What does it mean that "in your presence there is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11)?

"In Thy presence fullness of joy." What, indeed, to Him who says this, — the Son of the Father, in His self-assumed exile, His face now toward the glory which He had with Him before the world was! There is really no "in," and to leave it out brings out better, perhaps, the force: "fullness of joys, Thy presence! At Thy right hand" — the place of approbation — "pleasures for evermore."

230 I will now refer to Psalms 16 and 17, which collaterally throw light on this part of our subject. In Psalm 16, which is (with others) quoted in Scripture as shewing the humanity of Jesus, His taking our sorrows and position of dependence on and obedience to God (that is, our position as saints), it is said, "I have said to Jehovah, Thou art my Lord, my goodness extendeth not to thee - to the saints on the earth, in them is all my delight." That is, having the divine glory, He associates Himself with the saints on the earth, those excellent in God's sight. At the close He shews that, as One who is the head of these, the path of life is shewn to Him. In God's presence is fulness of joy, and at His right hand pleasures for evermore. This, then, in principle, is a part of our hope, as His "companions," though He be anointed with the oil of joy above us. We are in God's presence, where fulness of joy is. Where God's presence shews itself, it fills all things, and excludes all contrary to itself. It necessarily makes infinitely and perfectly happy. It sufficed to Christ's hope - His who knew it best and perfectly - surely, then, to ours: and, as we have seen, we have a nature capable, without alloy or mixture, of perfectly enjoying that presence.

But we turn to the other and brighter side of the question and there we read of something very different — may this be the happy portion of all who read these lines! "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Ps. 16:11) Which now, dear reader, may I ask, do you prefer? Ecclesiastes 7:6 is as true as Psalm 16:11. But the path of life in the latter and the path of folly in the former are as wide apart as heaven and hell. Which, think you, my dear reader, is the nobler, higher, manlier, worthier, wiser path? The boisterous, hollow, unmeaning mirth of the worldling, or the calm, real, lasting joy of the Christian? Do you hesitate? Need you hesitate? The Lord enable you to choose the better part — the part that shall never be taken from you. This itself is no small comfort to the believer. "Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:42.) We may not always enjoy or value the good part as we ought to do, but it shall not be taken away from us. God says it, and that is enough to faith.

Besides, the same blessed truth is plainly taught in our text: "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." What a wonderful place and portion we have here! The Lord's name be praised. What a field for meditation! Enter it, my soul, I pray thee; come and meditate with spiritual power on these wonderful words, "Thy right hand" — the place of dignity, power and special privilege. "Fulness of joy" — nothing lacking. "all spiritual blessings." "Pleasures for evermore." Not only is it the place of honour and joy, but it is our everlasting place — "for evermore." "Pleasures for evermore." No alloy, no fear of these pleasures ever coming to an end — they are "for evermore."

Once in the Old Testament we find the thought of "fulness of joy;" an expression of immense scope. It is uttered by the "Holy One" in view of an absolutely adverse scene - the ungodly in this world, and beyond it death and the grave. "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11.) It is the progress into the heavenly sanctuary; there is the path into His presence, and the place of His presence. He treads it as having passed through death, and out of it, therefore He is become our life, and in His presence we have fulness of joy, though not yet in the place where the pleasures are. In the gospel of John, where Christ is presented as rejected from the outset, and outside all dispensations, the same thought dwells repeatedly upon His lips in view of his departure from this earthly scene. But how wonderful the grace! He speaks it not as concerning Himself, but His poor sorrowing disciples in their sojourn apart from Him down here. Do our hearts sufficiently apprehend the vast importance of the present moment in connection with the glory of Christ? He can have no higher glory, no more exalted place than now, while He is hidden within the heavens, seated upon the Father's throne. But who sees Him there? None but the Father's eye. The only public testimony to His highest glory as Man is the saints on earth, as He says, "I am glorified in them;" and again, "Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit." Even if the angels would learn the glories of redemption, it must be by the gospel preached by man; and it is through the assembly now that the heavenly principalities and authorities know the all-various wisdom of God. It is no accident or incident this passing time, though there is the wilderness meanwhile; but it is the highest glory of the exalted Man (for as Man never will He be so high again. His Father's throne is higher than His own) made known in the power of the Holy Ghost in weakest vessels, and in a scene still governed morally by the power of evil.

