Psalm 116
Living Bible
116 I love the Lord because he hears my prayers and answers them. 2 Because he bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I breathe!
3 Death stared me in the face—I was frightened and sad. 4 Then I cried, “Lord, save me!” 5 How kind he is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! 6 The Lord protects the simple and the childlike; I was facing death, and then he saved me. 7 Now I can relax. For the Lord has done this wonderful miracle for me. 8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. 9 I shall live! Yes, in his presence—here on earth!
10-11 In my discouragement I thought, “They are lying when they say I will recover.”[a] 12 But now what can I offer Jehovah for all he has done for me? 13 I will bring him an offering of wine[b] and praise his name for saving me. 14 I will publicly bring him the sacrifice I vowed I would. 15 His loved ones are very precious to him, and he does not lightly let them die.[c]
16 O Lord, you have freed me from my bonds, and I will serve you forever. 17 I will worship you and offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving. 18-19 Here in the courts of the Temple in Jerusalem, before all the people, I will pay everything I vowed to the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 116:10 In my discouragement I thought, “They are lying when they say I will recover,” literally, “I said in my alarm, all men are liars.”
- Psalm 116:13 an offering of wine, literally, “the cup of salvation,” i.e., the thank offering of wine for saving me.
- Psalm 116:15 His loved ones are very precious to him, and he does not lightly let them die, literally, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” See context for the validity of the paraphrase.
Psalm 116
King James Version
116 I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.
12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.
14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.
19 In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
Psalm 116
English Standard Version
I Love the Lord
116 I (A)love the Lord, because he has (B)heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2 Because he (C)inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 (D)The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then (E)I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”
5 (F)Gracious is the Lord, and (G)righteous;
our God is (H)merciful.
6 The Lord preserves (I)the simple;
when (J)I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return, O my soul, to your (K)rest;
for the Lord has (L)dealt bountifully with you.
8 For (M)you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
(N)in the land of the living.
10 (O)I believed, (P)even when[a] I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 (Q)I said in my alarm,
(R)“All mankind are liars.”
12 What shall I (S)render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up (T)the cup of salvation
and (U)call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will (V)pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 (W)Precious in the sight of the Lord
is the death of his (X)saints.
16 O Lord, I am your (Y)servant;
I am your servant, (Z)the son of your maidservant.
You have (AA)loosed my bonds.
17 I will (AB)offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and (AC)call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will (AD)pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
19 in (AE)the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
(AF)Praise the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
