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Psalm 116

Deliverance From Death

Overview

I love the Lord, because he hears my voice.
He hears my cry for mercy.
Because he turned his ear to me,
I will call to him all my days.
The ropes of death entangled me.
The walls of the grave hemmed me in.[a]
I found distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Ah, Lord, please save my life!”
The Lord is gracious and righteous,
and our God is compassionate.
The Lord protects the inexperienced.[b]
In my weakness he saves me too.

Past Deliverance

Return, my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has accomplished his purpose for you.
Indeed, you have delivered my soul from death,
my eye from weeping, my foot from stumbling,
so that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
10 I believed. Therefore, I have spoken:
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 In my haste I said:
“All people are deceptive.”

Future Devotion

12 How can I repay the Lord for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation,
and I will call on[c] the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord,
now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his favored ones.
16 Ah, Lord, truly I am your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You opened my chains.
17 To you I will sacrifice a thank offering,
and I will call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    here in the presence of all his people,
19     in the courtyards of the house of the Lord,
    in the middle of Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:3 Or, more literally, caught up with me
  2. Psalm 116:6 Or those with a childlike faith
  3. Psalm 116:13 Or proclaim

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