PSALM 16
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David between the Personification
of Wisdom and Prophesy
Vatican Museums
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This psalm is somewhat unique. It is quoted twice by the
apostles. St. Peter uses the vv. 8-11 for a description of resurrection during
his first sermon at the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:25-28). Later St. Paul
addressing a synagogue in Antioch of Pisidia going into a teaching of
resurrection as the corner stone of life, faith, and conduct (Acts 13:35). Both
instances record a joyful reception of the message (cp. Acts 2:40-41 and 13:42).
There is an interesting word that can be addressed here.
While New Testament text saved for us the term “Holy One” as a description of a
person who will not see the corruption or the pit, the Hebrew text literally
says the righteous one. Thou the saints are mentioned in v. 2 of the psalm, it is
the righteous one who is preserved on the path through the doors of death. This
does not change the meaning of the psalm but unites with the other passages of
the Bible. One of these passages can be found in the Book of Habakkuk – the
famous statement later used by St. Paul in the letter to Romans (1:17). It is
the righteous who shall live by faith. Live forever as he is not going to see a
complete separation from the Creator of life but a transformation of
resurrection.
