The Psalter is remarkable because in it you can find examples of many life situations. The author of Psalm 16 offers prayers to God during a time of persecution. A characteristic feature of the prayer is that the person saying it is completely confident that he is right. He is in danger, he is threatened by enemies, but still finds reliable refuge - the Lord Himself, whose righteousness is beyond doubt. Therefore, not everyone will dare to talk with the Creator the way David did.
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Circumstances of writing the psalm
King David did not immediately become a rich and famous ruler. At first, he was an ordinary shepherd who did not even think about claiming power. The history of his life, including his accession to the throne, can be traced, in particular, through the psalms. Most of them he wrote himself, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. And although the texts were compiled in response to very specific life circumstances, Psalm 16 is filled with such deep meaning that it remains relevant in any time.
David was the youngest of eight children and tended sheep. But even in this traditional occupation he was able to prove himself as an extraordinary person. Seeing a wild beast, he did not run, but boldly entered into battle and won, protecting the cattle. Such devotion gave him an excellent reputation. In those days, livestock was expensive, so people highly valued shepherds who preserved the property entrusted to them.
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The young shepherd had a pleasant appearance, he was strong, spoke well and was a skilled musician. After all, the psalter is nothing more than a stringed instrument. Therefore, David is often depicted precisely while chanting prayers, which he himself composed. The first king of Israel, Saul, provoked the wrath of God by being disobedient, stubborn, and harsh. The Lord made young David his chosen one, which he announced to him through the prophet Samuel.
Saul, who at first became very attached to the young man, soon became a sworn enemy, since he saw him as a rival.
- Twice Saul tried to kill David, after which he was forced to flee.
- The Lord guided the actions of His chosen one, sending him revelations.
- Together with his followers, the young man found refuge with his former enemies. The king of the Philistines donated an entire city to the disgraced young man.
Saul was stubborn, so he pursued his opponent for a long time, although he repeatedly tried to make it clear that he did not want to take power from him by force. It was during this period that David turned to God in prayer.
Interpretation
To understand the deep meaning of the ancient sacred song, it is necessary to analyze the interpretation of the 16th Psalm in verse:
- Verse 7: David realized that Saul was not against him personally, but against God's plan for him as God's anointed one.
- Verse 15: Unlike David's evil opponents, the prophet can hope that he will be filled with blessedness and that the Lord will accept him when he comes in all his glory. Having survived all the attacks, temptations and insults of evil people, a modern Christian will feel the blissful peace of the soul given by God.
- Verse 2: “My destiny depends on you,” David turns to God, “and it is from you that I will see a fair solution to my difficulties. In the same way, every Christian today can hope for the help of a very good God, relying on His will, as David shows us.
- Verses 13-14: The prophet asks God to forbid the persecution of his enemies, and, having chosen the path, he commits himself to the will of God. For his innocence, David asks God not to kill his enemies, but to destroy their evil units in order to disperse them, so that in the end his enemies become fed up with their evil deeds.
- Verse 9: Israel is repeatedly compared to a bird in the Scriptures, so in this verse the prophet compares God's protection to the swift and light flapping of wings.
- Verse 3: This further reveals the meaning of the first verse. David says that his heart was “tempted,” that is, tested by the Lord when he offered him the opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David “didn’t find” hatred. The Prophet did not allow Saul to be killed while he was sleeping, and answered him with good for evil. Each Christian is often faced with this choice: to succumb to a fleeting feeling or still preserve the purity and nobility of the soul. Like gold in the smell without any admixture, so a faithful Christian passes through temptations without succumbing to them. Here David shows that even with a word he did not sin against his enemy.
- Verse 8: Here the author uses the image of the pupil of the eye, which protects the eyelid, eyelashes and eyebrows.
- Verses 5-6: “Give me the opportunity to improve your commandments,” David asks. But the prophet understands that every person is weak and infirm to firmly resist temptations and temptations, and therefore asks the Lord to establish him in the “paths,” that is, in the commandments of God. Based on the commandments of the Gospel, we are Modern Orthodox Christians, we have the opportunity to follow the path of salvation and our prayers will not be in vain.
- Verse 1: David, persecuted by his opponents, turns to God with a pure and truthful heart to understand his request. David's heart is sincere because he had no sinful feelings towards his persecutors and was alien to all evil sinful thoughts about them. That is, David’s thoughts and words are equally true.
- Verses 10-12: David's enemies turn out to be more and more arrogant and arrogant, they have no love for humanity and no pity, they push David further, they do not want to see the truth, like wild animals, they seek in secret.
