“Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord , “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.” Lord , you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Psalm 16:1‭-‬2‭, ‬5‭‭, 11

The older I become and the longer I learn from and about our Lord, the more I realize that one of the most powerful ways to worship Him is to realize how dependant we are on Him and how much we need Him. In this “miktam” (title or literary term for a song), King David asks God to keep him safe, and reflects over how God has done this throughout his life. He’s quick to say that “in You (Lord)” I take refuge. He then states the profound realization that “apart from God, I have no good thing”. In other people, there is a measure of good. To some extent, people can even help themselves for good. However, left to ourselves, we soon realize that all that lives in our hearts is NOT good and that, quite literally, “EVERY good and perfect gift” comes from our Heavenly Father (James 1:17). Don’t believe me? Try NEVER correcting a young child and see what he or she becomes on his or her own! Our basic human nature is NOT all good! David had realized this-apart from God-His Presence, influence and intervention in our world, it quickly become a bad place!

David continues, “Lord, You ALONE” are my portion and cup (speaking of life’s provision) and secure my life.

David finishes his song by stating YOU, LORD, make known to me the path of life;
YOU will fill me with joy in YOUR presence, with eternal pleasures at YOUR right hand.”

The sooner we, like David, realize that the GOOD that we have, came from God and that God has been GOOD to us, the happier we will be! What good things has God done for you?

Think about it!