Preserve 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.” 

Our ladies’ Bible study broke into small groups during our last meeting of Spring Training. 

We shared hopes and fears about what was ahead and prayed earnestly for our requests. We prayed for things that felt like unfamiliar territory as we approached a new season of baseball. 

Newly married couples needed prayer for how to operate traveling and managing schedules with grace. Wives of men who belonged to new teams needed wisdom and comfort for figuring out housing, insurance, and a myriad of other necessities. We lifted our voices to the Lord as soft murmurs for the unknown. 

David found himself in unfamiliar territory, too. He was facing hardship. In verse one of Psalm 16, David asks God to preserve him. We only ask for help when we are in need, right? Something was unsettling to David and because of that, he approached the Lord in prayer. 

Then, during this time of turmoil, David turned to the Lord and reminded himself what he already knew to be true about God and his relationship with his heavenly Father. 

Verse two exclaims, “You are Lord” and “I have no good apart from you.” 

Isn’t that so much of our Christian pilgrimage, the need to simply remember and remind ourselves of truth? 

These beautiful statements express the Lordship of Christ, that nothing compares to Him, and that none of our moral works will muster up enough righteousness to make us right with God, thereafter calling us to repentance and dependence on our good and merciful Father. 

The life of David was shaky. Something here was distressing him. Doesn’t that sound a little like life sometimes? Especially in baseball, Injuries seem to be around the corner. There aren’t any friendly faces to sit near in the stands. Feelings of being homesick are mounting. Even if you aren’t in the world of baseball, you can surely fill in the blank with what may be troubling you or uncertain circumstances. Where can we turn when we come face to face with the unknown? 

We turn to God. We remind ourselves that He is who He says He is. We recall the truth that there isn’t anything as satisfying as the One who came to live, die, and rise from the grave on our behalf. When we place our faith in him, we can have joy and fullness of life (v. 11) and hope, comfort, and peace amongst the unknown. 

Prayer: Thank you Father that in the unknown, I can always turn to you. Please bring Scripture to my mind when I need to remember. Allow me to recall how good and faithful you have always

been to me. Thank you for never leaving me and always guiding me. Thank you for sending Jesus on my behalf and giving me a life full of joy in Him. Let me live this life and this season for You and Your glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.