What does Psalms Chapter 16 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The speaker asks judgment, guidance and protection while asserting tested innocence. Enemy imagery leads to petitions for deliverance and division, explained by separate edition notes. Satisfaction at the appearance of God’s glory is future.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Exaudi, Domine, justitiam. The separate heading identifies the just person's prayer in tribulation. In this prayer of David, the speaker asks God to hear justice and prayer from lips without deceit, letting judgment come from His countenance and His eyes behold equity. He says God proved his heart, visited by night and tried him by fire without finding iniquity. He says his mouth will not speak men's works and that because of God's words he kept hard ways. He asks God to perfect his steps so they are not moved.

Having cried because God heard, he asks an inclined ear, wonderful mercy and salvation for those trusting in God. He seeks protection as the apple of God's eye under His wings from the wicked afflicting him and enemies surrounding his soul. He describes their closed fat and proud speech; the separate note interprets the fat as bowels of compassion and their having none for him. They cast him out, surround him and set eyes to bow down to earth, taking him like a lion ready for prey or a young lion in secret.

He asks God to arise, disappoint and supplant the enemy, delivering his soul from the wicked one, His sword. He asks division of them from the few of the earth in their life. Their belly is filled from hidden stores, they are full of children and leave remaining substance to little ones. The separate note gives two interpretations of division: cutting the wicked from earth and its trifling goods, or separating them from the small number of elect. It calls the words a prediction of punishment, not a curse. Another note interprets hidden stores as good and bad things in God's treasury, distributed as He sees fit. The speaker will appear before God's sight in justice and shall be satisfied when His glory appears; the psalm does not narrate this future appearance.

The story inside

Opening: The speaker asks judgment, guidance and protection while asserting tested innocence. Development: Enemy imagery leads to petitions for deliverance and division, explained by separate edition notes. Conclusion: Satisfaction at the appearance of God’s glory is future.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The speaker asks judgment, guidance and protection while asserting tested innocence.
2
Enemy imagery leads to petitions for deliverance and division, explained by separate edition notes.
3
Satisfaction at the appearance of God’s glory is future.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 58506–58507
Thou hast proved my heart, and visited it by night, thou hast tried me by fire: and iniquity hath not been found in me.
Lines 58521–58522
From them that resist thy right hand keep me, as the apple of thy eye. Protect me under the shadow of thy wings.
Lines 58529–58530
Their fat.... That is, their bowels of compassion: for they have none for me.
Lines 58546–58550
Divide them from the few, etc.... That is, cut them off from the earth, and the few trifling things thereof; which they are so proud of, or divide them from the few; that is, from thy elect, who are but few; that they may no longer have it in their power to oppress them. It is not meant by way of a curse or imprecation; but, as many other the like
Lines 58557–58558
But as for me, I will appear before thy sight in justice: I shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear.