Focused
Psalm 16:8 – “I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
We have here in this verse a key to David’s spiritual life. The Lord said David was a man after His own heart. This is why God said this about David. This is a key to David’s victory and confidence in God. He made a conscious choice to keep His focus on God, to put God first. It was an intentional choice to keep his focus on His relationship with God. David knew the consequences of not doing this. When he failed to keep this true in his life, he fell into sin and did things he never would have done if he had continued to make the conscious and intentional choice to set the Lord always before him.
Though David stumbled and fell spiritually, he did not let that keep him down. He repented and called upon the Lord for forgiveness and from that time on he kept his focus where it should be. God, in His grace, forgave and helped David to rise above all of that and be a man after God’s own heart.
Throughout David’s life, he was faced with all kinds of challenges and battles. He had to face those who turned on him and betrayed him. His enemies were a constant threat. Yet, David drew strength and encouragement and stability because he was focused on the One who could help Him through. He says in this verse mentioned that the Lord was at his right hand. One commentator said this, “The phrase ‘because he is at my right hand’ reflects the idea of God’s protective presence. In ancient cultures, being at someone’s right hand represented a position of honor, favor, and power. It signifies that God is not just a distant deity but rather a close, intimate presence that offers guidance and support. The assurance that ‘I shall not be moved’ reinforces David’s confidence that with God by his side, he can withstand any challenge or adversity that may come his way.”
The little word ‘always’ is important. David set the Lord ‘always’ before him. We can rest assured that when we do this, when we deliberately bring God into our everyday experiences, we can have the same confidence David had in God. As one man said, “When we acknowledge God’s presence, we invite Him into our circumstances, allowing His strength to fortify us. Being aware of God’s right-hand presence means we are never alone; we always have a source of power and support to lean on.”
He goes on to say, “The promise that ‘I shall not be moved’ is not an empty promise; it is rooted in trust and assurance. When we set God before us, we are choosing to rely on Him. The truth is that we may still face difficulties; however, our perspective tends to shift. Instead of feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, we can find peace knowing that God’s presence grants us the stability we need. We learn to stand firm, knowing that God is an anchor in the storm of life’s uncertainties.”