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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 16

Psalm 16 is read especially through the theme of creation, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

CreationTrust & Refuge
Psalms overview
Old Testament

Psalm 16

1A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.

2My soul, you have said to the LORD, “You are my Lord. Apart from you I have no good thing.”

3As for the saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight.

4Their sorrows shall be multiplied who give gifts to another god. Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer, nor take their names on my lips.

5The LORD assigned my portion and my cup. You made my lot secure.

6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.

7I will bless the LORD, who has given me counsel. Yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.

8I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9Therefore my heart is glad, and my tongue rejoices. My body shall also dwell in safety.

10For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.

11You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 16

Psalm 16 is read especially through the theme of creation, within Book I (Psalms 1–41). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book I (Psalms 1–41). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Creation, Trust & Refuge. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 16

Psalm 16 contains 11 verses and about 197 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “A Poem by David. Preserve me, God, for I take refuge in you.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 11 closes: “You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more.” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, take, soul, good, heart, right. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 16

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 16:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes creation, with related themes of Creation, Trust & Refuge. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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