Marsha's Musings: Psalm 16:8-9

What are the requirements for a Christian to have a glad heart, be rejoicing, rest in hope and not be spiritually moved? The answer is so simple, yet such a challenge!

Psalm 16:8 ¶ I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.

1. Set the Lord always before me Ver. 8. I have set the Lord always before me. David did not by fits and starts set the Lord before him; but he "always" set the Lord before him in his course; he had his eye upon the Lord, and so much the Hebrew word imports: I have equally set the Lord before me; that is the force of the original word, that is, I have set the Lord before me, at one time as well as another, without any irregular affections or passions, etc. In every place, in every condition, in every company, in every employment, and in every enjoyment, I have set the Lord equally before me; and this raised him, and this will raise any Christian, by degrees, to a very great height of holiness. Thomas Brooks.
2. Keep Him at my right hand (always aware of Him) Ver. 8. Because he is at my right hand, etc. Of ourselves we stand not at any time, by his power we may overcome at all times. And when we are sorest assaulted he is ever ready at our right hand to support and stay us that we shall not fall. He hath well begun, and shall happily go forward in his work, who hath in truth begun. For true grace well planted in the heart, how weak soever, shall hold out for ever. All total decays come from this -- that the heart was never truly mollified, nor grace deeply and kindly rooted therein. John Ball.

Keeping the Lord ever before us requires obedience to the New Testament commands that tell us to do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.

In order to obey this, God has to be foremost in all our thoughts as we go through our day. We can do the most dispised jobs around the house and still have a glad, rejoicing heart if we are doing it with a view to bringing glory to God.

We can be assaulted by bad news, or difficult times, but if we are keeping the Lord foremost in our thoughts, we can still rest in hope and not be spiritually moved by it.

This is a challenge though for me. It takes work to not lean on my own understanding. It takes work to acknowledge Him in all my ways...including how I react to circumstances in my life.