I Love the Lord

116 I (A)love the Lord, because he has (B)heard
    my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Because he (C)inclined his ear to me,
    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
(D)The snares of death encompassed me;
    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
    I suffered distress and anguish.
Then (E)I called on the name of the Lord:
    “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

(F)Gracious is the Lord, and (G)righteous;
    our God is (H)merciful.
The Lord preserves (I)the simple;
    when (J)I was brought low, he saved me.
Return, O my soul, to your (K)rest;
    for the Lord has (L)dealt bountifully with you.

For (M)you have delivered my soul from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling;
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

  1. Psalm 116:10 Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore

God, My Deliverer

116 I love the Lord
    because he has heard my prayer for mercy;[a]
for he listens to me whenever I call.
The ropes of death were wound around me
    and the anguish of Sheol[b] came upon me;
        I encountered distress and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord,
    Lord, please deliver me!”[c]

The Lord is gracious and righteous;
    our God is compassionate;
the Lord watches over the innocent;[d]
    I was brought low, and he delivered me.
Return to your resting place, my soul,
    for the Lord treated you generously.
Indeed, you delivered my soul from death,
    my eyes from crying,[e]
        and my feet from stumbling.

I will walk in the Lord’s presence
    in the lands of the living.
10 I will continue to believe, even when I say,
    “I am greatly afflicted”
11 and speak hastily,
    “All people are liars!”

12 What will I return to the Lord
    for all his benefits to me?
13 I will raise my cup of deliverance
    and invoke the Lord’s name.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 In the sight of the Lord,
    the death of his faithful ones is valued.

16 Lord, I am indeed your servant.
    I am your servant.
I am the son of your handmaid.
    You have released my bonds.
17 I will bring you a thanksgiving offering
    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 courts of the Lord’s house,
    in your midst, Jerusalem.

Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:1 Lit. the voice of my supplication
  2. Psalm 116:3 I.e. the realm of the dead
  3. Psalm 116:4 Lit. deliver my soul
  4. Psalm 116:6 Or naive
  5. Psalm 116:8 Lit. tears