Where Security and Joy Come From

‎"I have set the LORD always before me;
because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure."
- Psalm 16:8-9

David, the writer of Psalm 16, is telling us the secret to living a life of joy and security. He makes it plain for us:

1. I have set the LORD always before me.

We must look straight at Christ and fix our gaze and our direction toward Him. Notice this is not setting who we believe the Lord to be in front of us. No, the Lord God is active and living and reveals Himself through the Word of God. We cannot set our perception of who we believe the Lord to be in front of us, because then it is moving as we move. There is no direction.

Instead, we set the Lord God as revealed through scripture in front of us in all we do so that He is the desire of our life and the object of our affection. Hebrews 12 paints a beautiful picture of this:

“Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
- Hebrews 12:2-3

Look to Jesus Christ and walk as He walked, follow the narrow way that He has made.

2. Because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Not only should our gaze be constantly fixed on Jesus, at the same time He is right beside us. If we have been granted life-altering belief in Christ as our Lord and Savior, He is right there beside us! He sends His Holy Spirit to dwell within us and promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. This leads the psalmist to say, “I shall not be shaken.”

This reminds me also of Hebrews 12 and the analogy that the author there uses of God shaking the earth and only those who cannot be shaken shall remain. If your gaze is fixed on Christ, He is at your right hand – He is right there with you – and you will not be shaken! Hallelujah.

You could end the psalm there and it would be amazing, but it gets even better.

3. Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices.

With the direction, fellowship, and security that come through knowing and following Christ, there flows another wonderful thing: joy. When we look to Christ and realize He is with us, our fear is gone, our hearts fill with joy because if God is for us, who can be against us? With Christ before us and beside us, we cannot help but overflow with joy.

I love that David says “my whole being rejoices.” Everything in me shouts for joy to God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – For the saving work and fellowship with Jesus Christ. Body, mind, and soul – all rejoice!

So if we do not feel secure or joyful in life, the message is clear: look straight ahead to Christ in full belief, enjoy the security of knowing He is with you, and let Him overflow you with joy unspeakable.