Verse 11:
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
There are 3 things in verse 11 that we need to pay attention to this morning: (1) "You have made known to me the path of life"; (2) "you will fill me with joy in your presence"; and (3) "you will fill me...with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
The Psalmist is pointing to the past in the first phrase and to the future in the final 2 phrases.
Let's meditate together on these 3 phrases for just a few moments.
(1) "You have made known to me the path of life."
You will remember earlier when we were studying verse 7, we said there were 3 things the Lord has done or is doing for us. Back in verse 7 the key words were "counsels" and "instructs." Now in verse 11 the key word is "made known."
Counseling, instructing, and making known - all of these are a vital part of the devotional process. He "counsels," "instructs," "makes known" through our times of prayer, meditation, and time in the Word.
This, too, is the process whereby we become more Christlike and begin to reflect His holiness.
Proverbs 4:18:
"The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day"
(NIV).
Isaiah 26:7:
"The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth"
(NIV).
This "path of life" is a path of holiness. It is a path that makes "the heart glad," "the tongue rejoice," and "the body rest secure."
The highway of holiness is the "path of life" filed with "joy [and] eternal pleasures."
(2) "you will fill me with joy in your presence."
John 15:11:
"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full"
(NASB).
Joy is the evidence when the King is in residence.
Nehemiah said:
"...Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength"
(8:10 NIV).
Hebrews 12:2:
"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"
(NASB).
The final phrase we will consider in this Psalm is:
(3) "you will fill me...with eternal pleasures at your right hand."
1 Corinthians 2:9:
"but just as it is written, 'Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him'"
(NASB).
F. B. Meyer says: "The path of life is the upward path to life. God is at our right hand, and our lot is pleasant here; and ere long we shall be at his right hand, amid everlasting pleasure" (NASB).
Warren Wiersbe says: "Verse 11 has been my life verse for many years. 'You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.' Do you want life and joy? Here's the secret: Live on God's path, live in His presence and live for His pleasures."
Bishop Andrewes said: "Let us all be glad and rejoice and give honour to Him: as for my soul, it shall be satisfied, even as it were with marrow and fatness: therefore let my mouth be filled with thy praise: that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long. This is the happiness of the 4 creatures in the Revelation: they rest not day and night saying Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come."
