A Study of Psalm 16 (verse 1, Preserve)

My daughter and her family were living with us temporarily and I got to see my grandkids every day. One day the youngest and I were talking and she said she knew that if she asked me for something I would always say yes. I said, “How do you know I would give you what you asked for?” She said, “Because you’re my Poppy.”

That is how David seems to be thinking when he makes his opening and thematic statement to begin this song:

^16:1Preserve me, God, because I take refuge in You.

Why should God preserve David? Because David is asking Him to, because David trusts Him to do just that. Like a refugee who has sought refuge, he has looked to God for his safety.

David addresses Yahweh as God, ʾēl, masculine singular, in this verse, though he could have used elohim (plural of ʾēl) or eloah (he uses all three in Psalm 5, in addition to Yahweh). He addresses Him as Yahweh throughout the rest of this psalm.

The term ‘preserve’ is the Hebrew word shamreni, the imperative of shamar with the 1^st person suffix, “preserve me.” There are many ways to preserve something:

• You can guard it, as the angel did the tree of life in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:24), keeping Adam and Eve from it.
• You can maintain it, as Adam was told to do for the garden in Genesis 2:15.
• You can watch over and protect it, as Cain should have been doing for his brother Abel, being his brother’s keeper/preserver (Genesis 4:9).
• You can obey it, as we are told to preserve or keep Yahweh’s law (Genesis 18:19; Exodus 15:26).
• You can remember it, as Jacob did Joseph’s dream (Genesis 37:11).
• You can preserve it by practicing or observing it, as Israel was told to do with the Passover celebration (Exodus 12:17).
• You can preserve by storing it, like Joseph did the surplus grain from Egypt (Exodus 41:35).
• You can preserve by preventing someone from falling into a trap (Psalm 141:9).

All these passages use this word, shamar.

David asks God to preserve him, to tend and maintain him like a precious garden, to watch over and protect him as an older brother should a younger brother, to watch over him like a sentinel, to keep him as a shepherd does his flock, to remember him like a sure prophecy, to preserve him like needed food, to protect him as the apple of Yahweh’s eye (Psalm 17:8), to prevent him from falling into any traps. David needs preservation from any enemies or dire situations. He needs refuge from a danger to his life.

Yahweh is the ultimate preserver of David’s life. We may have brothers to protect us, personal guards, wealth, even our own character, as preservers against danger. But when it comes down to it, only God can finally and completely protect us. And why should He? Because we are looking to Him to do that. We are trusting Him to be our refuge. We are running into the shelter of His capable arms. He’s our Poppy! He is the one who is committed to us as our loving, heavenly Father. There is no one more worthy of our trust.

Preserve me, O God, because I take refuge in You.

 

Psalm 7:2, Yahweh my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me.

Psalm 11:1, In Yahweh I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain.”

Psalm 25:20, Preserve (shamar) my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

Psalm 31:2, Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.

Psalm 71:1, In you, Yahweh, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame.

Psalm 141:8, But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Yahweh; in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.