Establish the need: Is this Psalm Messianic? Many Bible scholars seems to think it is not, but what about you?
Purpose: In this session we will see three points concerning this Psalm’s Messianic character so that we would be at awe with God.
- Psalm 16 is Messianic because the New Testament use that way
- Psalm 16 is Messianic because of context of Book 1 of the Psalms
- Psalm 16 is Messianic because of details within Psalm 16
Psalm 16 is Messianic because the New Testament use that way
Citation 1: “he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.” (Acts 2:31)[1]
- Peter is preaching
- Peter quotes from Psalm 16:10.
- Peter attribute this as being about Jesus.
Citation 2: “Therefore, He also says in another Psalm: ‘You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.’ For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, fell asleep, and was buried among his fathers and underwent decay; 37 but He whom God raised did not undergo decay.” (Acts 13:36-37)[2]
- Paul is preaching
- Paul quotes from Psalm 16:10.
- Paul attribute this as being about Jesus.
Given the authority of the Word of God we must conclude that the New Testament infallibly interpreted Psalm 16 as pointing to the Messiah. The next question is how does Psalm 16 points us to the Messiah?
Psalm 16 is Messianic because of context of Book 1 of the Psalms
Context of Book 1 of the Psalms
- Psalms have 5 books.
- Book 1 is from Psalm 1-41 which Psalm 16 is a part of.
- There are prominent Messianic Psalms in book 1: Psalm 2, 3, 8, 22, 23, 24.
- Since there are Messianic Psalms in Book 1 we are not surprise if there’s Messianic Psalms; that should be our expectation.
Context of the grouping of Psalm 15-24
- There’s a chiastic structure here.[3]
- Entrance to the Presence of God: Psalm 15 (see 1-5)
- Trusting in the Messiah’s suffering: Psalm 16
- Prayer for help: Psalm 17
- Royal Psalm: Psalm 18
- Torah Psalm: Psalm 19
- Royal Psalm: Psalm 20-21
- Royal Psalm: Psalm 18
- Prayer for help: Psalm 22
- Prayer for help: Psalm 17
- Trusting in the Messiah’s suffering: Psalm 23
- Trusting in the Messiah’s suffering: Psalm 16
- Entrance to the Presence of God: Psalm 24 (see 3-5)
- Entrance to the Presence of God: Psalm 15 (see 1-5)
- Psalm 16 parallel with Psalm 23 which suggests this Psalm 16 is Messianic.[4]
- “Goodness” mentioned in Psalm 16:2 is also mentioned in Psalm 23:6.
- “My cup” mentioned in Psalm 16:5 is also mentioned in Psalm 23:5. In the Old Testament the Hebrew phrase “My Cup” appears only twice, and it is found here with these two verses.[5]
- Being before the Presence of God forever is mentioned in Psalm 16:11 is also mentioned in Psalm 23:6.
- We can fortify the case that Psalm 16 is Messianic by making further observation of the Chiastic pattern where Psalm 17 is Messianic since it parallel the Messianic Psalm of Psalm 22.[6]
- The Person speaking is surrounded in Psalm 17:9, 11 is also mentioned in Psalm 22:12, 16.
- A lion is mentioned in Psalm 17:17 which is also mentioned in Psalm 22:13, 21.
- Both Psalms use the Hebrew root verb for save/rescue (plt) in Psalm 17:13 and Psalm 22:4, 22:8.
Psalm 16 is Messianic because of details within Psalm 16
My outline of this Psalm
- King’s confidence in requesting for preservation (1)
- King’s confidence in God’s goodness in land of living (2-7)
- King’s confidence in God’s goodness in death (8-11)
This passage should understood to be prophetic: “I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalm 16:8)
- Verb “set” in the Greek translation is προοράω.
- The verb προοράω is used in Acts 2:31 as “see in advance” [7]
Verse 10 is not talking about David
- Notice 10b talks about someone different than the rest of the Psalm.[8]
- Rest of the Psalm is about David in the first person:
- “my inheritance” (5)
- “my cup” (5)
- “my lot.” (5)
- “me”(8)
- “my right hand”(8)
- “my heart”(9)
- “My flesh”(9)
- But here is a third person description: “Your Holy One” (10b)
- Rest of the Psalm is about David in the first person:
What happened to the Holy One? “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” (v.10)
- The word “decay” in Hebrew is sht is used in Job 17:13 where it is translated as grave: “If I call to the grave, ‘You are my father’; To the maggot, ‘my mother and my sister’”[9] (The rest of the context in Job 17:13-16 is clearly talking about death).
