Prayer and Meditation on Psalm 16:1-3

Prayer and Meditation on Psalm 16:1-3

O Lord God, there is nothing that I need from You except the preservation of soul and body, but that is all
there is. I fly to You, for you are the Savior of all men, especially those who believe. What good is
temporary salvation, O God, if you do not keep my feet from falling and my heart from straying?

But I have received Your precious Spirit of Adoption, so that my soul cries out to You, “O Precious Father,
preserve my body and soul!” and I will trust you forever. You will preserve me until the resurrection of the
dead, and afterwards receive me, body and soul, into glory, into eternal rest.

I confess that I have no ladders of my own tall enough to reach to You, O Precious Father. Not my
goodness, not my determination, not my will, not my faith, not my righteousness can open the gates of heaven
and escort my soul into your presence.

Only Your dear Son, Jesus of Nazareth, reaches from heaven to earth to lay hold on sinners like me and give
us entrance into the mansions of your Father’s house of light. I have been humbled before your word and do
not trust in any, save the Lord Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith.

But I can reach out to Your people, Precious Father, to the saints in the earth who call upon your Name in
truth. I delight in them, O Lord for they are most excellent, being washed in the blood of the Lamb.

I can do this, Precious Father, only because the Spirit of Your dear Son has been given to me to love the
church that you purchased with Your own blood, to love your sacraments and ordinances and promises. For
in loving You, Precious Father, You have taught me to love Your Own. And in Your love, my soul is
preserved forever and ever. In the Name of Christ, Amen.

1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust.
2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;
3 But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.
--Psalm 16