant with the Messianic character of the Psalm, though the latter is not inconsistent with it.
John Gill Bible Commentary
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord,.... Some take these to be the words of David speaking to the church, who had owned the Lord to be her Lord, and had declared what follows; others think they are the words of God the Father to his Son, suggesting to him what he had said; but they are rather an apostrophe, or an address of Christ to his own soul; and the phrase, "O my soul", though not in the original text, is rightly supplied by our translators, and which is confirmed by the Targum, and by the Jewish commentators, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi; thou art my Lord; Christ, as man, is a creature made by God; his human nature is the true tabernacle which God pitched and not man, and on this consideration he is his Lord, being his Creator; and as Mediator Christ is his servant, and was made under the law to him, obeyed him, and submitted to his will in all things; so that he not only in words said he was his Lord, but by deeds declared him to be so; my goodness extendeth not to thee; such who suppose that David here speaks in his own person, or in the person of other believers, or that the church here speaks, differently interpret these words: some render them, "my goodness is not above thee" (l); it is far inferior to thine, it is not to be mentioned with it, it is nothing in comparison of it; all my goodness, happiness, and felicity lies, in thee, Psa 73:25; others, "I have no goodness without thee": the sense is the same as if it was "I have said", as read the Greek, Vulgate Latin, and Oriental versions, and so Apollinarius; I have none but what comes from thee; what I have is given me by thee, which is the sense of the Targum; see Jam 1:17; others, "my goodness is not upon thee" (m); does not lie upon thee, or thou art not obliged to bestow the blessings of goodness on me; they are not due to me, they spring from thy free grace and favour; to this sense incline Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi; see Luk 17:10; others, "thou hast no need of my goodness"; nor wilt it profit thee, so R. Joseph Kimchi; see Job 22:2; or the words may be rendered, "O my goodness", or "thou art my good, nothing is above thee" (n); no goodness in any superior to God. But they are the words of Christ, and to be understood of his goodness; not of his essential goodness as God, nor of his providential goodness, the same with his Father's; but of his special goodness, and the effect of it to his church and people; and denotes his love, grace, and good will towards them, shown in his incarnation, sufferings, and death; and the blessings of goodness which come thereby; such as a justifying righteousness, forgiveness of sin, peace, and reconciliation, redemption, salvation, and eternal life. Now though God is glorified by Christ in his incarnation, sufferings, and death, and in the work of man's redemption, yet he stood in no need of the obedience and sufferings of his Son; he could have glorified his justice another way, as he did in not sparing the angels that sinned, in drowning the old world, and in burning Sodom and Gomorrah, and in other instances of his vengeance; though there is glory to God in the highest in the affair of salvation by Christ, yet the good will is to men; though the debt of obedience and sufferings was paid to the justice of God, whereby that is satisfied and glorified, yet the kindness in paying the debt was not to God but to men, described in Psa 16:8. (l) "bonum meum non est supra te", Gejerus. (m) "Bonum meum non est super te", Montanus, Cocceius. (n) So Gussetius, p. 299.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
16:2 I said to the Lord: The various writers of the psalms pray, lament, and praise the Lord throughout the Psalter, and the Lord answers them (see 12:5-6).
Psalms 16:2
The Presence of the LORD
1Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge. 2I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” 3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.
- Scripture
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- Commentary
Prayer 04 a Praying Saviour
By Bob Clark1.2K37:14Prayer LifePSA 16:2MAT 6:6MAT 6:33MRK 1:35LUK 5:15LUK 6:12LUK 11:1In this sermon, the preacher discusses the importance of prayer in the life of a believer. He highlights how even Jesus, in his earthly ministry, demonstrated the significance of prayer by frequently engaging in it. The preacher emphasizes the need for believers to separate themselves and align their will with God's will. He also mentions the concept of baptism as a symbol of repentance and the remission of sins. Throughout the sermon, the preacher encourages listeners to prioritize prayer and seek a deeper connection with God.
The Perfume of Love
By Thomas Watson0PSA 16:2JHN 13:34ROM 13:8EPH 2:19COL 3:141PE 1:221PE 4:81JN 3:141JN 4:16Thomas Watson preaches on the importance of fervent and pure love among Christians, emphasizing that love is a crucial grace that adorns true religion. He delves into the command, extent, manner, and degree of love, highlighting the need for genuine affection and zeal in loving one another. Watson provides arguments to enforce love, such as it being a command from God, the most excellent grace that seasons all actions, and a mark of true discipleship. He also explores how love sets a crown of honor on true religion, the necessity of love as a debt to be paid, and how love makes believers resemble God.
Of the Complacency and Delight God Had in Himself, and the Divine Persons in Each other...
By John Gill0The TrinityGod's DelightPSA 16:2REV 4:11John Gill emphasizes the profound complacency and delight that God experienced within Himself and among the divine Persons before the creation of any beings. He explains that God's happiness is complete and self-sufficient, independent of creation, and that His eternal purposes and the mutual delight among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit reflect a perfect relationship. Gill highlights that God's creation was not born out of necessity but from His sovereign will, and that the divine Persons took joy in the foreviews of their plans for salvation. The sermon illustrates the eternal satisfaction of God and the joy He finds in His elect, affirming that His love and delight are not contingent upon creation but are intrinsic to His nature.
Homily 8 1 John 4:12-16
By St. Augustine0PSA 16:2MAT 9:12LUK 15:4ROM 5:5HEB 12:61JN 4:12St. Augustine preaches about the importance of love, emphasizing that loving one another is a powerful way for God to abide in us and for His love to be perfected in us. He highlights the significance of confessing Jesus as the Son of God, which leads to God dwelling in us and us in God. Augustine urges believers to practice charity and mercy, not for the praise of men but for the glory of God, as true love is rooted in wishing well for others. He contrasts the works of pride, driven by self-glory, with the works of charity that are motivated by a genuine desire to help and uplift others. Augustine encourages the congregation to love their enemies, as in doing so, they are loving their brethren and imitating Christ's example of forgiveness and transformation.
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
my soul--must be supplied; expressed in similar cases (Psa 42:5, Psa 42:11). my goodness . . . thee--This obscure passage is variously expounded. Either one of two expositions falls in with the context. "My goodness" or merit is not on account of Thee--that is, is not for Thy benefit. Then follows the contrast of Psa 16:3 (but is), in respect, or for the saints, &c.--that is, it enures to them. Or, my goodness--or happiness is not besides Thee--that is, without Thee I have no other source of happiness. Then, "to the saints," &c., means that the same privilege of deriving happiness from God only is theirs. The first is the most consonant with the Messianic character of the Psalm, though the latter is not inconsistent with it.
John Gill Bible Commentary
O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord,.... Some take these to be the words of David speaking to the church, who had owned the Lord to be her Lord, and had declared what follows; others think they are the words of God the Father to his Son, suggesting to him what he had said; but they are rather an apostrophe, or an address of Christ to his own soul; and the phrase, "O my soul", though not in the original text, is rightly supplied by our translators, and which is confirmed by the Targum, and by the Jewish commentators, Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi; thou art my Lord; Christ, as man, is a creature made by God; his human nature is the true tabernacle which God pitched and not man, and on this consideration he is his Lord, being his Creator; and as Mediator Christ is his servant, and was made under the law to him, obeyed him, and submitted to his will in all things; so that he not only in words said he was his Lord, but by deeds declared him to be so; my goodness extendeth not to thee; such who suppose that David here speaks in his own person, or in the person of other believers, or that the church here speaks, differently interpret these words: some render them, "my goodness is not above thee" (l); it is far inferior to thine, it is not to be mentioned with it, it is nothing in comparison of it; all my goodness, happiness, and felicity lies, in thee, Psa 73:25; others, "I have no goodness without thee": the sense is the same as if it was "I have said", as read the Greek, Vulgate Latin, and Oriental versions, and so Apollinarius; I have none but what comes from thee; what I have is given me by thee, which is the sense of the Targum; see Jam 1:17; others, "my goodness is not upon thee" (m); does not lie upon thee, or thou art not obliged to bestow the blessings of goodness on me; they are not due to me, they spring from thy free grace and favour; to this sense incline Jarchi, Aben Ezra, and Kimchi; see Luk 17:10; others, "thou hast no need of my goodness"; nor wilt it profit thee, so R. Joseph Kimchi; see Job 22:2; or the words may be rendered, "O my goodness", or "thou art my good, nothing is above thee" (n); no goodness in any superior to God. But they are the words of Christ, and to be understood of his goodness; not of his essential goodness as God, nor of his providential goodness, the same with his Father's; but of his special goodness, and the effect of it to his church and people; and denotes his love, grace, and good will towards them, shown in his incarnation, sufferings, and death; and the blessings of goodness which come thereby; such as a justifying righteousness, forgiveness of sin, peace, and reconciliation, redemption, salvation, and eternal life. Now though God is glorified by Christ in his incarnation, sufferings, and death, and in the work of man's redemption, yet he stood in no need of the obedience and sufferings of his Son; he could have glorified his justice another way, as he did in not sparing the angels that sinned, in drowning the old world, and in burning Sodom and Gomorrah, and in other instances of his vengeance; though there is glory to God in the highest in the affair of salvation by Christ, yet the good will is to men; though the debt of obedience and sufferings was paid to the justice of God, whereby that is satisfied and glorified, yet the kindness in paying the debt was not to God but to men, described in Psa 16:8. (l) "bonum meum non est supra te", Gejerus. (m) "Bonum meum non est super te", Montanus, Cocceius. (n) So Gussetius, p. 299.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
16:2 I said to the Lord: The various writers of the psalms pray, lament, and praise the Lord throughout the Psalter, and the Lord answers them (see 12:5-6).