^NIV Psalm 16:1 A miktam of David. Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. ² I said to the LORD, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." ³ As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight. ⁴ The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood or take up their names on my lips. ⁵ LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. ⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. ⁷ I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

Though there is no New Testament passage that expliclity shows that these verses apply to the Messiah, there is nothing in them that could not be applied to him. It is our conviction that the Christ is speaking in the entire psalm (though not denying that parts of it could apply to David).

^NIV Psalm 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. ⁹ Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, ¹⁰ because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. ¹¹ You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Acts 2:25-31

Acts 13:34-39

Beginning with verse nine, the Messiah expresses his confidence in his resurrection and glorification. Though Jesus did die and was buried, his body did not decay since it was in the tomb for less than 48 hours (parts of three days) before bodily decay begins. Thus, this prophesy was fulfilled.

Why does the NRS translate the last part of verse 10, “or let your faithful one see the Pit?” Because the Hebrew word tx;v; (shaµat) can be translated that way. The word also refers to the corruption or decay of death in many places. See, for example, Psalm 49:9,14. Therefore the the translation of the NRS is inferior.

Couldn’t this passage apply to David, who actually wrote the psalm? No. Because as Peter asserted in Acts 2, David’s body was not spared decay. It is verse 10 that assures us that Psalm 16 must be Messianic. For it could only apply to him.

This passage is of great importance because it is one of several that speak of the Messiah’s resurrection from the dead. It is highly likely that this was one of the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus pointed his disciples to after he had arisen. See Luke 24:22-27, 44-47; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4.