Message Notes

DAVID’S DESIRE TO SET THE LORD ALWAYS BEFORE HIM

“I have set the Lord always before me;…”   Psalm 16:8

1. Having a better focus of the place of God in his life

a. David had come to appreciate the concept of the sanctuary of God

b. He had been seeking the Lord in His sanctuary

c. Learning now to have a greater focus on the Lord God in his life

2. Learning to centre his focus on God and His presence

a. He had come to set the Lord more before Him

b. Seeking to be so much conscious of God and His presence

c. Centring his focus on the Lord

3. Having a daily focus on the Lord

a. He sought to have a daily focus on the Lord

b. He sought not to be distracted by the things of life

REASONS FOR SETTING THE LORD BEFORE HIM

1. Having a fullness of satisfaction in the Lord

“O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You maintain my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.”   Psalm 16:5-6

a. God was the portion of his inheritance

i. His focus was now more on God

ii. David saw the Lord as the portion of his inheritance in life

iii. His mindset was on spiritual things

iv. The Lord God and His presence were all that he needed

b. God was his cup

i. His cup was full because of the person of the Lord in his life

ii. He found his full sufficiency and satisfaction in the Lord.

c. The Lord was his portion and that was sufficient

d. The Lord is our treasure and we have everything we need in Him

2. Having a depth of counsel from God

“I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel ; my heart also instructs me in the night season.”   Psalm 16:7

a. In this psalm, David was going through a time when his life was at stake

b. He had asked the Lord to preserve him.

c. God had given him counsel when he needed it

d. His heart instructed him in the night seasons

e. Night seasons are times when he was perturbed and he could not sleep

f. The Lord will enlighten and lead him

g. It was the Lord who was counselling him to focus on Him

RESULTS OF SETTING THE LORD BEFORE US

1. Closeness of the Lord

“Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved…”   Psalm 16:8

a. God’s presence is at David’s right hand

b. This speaks of the closeness of the Lord

c. Whatever situation we may be going through

i. The Lord will give strength

ii. He will give comfort

d. Whatever we need at hand, the Lord is close by

2. Joy and hope in the Lord

“Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices. My flesh will rest in hope.”   Psalm 16:9

a. “Therefore” speaks of the result

b. Joy

i. David’s heart found gladness

ii. His glory rejoices

a) All the things that the Lord had blessed David with

b) David in his glory given by God rejoices in the Lord

iii. There will come some more joy in life as we set the Lord before us

c. Hope

i. Because we focus on the Lord and His presence

ii. There will come hope in the Lord

iii. We can rest in this hope

iv. We can have hope in being in the Lord’s presence for eternity