Psalm 16 – Our Good Inheritance
By Bunni Pounds
*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.
Someone wrote me a note the other day and said this – “Reading your writings on Psalms - I feel as though I’m listening in on your more personal meditation times with Jesus.”
Well – to be honest you are. I hope it blesses you and stirs you to discover what God can show you in His Word yourself. I am not special – just a girl in politics who loves the Word of God.
This exercise of meditating on a Psalm, reading it over and over again in a week, writing about it, speaking about it, and praying it in my own private times with Jesus and in front of you all during our weekly Bible Study on Monday mornings has been such a life-giving process for me personally. It has made me linger on a passage of scripture longer than I normally would, and His words are getting inside of me and changing me.
I pray you are getting a little bit of blessing from it as well. (Yes, I am chuckling as I say that!)
Before I even start on this Psalm, can I just tell you about my last month or so? Can I be honest?
I have been in a state of constantly complaining inside that I am not where I want to be.
I have been complaining to God that I don’t have enough time, that I am so tired, that I hate living a life divided between two jobs/two callings, and that I need a breakthrough.
In my mind I am thinking – I need a breakthrough in my circumstances. I want my life to change. I feel like I have been birthing a change or transition for over two years now, but it isn’t here, so I just murmur to myself - “Isn’t it time yet, God?”
As I am reading this back to myself – I see how much like the children of Israel I am – wanting more than the manna that God provided every day. Not being content with daily bread but wanting something more elaborate or gourmet.
Then I read the opening verse of Psalm 16:
“Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.” (verse 1)
Then I read this one…
“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.” (verse 5-6)
I have now been hit with conviction by a two by four. What in the heck am I complaining about?
I have been so blessed. “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Yes, I have a good inheritance.”
Whether I have one assignment, two assignments, or three assignments – Jesus is my inheritance, not what I do for a living or where I spend my working time.
That is how I have always lived my life as a “tentmaker” doing ministry (worship leading, teaching Bible Studies, leading a church, doing evangelism) around my political job – why am I discontented that the plan has not changed?
The whole of Psalm 16 is to bring us to place of contentment even in the struggles of life.
The struggle is real – my friend!
If your heart is reaching for more of God, there is a discontentment that is always there. That is a good thing, not a bad thing – but this is the key…
“I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.” (verse 8)
We need to put the Lord’s words, His voice, and His worthiness always in the place of highest priority in our lives – so that we can remain stable and remain where we can “not be moved.”
Most of us know the story of Mary and Martha – both good friends of Jesus, but one was busy serving Him while the other, Mary, just sat at His feet and took in all His words. Her loving affection and attention to Him really impacted His heart.
I am constantly falling back into the “Martha mentality” – serving over loving. Even though Jesus loved Martha - being thankful for her friendship and service – he made it so clear what He preferred – only “one thing is needed.”
“And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)
Jesus himself when he was on the earth struggled in the tension of His heavenly calling and His earthly calling. Can you imagine being fully God and fully Man – and feeling the tension of that day in and day out?
He had to do the same thing that He is asking us to do today – run to the Father. When the crowds pressed in around Him wanting His attention and affections – He took breaks and ran to the Father. When the disciples peppered Him with questions for days - He took a break and ran to the Father. The place of prayer was not just a discipline for Him – it was the place where He met His Father.
“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (verses 9-11)
The final section of this Psalm is a prophetic passage that the Apostle Peter uses in His sermon in Acts 2 concerning Jesus. Peter shared it from the point of view of Jesus – resting in hope even knowing that He would die but that His Father would raise Him up from the grave. Jesus knew in His heart that He would be fully in His Father’s presence again with fullness of joy and at His right hand with pleasures forevermore.
This is the message for us today in the midst of our own struggles.
Are you tired?
Find hope, peace, satisfaction in Him.
We will not find satisfaction setting up a ministry to serve Him. We will not find satisfaction working to get to some pinnacle of success. We must know to the depth of our souls that He is our GREAT INHERITANCE.
Our portion is just simply spending time with Him, loving Him, and doing what we will do for all eternity – call Him worthy of our praise. It sounds over simplistic, but that revelation can set us free.
This week – I have run away by myself for a few days to seek God and it has been so good.
Here are the words that keep ringing loudly in my ears. It is the Holy Spirit trying to break through all the noise in my life and get me settled again.
Maybe some of this is for you as well….
Do not quit!
Lay down complaining.
Live in simplicity.
Seek contentment.
Live in deep communion with Me.
Find Me in the stillness.
Don’t be afraid of tears – they reveal your soft heart.
Set a table for others to find Me too.
Know this is the Hour of My greatest desire for My children….
I am your portion.
I will maintain what I have given you to do.
Let go and just love Me.
Only “One Thing” is needed.
Know that I am your good inheritance.
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