I’ve been reading some of the “lesser known” or “less popular” psalms this week, and this morning stopped at Psalm 16.
Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
I bless the Lord, who counsels me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
my body also rests secure.
You show me the path of life.
In your presence there is fullness of joy;
in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
I was struck in particular today by verses 7-8: “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Night is falling early now. And in the night, it always seems that our doubts are magnified, our fears enhanced, and our pain cuts deeper. Light brings strength, but darkness often weakens. Yet in the hush of evening, there is room for the voice of God. The psalmist says that even at night, his heart instructs him; he has discovered the truth that God’s presence is not limited to daylight hours or cheerful moments.
Sometimes it is in the dark, when distractions fade, that the Lord’s counsel becomes clearest. God teaches us to listen with a quieter kind of faith — one that waits, trusts, and watches. We are reminded that even in uncertainty, we are not alone. God’s hand is steady beside us.
If we listen, we can find assurance in the dark and hear the Spirit’s whisper that confirms, “You are mine.” It’s an assurance that doesn’t shout, but speaks to us in the still hours of night when our hearts are most open.
Prayer: God of the night, when the world grows dark, teach me to trust that you are near. Counsel my heart in the quiet moments and strengthen my spirit to rest in you. Remind me that you are beside me and that if I keep my eyes fixed on you, I will not be shaken. Amen.
