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Psalm 116

I love the Lord because he hears my voice
    and my prayer for mercy.
Because he bends down to listen,
    I will pray as long as I have breath!
Death wrapped its ropes around me;
    the terrors of the grave[a] overtook me.
    I saw only trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
    “Please, Lord, save me!”
How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
    So merciful, this God of ours!
The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
    I was facing death, and he saved me.
Let my soul be at rest again,
    for the Lord has been good to me.
He has saved me from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling.
And so I walk in the Lord’s presence
    as I live here on earth!
10 I believed in you, so I said,
    “I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
11 In my anxiety I cried out to you,
    “These people are all liars!”
12 What can I offer the Lord
    for all he has done for me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
14 I will keep my promises to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 The Lord cares deeply
    when his loved ones die.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
    yes, I am your servant, born into your household;
    you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people—
19 in the house of the Lord
    in the heart of Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord!

Footnotes

  1. 116:3 Hebrew of Sheol.

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

Psalm 116

Thanks to God for Deliverance

I love the Lord because he has heard
my appeal for mercy.(A)
Because he has turned his ear to me,
I will call out to him as long as I live.(B)

The ropes of death were wrapped around me,
and the torments of Sheol overcame me;
I encountered trouble and sorrow.(C)
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
Lord, save me!” (D)

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is compassionate.(E)
The Lord guards the inexperienced;
I was helpless, and he saved me.(F)
Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.(G)
For you, Lord, rescued me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.(H)
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.(I)
10 I believed, even when I said,
“I am severely oppressed.”(J)
11 In my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”(K)

12 How can I repay the Lord
for all the good he has done for me?(L)
13 I will take the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.(M)
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.(N)

15 The death of his faithful ones
is valuable in the Lord’s sight.(O)
16 Lord, I am indeed your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your female servant.
You have loosened my bonds.(P)

17 I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice
and call on the name of the Lord.(Q)
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,(R)
19 in the courts of the Lord’s house—
within you, Jerusalem.(S)
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

Psalm 116

I love the Eternal; for not only does He hear
    my voice, my pleas for mercy,
But He leaned down when I was in trouble and brought His ear close to me.
    So as long as I have breath, I will call on Him.
Once I was wound in the wrappings of death;
    the terror of dying and the grave had a grip on me;
    I could not get away, for I was entombed in distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Eternal:
    “O Eternal One—I am begging You—save me!”

The Eternal is full of grace and naturally just;
    our God is compassionate and merciful.
And the Eternal watches over the naive.
    Whenever I was knocked down, He reached down and saved me.
O my soul! Return and relax. Come to your true rest,
    for the Eternal has showered you with His favor.

God, You alone rescued my soul from the grips of death,
    my eyes from weeping,
    and my feet from slipping.
I will come before the Eternal
    as long as I journey in the land of the living.
10 I believed Your promise; therefore I spoke,
    “I am in deep trouble.”
11 In my confusion I blurted out,
    “All people are liars!”

12 How will I pay back the Eternal
    for all His graciousness toward me?
13 I will raise the cup of deliverance
    and call out the name of the Eternal.
14 I will fulfill the promises I made to Him
    here as a witness to all His people.

15 Precious in the eyes of the Eternal
    are the deaths of those who follow after Him.
16 O Eternal One, You know I am Your servant.
    I am Your servant, a child of Your maidservant, devoted to You;
    You have cut me loose from the chains of death that bind me.
17 And I come, eager to offer a sacrifice of gratitude
    and call on the name of the Eternal.
18 I will fulfill the promises I made to Him
    here as a witness to all His people
19 In the courts of the Eternal’s temple,
    among the people of God’s city, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Eternal!