John Calvin Commentary Psalms 16:3

"As for the saints that are in the earth, They are the excellent in whom is all my delight." — Psalms 16:3 (ASV)

Unto the saints who are on the earth. Almost all are agreed in understanding this passage as if David, after the sentence we have just been considering, had added that the only way of serving God rightly is to strive to do good to His holy servants. And the truth is that God, as our good deeds cannot extend to Him, substitutes the saints in His place, toward whom we are to exercise our charity. When people, therefore, mutually exert themselves in doing good to one another, this is to yield to God right and acceptable service. We should, undoubtedly, extend our charity even to those who are unworthy of it, as our heavenly Father makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good (Matthew 5:45).

But David justly prefers the saints to others, and places them in a higher rank. This, then, as I have said at the beginning, is the common opinion of almost all interpreters. But although I do not deny that this doctrine is comprehended in the words of David, I think he goes somewhat further and intimates that he will unite himself with the devout worshippers of God and be their associate or companion, just as all the children of God should be joined together by the bond of fraternal unity, so that they may all serve and call upon their common Father with the same affection and zeal.

We thus see that David, after having confessed that he can find nothing in himself to bring to God (since he is indebted to Him for everything he has), sets his affections on the saints. This is because it is the will of God that, in this world, He should be magnified and exalted in the assembly of the just. God has adopted them into His family for this very purpose: that they may live together with one accord under His authority and under the guidance of His Holy Spirit.

This passage, therefore, teaches us that there is no sacrifice more acceptable to God than when we sincerely and heartily connect ourselves with the society of the righteous, and, being knit together by the sacred bond of godliness, cultivate and maintain with them brotherly goodwill. In this consists the communion of saints, which separates them from the degrading pollutions of the world so that they may be the holy and peculiar people of God.

He expressly speaks of the saints who are on the earth, because it is the will of God that, even in this world, there should be conspicuous marks and, as it were, visible emblems of His glory, which may serve to lead us to Himself. The faithful, therefore, bear His image so that by their example we may be stirred up to meditate on the heavenly life.

For the same reason, the Psalmist calls them excellent, or honorable, because there is nothing that should be more precious to us than righteousness and holiness, in which the brightness of God’s Spirit shines forth; just as we are commanded in the preceding psalm to prize and honor those who fear God.

We should, therefore, highly value and esteem the true and devoted servants of God and regard nothing as of greater importance than to connect ourselves with their society; and this we will actually do if we wisely reflect on what true excellence and dignity consist of, and do not allow the vain splendor of the world and its deceitful pomps to dazzle our eyes.