New International Version I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.” New Living Translation The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them! English Standard Version As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight. Berean Standard Bible As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides. Berean Literal Bible As for the holy ones who are in the land, they and the excellent ones, all my delight is in them. King James Bible But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. New King James Version As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.” New American Standard Bible As for the saints who are on the earth, They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them. NASB 1995 As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. NASB 1977 As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. Legacy Standard Bible As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight. Amplified Bible As for the saints (godly people) who are in the land, They are the majestic and the noble and the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. Berean Annotated Bible As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides. Christian Standard Bible As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them. Holman Christian Standard Bible As for the holy people who are in the land, they are the noble ones. All my delight is in them. American Standard Version As for the saints that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight. Contemporary English Version Your people are wonderful, and they make me happy, English Revised Version As for the saints that are in the earth, they are the excellent in whom is all my delight. GOD'S WORD® Translation Those who lead holy lives on earth are the noble ones who fill me with joy. Good News Translation How excellent are the LORD's faithful people! My greatest pleasure is to be with them. International Standard Version As for the saints that are in the land, they are noble, and all my delight is in them. NET Bible As for God's chosen people who are in the land, and the leading officials I admired so much-- New Heart English Bible As for the holy ones who are in the land, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. Webster's Bible Translation But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAs for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides. World English Bible As for the saints who are in the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionFor the holy ones who [are] in the land, "" And the honorable, all my delight [is] in them. Berean Literal Bible As for the holy ones who are in the land, they and the excellent ones, all my delight is in them. Young's Literal Translation For the holy ones who are in the land, And the honourable, all my delight is in them. Smith's Literal Translation To the holy ones that are upon the earth, they and the mighty ones, all my delight is in them. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleTo the saints, who are in his land, he hath made wonderful all my desires in them. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible As for the holy ones who are in the land, they are noble, in whom is all my delight. New Revised Standard Version As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleI said it also to the saints that are on the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Also for The Holy Ones who are in the Earth, and the glorious in whom is all my pleasure. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917As for the holy that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight. Brenton Septuagint Translation On behalf of the saints that are in his land, he has magnified all his pleasure in them. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Presence of God…2I said to the LORD, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” 3As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides. 4Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods. I will not pour out their libations of blood, or speak their names with my lips.… Cross References As for the saints in the land, Psalm 101:6 My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way of integrity shall minister to me. Psalm 34:9 Fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him lack nothing. Psalm 50:5 “Gather to Me My saints, who made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” they are the excellence Proverbs 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship, but the ways of the wicked lead them astray. Daniel 7:27 Then the sovereignty, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’ Malachi 3:17 “They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. in whom all my delight resides. Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved. 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 After all, who is our hope, our joy, our crown of boasting, if it is not you yourselves in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? / You are indeed our glory and our joy. 3 John 1:4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Hebrews 12:22-24 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to myriads of angels / in joyful assembly, to the congregation of the firstborn, enrolled in heaven. You have come to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, / to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. / Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Philippians 3:20-21 But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, / who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body. Ephesians 2:19-22 Therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God’s household, / built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. / In Him the whole building is fitted together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord. … 1 John 3:1-3 Behold what manner of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God. And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. / Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. / And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as Christ is pure. Romans 8:27-30 And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. / And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. / For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. … 1 Corinthians 1:2 To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Treasury of Scripture But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. But Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men. Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. the saints Isaiah 30:4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes. Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. 2 Chronicles 6:41 Now therefore arise, O LORD God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark of thy strength: let thy priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation, and let thy saints rejoice in goodness. the excellent Proverbs 12:26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour: but the way of the wicked seduceth them. Song of Solomon 4:1 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead. Song of Solomon 6:1 Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women? whither is thy beloved turned aside? that we may seek him with thee. in whom Psalm 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Proverbs 8:21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed. Jump to Previous Delight Earth Excellent Glorious Holy Honourable Majestic Noble Ones SaintsJump to Next Delight Earth Excellent Glorious Holy Honourable Majestic Noble Ones SaintsPsalm 16 1. David, in distrust of merits, and hatred of idolatry5. He shows the hope of his calling, of the resurrection, and life everlasting As for the saints in the land, David’s delight is directed toward God’s faithful people in Israel, the covenant community living in the land the Lord gave them. Their shared devotion to the Lord distinguished them from the surrounding nations and bound them together in worship and obedience. Psa 101:6 My eyes favor the faithful of the land, that they may dwell… they are the excellence Though not perfect, these faithful Israelites were the noble ones in David’s sight because they belonged to the Lord and sought to live under His rule. Their worth rested in their covenant relationship with God rather than worldly status or power. Pro 12:26 A righteous man is cautious in friendship,… in whom all my delight resides. David found joy in fellowship with those who loved and feared the Lord. His affection for them reflects the proper separation between the righteous, who trust God, and those who turn to other gods. Php 4:1 Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for… Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidThe author of Psalm 16, David is expressing his trust and delight in God and His people. As a king and a man after God's own heart, David's perspective is deeply rooted in his relationship with God. 2. Saints Refers to the faithful followers of God in the land. In the Hebrew text, the word used is (qedoshim), meaning "holy ones" or "set apart ones." 3. The Land This refers to the land of Israel, the physical space where God's people reside and where His covenant promises are being fulfilled. Teaching Points Delight in God's PeopleAs believers, we are called to find joy and delight in the fellowship of other Christians. This involves building relationships, encouraging one another, and growing together in faith. Pursuing Holiness The term "saints" implies a call to holiness. We are to live lives that are set apart for God, reflecting His character in our actions and decisions. Community and Accountability Being part of a community of believers provides accountability and support. We should actively participate in church life and small groups to foster spiritual growth. Recognizing Excellence in Others We should acknowledge and celebrate the gifts and contributions of fellow believers, recognizing the work of God in their lives. Living as Examples As "excellent ones," our lives should be a testimony to others, demonstrating the love and grace of God in practical ways. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Psalm 16:3?2. How does Psalm 16:3 inspire you to value fellow believers in your life? 3. What does "the saints in the land" mean in Psalm 16:3? 4. How can you cultivate delight in godly people as Psalm 16:3 suggests? 5. Which other scriptures emphasize the importance of community among believers? 6. How can you practically honor "the noble ones" mentioned in Psalm 16:3? 7. What does Psalm 16:3 reveal about the nature of God's people? 8. How does Psalm 16:3 define "the saints" and "the majestic ones"? 9. Why are the "saints" described as "majestic" in Psalm 16:3? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 16? Verse 3. - But to the saints that are in the earth; rather, it is for the saints. It (i.e. my prosperity) is granted me for the advantage of the saints that are in the land; i.e. of all the true Israelites. "I hold it in trust for them" (Kay). And to (rather, for) the excellent, in whom is all my delight. And, especially, I hold it in trust for "the inner circle of the excellent ones," in whom God takes pleasure (Psalm 147:11), and in whom therefore I also "delight." David’s words in Psalm 16:3 celebrate the living, covenant community. He sees fellow believers as God’s holy ones planted right where he lives, recognizes their noble character as true excellence, and finds deep joy in their company. Loving the saints is inseparable from loving the Lord, and delighting in them steers our hearts toward the very things that delight Him. Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew As for the saintsלִ֭קְדוֹשִׁים (liq·ḏō·wō·šîm) Preposition-l | Adjective - masculine plural Strong's 6918: Sacred, God, an angel, a saint, a sanctuary in the land, בָּאָ֣רֶץ (bā·’ā·reṣ) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land they הֵ֑מָּה (hêm·māh) Pronoun - third person masculine plural Strong's 1992: They are the excellence וְ֝אַדִּירֵ֗י (wə·’ad·dî·rê) Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine plural construct Strong's 117: Wide, large, powerful in whom all כָּל־ (kāl-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every my delight חֶפְצִי־ (ḥep̄·ṣî-) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 2656: Pleasure, desire, a valuable thing, a matter resides. בָֽם׃ (ḇām) Preposition | third person masculine plural Strong's Hebrew Additonal Resources Psalm 16:3 Blue Letter BiblePsalm 16:3 Bible Gateway Psalm 16:3 Bible.com Psalm 16:3 NIV |
    |