Christ Contemplating His Future Blessedness
C. Bradley. Psalm 16:10 For you will not leave my soul in hell; neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption. We must consider these words as our blessed Master's own words, as much so as though they came from His own lips. They describe the feelings of His human soul while dwelling in a human body in our world. And this gives them a very high interest. We have here some of the outpourings of His soul before His Father. I. THE TITLE HE APPLIES TO HIMSELF. 1. He calls Himself God's "Holy One." It tells how eminently, conspicuously holy He was. 2. His application of this title to Himself shows us that He deemed it an honourable title. He delights in it, more than in anything besides. II. HIS PROSPECT OF HIS RESURRECTION. We learn — 1. That our holy Lord was, as we are, made up of both body and soul. He speaks of both: "My soul," and of His body in referring to the "corruption," which it should not see. 2. At His crucifixion these two parts of Him were separated. A real dissolution took place. The flesh and the spirit were rent now comes something peculiar to Him. 3. His human frame was saved from corruption. The least taint never touched it. We are familiar with death, and there. fore the corruption of death does not make us shudder. But if we saw it for the first time we should abhor it, we should look on it as a token of God's disgust with us, a fixed purpose on His part to degrade and punish us to the utmost for our transgressions. 4. The resurrection of Christ consisted mainly in a reunion of His body and soul. It is implied in the words, "Thou wilt show me the path of life." And here comes out that wonderful truth, the eternal manhood of the Divine Saviour. Death made no essential change in Him. He is not a stranger to us. "He is not ashamed to call us brethren." Wonderful condescension! III. THE VIEW HE HAD OF HIS HEAVENLY BLESSEDNESS. Heaven is meant, we cannot doubt, in the last verse of this Psalm. And we observe — 1. How our Lord tells of nothing in it peculiar to Himself. He places Himself on a level with His people. 2. See the nature of this blessedness. It is "joy," and not one only, but "pleasures." 3. And perfect, for it is "fulness of joy." 4. And permanent, "for evermore." 5. And the source of it — God. It is at God's right hand. St. Peter, quotes the passage thus: "Thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance." 6. We and our blessed Lord shall be sharers together in the same happiness in His kingdom. IV. THE EFFECTS WHICH HIS ANTICIPATION OF THIS BLESSEDNESS PRODUCED IN HIM. 1. Joy, gladness of heart. True, He was the Man of sorrows, but they were not unmingled. Many a gleam of light pierced through the darkness. And His joy burst forth in exultation and praise. Luke (chap. 10) tells us how "He rejoiced in spirit." And He left the world with something like a conqueror's shout. 2. Hope. It reconciled Him to death. It was but as a sleep to Him. (C. Bradley.) Parallel Verses KJV: For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. WEB: For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.