Your Presence I Seek
Psalms 16
David writes a song about being in God’s presence and the greatness that is.
It is Not Good…
In verse 2 David writes that apart from you there is no good. How true it is when you are not in God’s presence it is not good. When God’s hand is away from you, you are miserable. In verse 4 he also writes, “The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply.” When you are seeking the things of the world, you may feel satisfied for a second or two but soon the guilt and sorrow comes. When you keep on seeking the things and pleasure of the world you do multiply your sorrow away from God. David is speaking from what he has seen and we too can speak from either experience or watching a loved one go down that path. They are miserable and they may try to put on a front but the truth is they are miserable away from God.
With God we Discern..
In verse 7 David writes, “I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” We have the ability to discern what we need to do in certain situations when we are in God’s presence and that is because we want the things God wants. We want to please him! Being in God’s will is doing what God wants. It is when you are not in God’s will situations which should be easy to know what to do actually is hard. Ephesians 5:17 says, “Do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is.”
When we are in God’s Presence…
When we are in God’s Presence we have true peace. David still faced enemies and hardships but he knew true peace and security. He writes in verses 8-11 I will not be shaken, my heart is glad, my flesh also dwells secure, God will not abandon my soul, he makes known my path of life, and at your right hand or pleasures ever more.
As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7~ When we pray and seek God, the peace of God which surpasses the understanding of this world which is through Christ Jesus. That is is being in God’s presence, knowing that you are in the storms of life, but you have safety. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were thrown into the fiery furnace but they were not alone, it was Christ walking with them (Daniel 3). We have the peace and know that God is in control of and over our lives and it is peaceful knowing that.
