Heavenly Security - Psalm 16:9-11

When we think about security in general, we often default to things that protect us: security guards, security systems, alarms, cameras, motion detectors, and lights. Things that deter criminals from harming us or our possessions. If we have a need for these things, it means that there is the possibility that we are not safe where we are at. A few years ago we had a security system installed in our home. Not because we live in an unsafe neighborhood, but because, you know, what if? The thing that struck me the most about our system, what that there was a special “hostage code”. If someone in our home was already threatened and was told to turn off the alarm under the threat of harm, they could enter the special code. The alarm would turn off, and the police would immediately be alerted to come to the house ready for the situation. Yikes. The guy installing the system said we would be surprised just how often the hostage codes had to be used. You hope you never have to, but when you need it, you really need it.

The security of God is not just about protecting us from physical harm in this world. Jesus says in Matthew 10:28, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” There is much more at stake than our physical wellbeing in this life. The time we spend on earth is so short compared to the eternity we will spend with God. Just because we suffer pain, it does not mean we are outside of God’s will or protection.

This is the third and final post on Psalm 16. These last verses take what was said in all the previous verses and turn it back in praise to God who has prepared a place for us with Him for all eternity.

Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body will also rest secure,

because you will not abandon me to the grace,

nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

You have made known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Therefore, because we have no good thing apart from God (vs 2), because we delight in the saints and holy ones that are among us and have gone before (vs 3), because we stay true to our God and do not run after worthless idols (vs 4), because God provides for all our physical and spiritual needs and puts in places where we can worship and know Him (vs 5-6), because we receive instruction from Him (vs 7), and because He stands with us as we go through life, therefore, we can rejoice and be secure in our salvation. When our eyes are fixed fully on Jesus, the author of our salvation, we rejoice and rest secure. When we turn our eyes away and look at the world, we begin to wonder about our security.

The verse from Matthew above is basically saying that while on earth, we may be killed physically, but that is the extent of man’s power. The harm is just physical, and as I said previously, our time on earth is so small compared with eternity. God, however, can erase our very existence and destroy both our bodies and souls. So why do we fear this world more than we fear and revere God? Especially when we have the promise of verse 10: “you will not abandon me to the grave.” This verse is not just about death, but divine rejection.[1] God is not going to reject his faithful followers and consign them to an eternity of separation from His glory and presence.

Instead, He makes known to us the path of life. Note that this is a singular “path” not a plural “paths”. There is only one path to life and it is through Jesus. This path leads to God’s presence where we are filled with joy, and eternal pleasures. All the suffering, troubles, tears, and stress of living in this world terminate before the throne of God. There is an end to it all! Those things are taken from us when we stand before God, and are replaced with joy and gladness, rejoicing and pleasure, and the truest security we could ever have.

We can stand confidently in this truth because Christ, who went before and bore the sins of the whole word, also was not abandoned to the grave, or to divine wrath and rejection (Acts 2:24-36).[2] The hardships we face are nothing compared to what Christ suffered on the cross. When the Father turned His face away from Jesus, he suffered soul ripping pain that we will never have to endure. Yet, Jesus was not abandoned to death and decay, instead he rose from the grave victorious over death so now we who believe are also offered this same victory over death because we get to have life with God.

And the amazing thing is that this life starts now, here on earth. When we chose faith, obedience, and the pursuit of holiness, we begin our new lives. Trying to keep ourselves and our families secure and safe while here on earth is not a bad thing, unless we put our faith in our own inventions and preventative measures instead of in God. Our lives are not just about avoiding pain, but embracing God and the places He takes us so that we can truly acknowledge that apart from you I have no good thing (16:2).

God provides not just for our physical needs—food and drink (16:5-6), but also for our spiritual needs and eternal lives (16:7-8). Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 when he says, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)” We need to hunger for God and His word because if we want to live in His presence in heaven, we need to live for his presence while here on earth.

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[1] D. Guthrie and J.A. Motyer, eds., The New Bible Commentary; Revised (London: Intervarsity Press, 1970), 460.

[2] Ibid.