John Calvin Commentary Psalms 16:10

"For thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol; Neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption." — Psalms 16:10 (ASV)

The Psalmist goes on to explain the preceding doctrine even more fully, by declaring that since he is not afraid of death, there is nothing lacking that is necessary for the completion of his joy. From this it follows, that no one truly trusts in God except the one who lays such hold of the salvation God has promised him as to despise death.

Moreover, it should be observed that David’s language is not to be limited to some particular kind of deliverance, as in Psalm 49:15, where he says, God hath redeemed my soul from the power of the grave, and in other similar passages. Instead, he holds the undoubted assurance of eternal salvation, which freed him from all anxiety and fear.

It is as if he had said, "A way of escape from the grave will always be ready for me, so that I might not remain in corruption." God, in delivering his people from any danger, prolongs their life only for a short time. But how slender and how empty a consolation would it be to obtain some brief respite, and to take breath for a short time, until death, coming at last, should end our life’s course and swallow us up without any hope of deliverance?

Thus it appears that when David spoke in this manner, he raised his mind above the common lot of humankind. As the sentence has been pronounced upon all the children of Adam, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return (Genesis 3:19), the same condition in this respect awaits them all without exception.

Therefore, if Christ, who is the first-fruits of those who rise again, does not come forth from the grave, they will remain forever under the bondage of corruption. From this Peter justly concludes (Acts 2:30) that David could not have gloried in this manner except by the spirit of prophecy, and unless he had held a special regard for the Author of life, who was promised to him, and who alone was to be honored with this privilege in its fullest sense.

This, however, did not prevent David from assuring himself of exemption from the dominion of death by right, since Christ, by his rising from the dead, obtained immortality not for himself individually, but for us all.

Regarding the point that Peter (Acts 2:30) and Paul (Acts 13:33) contend that this prophecy was fulfilled in the person of Christ alone, we must understand them to mean that he was wholly and perfectly exempted from the corruption of the grave, so that he might call his members into his fellowship and make them partakers of this blessing, although by degrees, and each according to his measure.

Since the body of David, after death, was in the course of time reduced to dust, the apostles justly conclude that he was not exempted from corruption. It is the same with respect to all the faithful, not one of whom becomes a partaker of incorruptible life without first being subjected to corruption.

From this it follows that the fullness of life which resides in the Head alone, namely, in Christ, descends upon the members only in drops, or in small portions. The question, however, may be asked: since Christ descended into the grave, was he not also subject to corruption? The answer is easy.

The etymology or derivation of the two words used here to express the grave should be carefully considered. The grave is called שאול, sheol, being, as it were, an insatiable gulf which devours and consumes all things; and the pit is called שחת, shachath, which signifies corruption.

These words, therefore, here denote not so much the place as the quality and condition of the place, as if it had been said: The life of Christ will be exempted from the dominion of the grave, since his body, even when dead, will not be subject to corruption.

Besides, we know that the grave of Christ was filled and, as it were, embalmed with the life-giving perfume of his Spirit, so that it might be for him the gate to immortal glory.

I confess that both the Greek and Latin Fathers have strained these words to a wholly different meaning, referring them to the bringing back of the soul of Christ from hell. But it is better to adhere to the natural simplicity of the interpretation I have given, so that we do not make ourselves objects of ridicule to the Jews, and furthermore, so that one subtlety, by generating many others, does not involve us in a labyrinth.

In the second clause, mention is undoubtedly made of the body. We know it to be a very common way of speaking for David to intentionally repeat the same thing twice, making a slight variation in words. It is true, we translate נפש, nephesh, as soul, but in Hebrew it only signifies the vital breath, or life itself.