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Psalm 116

116 I love the Lord because he hears
    my requests for mercy.
I’ll call out to him as long as I live,
    because he listens closely to me.
Death’s ropes bound me;
    the distress of the grave[a] found me—
    I came face-to-face with trouble and grief.
So I called on the Lord’s name:
    Lord, please save me!”[b]

The Lord is merciful and righteous;
    our God is compassionate.
The Lord protects simple folk;
    he saves me whenever I am brought down.
I tell myself, You can be at peace again,
    because the Lord has been good to you.
You, God, have delivered me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    and my foot from stumbling,
    so I’ll walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.
10 I have remained faithful, even when I said,
    “I am suffering so badly!”
11     even when I said, out of fear,
    “Everyone is a liar!”

12 What can I give back to the Lord
    for all the good things he has done for me?
13 I’ll lift up the cup of salvation.
    I’ll call on the Lord’s name.
14 I’ll keep the promises I made to the Lord
    in the presence of all God’s people.
15 The death of the Lord’s faithful
    is a costly loss in his eyes.

16 Oh yes, Lord, I am definitely your servant!
    I am your servant and the son of your female servant—
    you’ve freed me from my chains.
17 So I’ll offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to you,
    and I’ll call on the Lord’s name.
18 I’ll keep the promises I made to the Lord
    in the presence of all God’s people,
19     in the courtyards of the Lord’s house,
        which is in the center of Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:3 Heb Sheol
  2. Psalm 116:4 Or my soul; also in 116:7-8

Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance

116 I love him, because Yahweh has heard
the voice of my supplications.[a]
Because he has inclined his ear to me,
I will call all my days.[b]
The ropes of death encircled me,
and the distresses of Sheol found me.
I found trouble and grief.
Then I called on the name of Yahweh:
“O Yahweh, please save my life!”
Gracious is Yahweh and righteous,
and our God is merciful.
Yahweh watches over the simple.
I was brought low, but he gave me victory.
Return, O my soul, to your repose,
for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.
For you have rescued me[c] from death,
my eyes[d] from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I will walk before Yahweh
in the land[e] of the living.
10 I believed when I spoke,
“I am afflicted greatly.”
11 I said in my haste,
Everyone[f] is a liar.”
12 What shall I give back to Yahweh
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and proclaim the name of Yahweh.
14 I will pay my vows made to Yahweh
in the presence of all his people.
15 Costly in Yahweh’s view[g] is
the death of his faithful ones.
16 Ah, Yahweh, I am indeed your servant;
I am your servant, the child of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and proclaim the name of Yahweh.
18 I will pay my vows made to Yahweh
in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house[h] of Yahweh,
in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise Yah![i]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:1 Literally “my voice, my supplications”
  2. Psalm 116:2 Literally “in my days”
  3. Psalm 116:8 Hebrew “my soul.” If “soul” is accepted, then “death” means “the place of death,” that is, the netherworld.
  4. Psalm 116:8 Hebrew “eye”
  5. Psalm 116:9 Hebrew “lands”
  6. Psalm 116:11 Literally “All of the humankind”
  7. Psalm 116:15 Literally “in the eyes of Yahweh”
  8. Psalm 116:19 Or “temple”
  9. Psalm 116:19 Hebrew hallelujah

Psalm 116

I love the Lord,(A) for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry(B) for mercy.(C)
Because he turned his ear(D) to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death(E) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name(F) of the Lord:
    Lord, save me!(G)

The Lord is gracious and righteous;(H)
    our God is full of compassion.(I)
The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low,(J) he saved me.(K)

Return to your rest,(L) my soul,
    for the Lord has been good(M) to you.

For you, Lord, have delivered me(N) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before the Lord(O)
    in the land of the living.(P)

10 I trusted(Q) in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;(R)
11 in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”(S)

12 What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness(T) to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name(U) of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows(V) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight(W) of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.(X)
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;(Y)
    I serve you just as my mother did;(Z)
    you have freed me from my chains.(AA)

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering(AB) to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows(AC) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts(AD) of the house of the Lord
    in your midst, Jerusalem.(AE)

Praise the Lord.[a]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:19 Hebrew Hallelu Yah

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death

116 I (A)love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

(B)The [a]pains of death surrounded me,
And the [b]pangs of Sheol [c]laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!”

(C)Gracious is the Lord, and (D)righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
Return to your (E)rest, O my soul,
For (F)the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

(G)For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
(H)In the land of the living.
10 (I)I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 (J)I said in my haste,
(K)“All men are liars.”

12 What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me?
13 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
14 (L)I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people.

15 (M)Precious in the sight of the Lord
Is the death of His saints.

16 O Lord, truly (N)I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, (O)the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to You (P)the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord
Now in the presence of all His people,
19 In the (Q)courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

[d]Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:3 Lit. cords
  2. Psalm 116:3 distresses
  3. Psalm 116:3 Lit. found me
  4. Psalm 116:19 Heb. Hallelujah