Ps 16 April 27

I always forget that we have no Eastertide regular OT reading, but we still have psalms. This won;t have a lot of material, as I returned form seeing our daughter and son-in-law in Austin and I am suffering from a splitting headache.

v.2 ends with a declaration of no good apart from God. i do not think that I have ever had that level of trust.

v. 3 I wonder who are the holy ones?

v, 4 goes against other religious practices. how do we distinguish between those and "secularized" practices such as yoga? In the Reformed tradition, we speak often of idolatry, but how does another god multiply sorrows do you think?

v.6 is an image of the root of salvation, t9o be in a safe place with room to grow.

v. 7 how does the Lord give counsel-how are we instructed at night-could this be while asleep?

v. 9 evokes feelings that again are often foreign to me, especially joy.What makes your heart glad?

v.10 has obvious Easter resonance. Sheol seems to be a shadowy place similar to Hades, but could also be the Pit, the grave, the abode of death as opposed to  perhaps the temple as an abode of life.

v.11 is a fine benediction, again notice that while we see faitfulness as a killjpoy, here it is full of pleasures.