What joy there is for us in the knowledge of these things! Fulness of joy is to be ours even here, our cup running over in the enjoyment of the communion of what the Son has made known. We know that in His "presence is fulness of joy"; but although this will be the portion of all saints when we enter the Father's house, it can be ours even now in the company of the Father and the Son, whether as individuals, or as gathered together with the saints in assembly.

Seventhly (verse 11), we learn that the path of life through this world of sorrow and trial, will lead to the presence of Jehovah, or, as the Christian can say, to the Father's house, there to find ourselves in the presence of Christ, to be with the One who was with us in the path, there to find "fulness of joy", and "pleasures for evermore". In the world around we see men abandoning themselves to "the pleasures of sin", which are but "for a season". The believer, who treads the path of life, may, indeed, meet with manifold trials, but they too, are only "for a season". But the "light affliction which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

This then is the path of life, as unfolded in this beautiful Psalm, and marked out by One who has trodden the path in perfection. Let us ever remember that the life of which the Psalm speaks is the inner life lived with God. One has said, "It is important to remember that there is an inward divine life which dwells and joys in God, having nothing to do with circumstances, though enabling us to go through them" (J.N.D.).

But in entering upon resurrection He has opened the path of life to us in all its inviting beauty before our souls, "a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen: the lion's whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it." Faith delights to have Him conduct it along that shining way which His own steps have traced, that path of the just which "is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." In His presence even here on earth our fullest joy is found, and the fulness itself awaits us, and is surely very nigh at hand! Addressing Him, the saint loves to say, "Thou wilt show me the path of life" (is doing it, and will, the blessedness of it being enhanced a thousand-fold by His own discovery of it to our souls); "In thy presence is fulness of joy" (oft in measure proved down here, but to be immeasurably proved ere long when we shall know, if we have not yet learnt it, that His presence is more, oh, how much more! than the glory itself); "At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore" (the unceasing, unabating bliss which shall be ours in endless enjoyment in the place of dignity and glory).

The path of life, trodden by the Lord, led through death. Not death as making atonement for His people, but as setting forth the blessedness of a life that death cannot touch. It is the path of life through death. Here the prospect of death raises no cloud upon His spirit. So far from being cast down at the thought of death, His heart is glad, His tongue rejoices, for His flesh will rest in hope. For the one treading the path of life, death is but a means to the fuller enjoyment of the life. At the moment when the natural man treading the path of death is filled with gloom and apprehension the one treading the path of life is marked by joy, praise and the rest of hope.

The secret of this joy is found in having the glorious end in view. The path of life may pass through a world of sorrow, may lead through the valley of the shadow of death, but it ends at last in the presence of God. For Christ, and those that are Christ's, this indeed is the Father's presence. This is more than glory, it is the Father's house where the Father's heart is displayed and the Father Himself is fully known and enjoyed. Here amidst the sorrows of earth we may taste the cup of life, there amidst the joys of heaven we shall enter upon the fulness of life. Here there are pleasures by the way, there are found the pleasures for evermore.

It is impossible in this connection to separate between the resurrection of Christ, and His ascension and glorification in heaven. In Him, risen and glorified, we see expressed God's full thought for the saints of this church dispensation. We must of course make one reservation, viz., that in this as in all else, He has the pre-eminence. He is glorified at God's right hand. We shall know the fulness of joy which dwells in the presence of God, though there be "pleasures for evermore" at His right hand which will be the special portion of the Saviour alone (cf. Psalm 16:11 and Heb. 1:9). This special place we gladly yield Him, with eternal homage to His blessed Name!

We have seen our blessed Lord as knowing, the path of sorrow, but here we see the end of it - "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." Now, in order to understand this, we must mark the contrast between death and life, as it is said, "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me," etc. It was after knowing separation from God that he was to be shown "the path of life" and the "fulness of joy" at God's right hand. Now we cannot follow Jesus in His path of suffering, dear brethren, here; we can never know what He knew; for He knew wrath, and wrath is that which we have never known, can never know. We may know affliction, we may know suffering and sorrow, yet the end is sure and certain. Or we may know something of what the "path of life" is, by contrasting it with our knowledge of the path of death. None but the saints can do this. If the Spirit dwelling in us has led us to know what the path of death is, because He is the "living Spirit," we are able to distinguish how everything fair and lovely goes to corruption, and is marked with death.