Psalm 116 comments

 

Psalm 116:1 ¶  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.

 

This is one of those Psalms you just want to memorize and recite. Jesus speaks of the importance of loving God as the great commandment in the Law given to Moses in a reference to Deuteronomy 6:5.

 

Matthew 22:34 ¶  But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. 35  Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 36  Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38  This is the first and great commandment.

 

Paul refers to the love for God.

 

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

 

1Corinthians 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

 

John also speaks of a love for God.

 

1John 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

 

The famous founder of Methodism, John Wesley, wrote a sermon once about how he didn’t feel he was a real Christian until he was able to actually love God.

 

The Psalmist here, in context, states that he loves the Lord because God listened to him, believing that God has answered his prayers. We have that privilege, to be able to come before the throne of the king of the universe itself at any time and at all times, and to be heard.

 

Verse 3 has its parallel in Psalm 18.

 

Psalm 18:4  The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. 5  The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me. 6  In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.

 

The Psalmist declares that God delivered him out of his trouble and he is praising the Lord. Many of us can relate a time when we were delivered from something after a plea to God. It can be as simple as a car accident where you uttered a, “God help me,” or maybe it was something that seemed about to happen that you knew was a disaster going to happen and you dropped to your knees and prayed sincerely. God took care of you, if you will admit it. We should be praising the Lord our whole lives for his mercy and grace toward us in that we are still alive and can praise the Lord in the land of the living.

 

Psalm 116:10 ¶  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.

The trouble the Psalmist was in seems to be caused by other people. He is bitter at what they have said and states that he hastily said that all men were liars. He acknowledges God for all of His mercy and the good things He has provided the Psalmist. This can easily be us in our affliction caused by the gossip of others, cruelty, or unfair and unreasonable treatment by them.

 

The Psalmist’s response is to lay hold on the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the LORD Jehovah. For we Christians the context for us is our eternal salvation.

 

Romans 10:8  But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11  For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

 

    12 ¶  For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 

He promises to make good the vows he made to God publicly in his distress. Then there is this great verse;

 

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

 

Some commentators have said that God’s people are so precious to Him that He regards their life on earth and the doorway of death to the life to come as of particular value. Our death, our entry into the eternal state of being with Him, is a precious thing to our God. God does not take our lives lightly, nor does He hasten our deaths as we would expect once we are delivered from this present, evil world, but He keeps us here to glorify Him before the world.

 

The Psalmist declares that he is God’s servant, His loyal servant. He will call on God’s name and honor his word before God. Then it brings us back down to the context which is the Old Testament and the Law, focusing on the center of Israelite life in Jerusalem, the capital of David’s kingdom.

 

There are a lot of things about this Psalm that we can pray, that we can claim, some great truths. In my mind these Psalms can be a great comfort in times of our distress. I hope you feel the same way.