- Thus we see what this verse is predicting is that the Holy One will face death.
- Yet He will also not be dead forever since God will not abandon Him! Thus this Holy One will be resurrected!
Who is God’s “Holy One” (v.10b)?
- The term “Holy One” must be understood in the context of Psalm 16:2b where David confesses “You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You” so it will presumptuous of David to call Himself the Holy One.
- Process of elimination: This Person further can’t David because David did die and his body underwent decay.
- In the New Testament Peter identify Psalm 16:10 is talking about Jesus in Acts 2:24-32![10]
- In the New Testament Paul identify Psalm 16:10 is talking about Jesus in Acts 13:34-37![11]
[1] Source: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_016.pdf
[2] Source: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_016.pdf
[3] Modified from Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 519.
[4] Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 520.
[5] Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 526.
[6] Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 520.
[7] Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 520.
[8] Dale Ralph Davis, Slogging Along in the Paths of the Righteous: Psalms 13-24, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2016), 65.
[9] Seth Postell, “Psalm 16: The Resurrected Messiah” in The Moody Handbook of Messianic Prophecy (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers, 2018), 524.
[10] Dale Ralph Davis, Slogging Along in the Paths of the Righteous: Psalms 13-24, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2016), 63.
[11] Dale Ralph Davis, Slogging Along in the Paths of the Righteous: Psalms 13-24, (Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2016), 63.
The Domain for Truth 
Thank you for this good study. I had written note in my Bible from Acts but you opened up the teaching.
The word of God is so rich and deep, with similitudes and ‘double prophies’. I pray to go deeper and appreciate godly insight.
I hope all is well brother.
Wow praying for your studies! I am encouraged to hear that!!!
Excellent insight. It is absolutely Messianic.
Shalom!
Great work with chiastic structure!!!! Psalm 16 is beautiful thank you for teaching on it!!! Sorry I fell asleep early last night!
Thanks for reading this! I hope you got some good rest sister Mandy! I hope Nathan’s eyes are doing better and you are well rested!
Thanks for breaking down Messianic Psalm 16! It’s always a thrill to read your Messianic Psalms posts.
Thanks for reading this! I finished this at 4 AM! These things are like coffee, it keeps you up hyped up and worshiping God!!! How goes your day?
I don’t do 4AM late-nights (that’s when I get up!) but I know what you mean about getting hyped up and worshiping God. Responding to Broussard gets me hyped and the hours fly by.
Much slower today than yesterday although I waited on the phone for an hour to talk to someone at the IRS. We have a tax knot we need to untie linked to my wife’s disability payments. I just love taxes!
How is your Wednesday going?
That Holy One must be someone greater than David
Indeed from the details that we read He must be someone not David!!
This is educational
Really interesting and helpful study, thank you
Brother Andy, thanks for reading this! It is amazing I think of how many Old Testament Passages that anticipate the Messiah! Makes one loves Jesus more, doesn’t it?
It sure does! Praise the Lord
I didn’t see the connection between Psalms 16:10 and Acts 2:31, 13:36 before. Thank you for pointing it out.
Awesome to hear that! Praise God! Have a blessed day today Frank!
Reblogged this on clydeherrin.
This is amazing to see Psalms can be prophecies
Indeed I’m amaze when I look into the exegetical details! It blows my mind!!!
Praise God for the depth of HIs Word
So wonderful to see instances in the OT that clearly point to Christ Jesus! “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Cor. 1:20) I didn’t know the chiastic structure extended to the order of psalms as well as internally within a psalm. That is a great insight into psalmody! 🙏🙂
It seems to me the last few years that Psalms have a lot of prophecies and chiastic structure and inter-connections between the Psalms that yields much fruit with seeing the Messiah and the Gospel with use of literary device such as Chiasms and shared vocabularies. So astounding isn’t it? Makes me marvel at God the author behind the Psalms!!!
Oh yes! May our Lord continue to open our eyes to the wonders of His word!! 🙏♥️
[…] 4.) Psalm 16 is Messianic […]
[…] of this verse. I recognize the debate among biblical scholars and theologians on the merits of Psalm 16 as a “Messianic Psalm.” But I also accept that the Word speaks to us and breathes life into us. Just looking at how […]