Text of Psalm 16 in Russian
1 Hear, O Lord, [my] truth, listen to my cry, accept my prayer from the lips of the untruthful.
2 Let judgment come to me from Your presence; let Thy eyes look upon righteousness.
3 You tried my heart, you visited me by night, you tempted me and found nothing; My lips do not depart from my thoughts.
4 In the affairs of men, according to the word of Your mouth, I have kept myself from the ways of the oppressor.
5 Establish my steps in Your ways, so that my feet do not falter.
6 I cry to You, for You will hear me, O God; incline Your ear to me, hear my words.
7 Show Your wondrous mercy, O Savior of those who trust [in You] from those who resist Your right hand.
8 Guard me like the apple of your eye; shelter me in the shadow of your wings
9 From the presence of the wicked who attack me, from the enemies of my soul who surround me:
10 They are wrapped up in their fat, they speak arrogantly with their lips.
11 They surround us now at every step we take; they fixed their eyes to cast me down to the ground;
12 They are like a lion thirsty for prey, like a skim sitting in hidden places.
13 Arise, O Lord, warn them, bring them down. Deliver my soul from the wicked by Your sword,
14 from men by Thy hand, O Lord, from the people of the world, whose portion is in this life, whose bellies Thou fillest from Thy treasuries; their sons are satisfied and will leave the remainder to their children.
15 But I will look upon Your face in righteousness; Having awakened, I will be satisfied with Your image.
Psalm 16 read:
1 Hear, O Lord, my righteousness, attend to my prayer, make my prayer not come from flattering lips. 2 From Your presence my destiny will proceed; let my eyes see righteousness. 3 You have tempted my heart, you have visited me in the night, you have tempted me, and iniquity will not be found in me. 4 For let not my mouth speak of the works of men; for the words of thy walls I have kept cruel ways. 5 Make my steps in Your paths, so that my steps may not go astray. 6 I cried, because you have heard me, O God, incline your ear to me and hear my words. 7 Amaze Your mercy, save those who trust in You from those who resist Your right hand. 8 Save me, O Lord, like the apple of your eye, and cover me in the blood of Your wing. 9 From the presence of the wicked, they have wrought havoc on me, and have conquered my soul. 10 She shut up her fat, and her mouth spoke of pride. 11 Those who cast me out have now devoured me; they have cast their eyes upon the earth. 12 You have declared me to be like a lion ready to hunt, and like a skiman who dwells in secret places. 13 Arise, Lord, precede me and worship them, deliver my soul from the wicked, Thy weapons from Thy enemy's hand, 14 Lord, from the little ones of the earth, I divided in their belly, and Thy hidden ones from their bellies were filled, they were satisfied with their sons, and left the remains of your baby. 15 But I will appear before Your face with righteousness, I will be satisfied, and sometimes Your glory will be revealed to me.
The handwritten Psalter is explanatory. XVIII century https://lib-fond.ru
Interpretation of Psalm 16
For the first acquaintance, it is better to take the Bible in Russian. Church Slavonic can be difficult to understand without special training. It is also better to read one of the explanations of Psalm 16, compiled by the church fathers - John Chrysostom, Athanasius the Great, etc. Let us consider the meaning of this chapter of the book of Psalms in more detail.
- In form, this is a direct appeal from David to the Lord. In it he complains about his enemies, from whom he asks for protection.
- The psalmist draws special attention to the fact that he did not commit a sin, did not try to “sit on” Saul. After all, the Lord himself chose David; he did not dream about it.
- The first king of the Jews here appears as an evil wicked man who not only innocently persecutes David, but also goes against the will of God.
David is not at all trying to flaunt his righteousness or put pressure on the Creator. He begs Him to listen carefully to His arguments. Here, believers are given an example of how requests should be made. The petitioner talks about how he felt. His words are full of sincerity, free from any pretense and deceit.
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The one who prays does not rely on human judgment. No, he resorts to the One who possesses the highest justice - the king of heaven, the Creator of the visible and invisible world. Saul and his followers treated David unfairly. Psalm 16 expresses confidence that the Lord sees everyone for who they really are. The great king appears as a deceiver, the humble shepherd as the future leader of Israel, the ancestor of the family from which Jesus Christ will come.
Psalm “Psalm 16”. Reason to read
In relation to Psalm 16, we can identify key situations in which reading or listening to an audio version of the psalm will serve as a source of inspiration, support for resolving difficult circumstances:
