Psalm 16:7 I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
The first thing we read is David says he will bless the LORD. This is an act of adoration which is different than the way we might think of God blessing us. God bestows His grace and mercy on our lives constantly. We often pray for blessing – for health, in relationships, and provision, etc. God’s blessings and His acts of lovingkindness, improve our lives on earth.
When David writes that ‘he will bless the Lord’, it is not that he is benefiting God in any way – God is complete in and of Himself. Looking back at verse two in this same chapter, we learn that we bring no benefit to God, we cannot improve who He is; He is perfect in all things.
Psalm 16:2 I said to the LORD, “Thou art my Lord; I have no good besides Thee.”
“There is nothing we bring to Him that He needs yet He brings everything to us that we need. There is nothing we do apart from Him that is good yet everything we do in Him is because of His goodness and for His glory. God is the source of anything good in our life. It is a greater fact that we are allowed to serve Him than what we might offer Him in our service”, (WBS, Week 2, Ps 16, v.2-5).
Blessing the Lord means that we bring Him our adoration. We praise Him and thank Him for who He is and what He has done. In order to say I will bless the Lord, we must understand who He is and what He has done for us. To adore God and to bless God, means to love Him, to worship Him, to glorify Him, and to honor Him.
Read the verse which comes before our studied text, Psalm 16:6 “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me”. In this verse, we learned about the certain hope we have in our inheritance in Christ. Think again how utterly magnificent it is that God chose you to be His child, to grant you His protection, to provide all that is necessary for you to honor Him with your life on this earth, and to give you the promise of eternal life. God deserves our praise!
The Psalmist David honors God for His counsel. He says, “I will bless the Lord who has counseled me”. To get counsel from someone means to get their advice on a matter. It is good for us to seek counsel from those who have more experience or wisdom in certain matters.
Where and why have you sought counsel in the past?
We seek advice often in our lives. We look for help in raising children, in moving, in changing employers, and acquiring medical treatment. When we get counsel from others, we hope they are right. We take the counsel we are given, then we do our best to decipher the good from the bad, and we make decisions, sometimes with our fingers crossed behind our backs! When I was a young single mom with three small children, I relied heavily on the wisdom of others. At that time I could barely keep everyone fed and clothed. I certainly was unable to make serious decisions on my own!
Think! Has every piece of advice you have received from others been right? Of course the answer is no. Man’s skill to understand is limited. It is flawed with personal opinion and built on incomplete information because we simply cannot know all things. Man’s counsel is often influenced by experience. For instance, someone may be looking for a career in construction. As they approach one individual who has found success in this type of job, they may receive glowing reports of the industry and opportunities available. However, if they ask questions of someone who has had negative experiences, they might become quite discouraged as they are persuaded to seek another type of employment. The counsel they receive is wrought with subjective interpretation.
There is only One who has perfect counsel. God’s truths offer us perfectly guided instruction without the inconsistency and instability of human reason. His plans are without error; they are sure. We do not need to wonder if following God’s commands will work. We can be absolutely confident in the truths of His word. We fail because we are unable to perfectly understand and execute His commands. However, this does not mean we just give up without having hope – it does mean we place our hope and trust in the work of His Holy Spirit. If we remain yielded to God, He will fulfill His work in our lives. Paul wrote this encouragement to the church in Philippi.
Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Psalm 19:7-10 speaks of the perfection and power of God’s word.
Psalm 19:7-10 The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
According to Psalm 19:7-10, God’s ways are perfect, they are sure, they give wisdom, they are right, they are without error, they are eternal, and they are true. We are warned of the consequences of not following God and we are reminded of the rewards of keeping His commands.
Perhaps you have heard the saying ‘to devise a plan’. God has a purposed plan for our lives and for the world. He already has everything figured out for us. He conceived of His plan and set it into motion before we existed, and it will continue. His plan and perfect counsel is given to us in His Word and through His Holy Spirit. In a world filled with uncertainty, where almost nothing goes according to our plan, we can rest and trust in God’s guidance.
How do you show your adoration of God? Do you recognize He has a perfect plan? Where do you go for counsel?
We have the best counseling tool in the world – God’s word and His Holy Spirit to interpret it. As we seek Him, He will give us understanding of how to live for Him. And for those times you are unable to think correctly for yourself, He gives us individuals who genuinely seek to follow Him and readily share their support and advice based on God’s truth.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand all things.
Psalm 119:104 From Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
The second part of verse 7 says, “Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night”.
The translation of instruction, from the Hebrew word yacar, means instruction by chastisement, correction, punishment, reforming, reproving, or teaching. The following verses speak of teaching and correction from God.
Psalm 17:3 Thou hast tried my heart; Thou hast visited [me] by night; Thou hast tested me and dost find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.
Psalm 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and try me; test my mind and my heart.
Whenever we begin a sentence with the words, ‘I think’, we need to be certain our thoughts are based on the truth in God’s word. It does not really matter what I think, it completely matters what God says. God will give us wisdom as we seek Him. He alone knows our true thoughts and affections. He will instruct us how to please Him. Psalm 16:7 uses the phrase, ‘in the night’. This refers to those seasons of adversity when things seem difficult. Even then, we are secure in Him; He will bring to mind His instruction. He is faithful to show us where we need to re-think our thoughts and/or actions. We do not always have to figure out all the answers, we need to have faith that God knows our heart and will exact His purpose. We can have peace that His plan will prevail. Our goal is to give Him blessing and honor through all circumstances as we seek to follow His instruction.
