Psalms 116:1-19: a reflection

1I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. 2Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow. 4Then I called on the LORD’s name: “LORD, I beg you, deliver my soul.” 5The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful. 6The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me. 7Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. 9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. 10I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.” 11I said in my haste, “All people are liars.” 12What will I give to the LORD for all his benefits toward me? 13I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the LORD’s name. 14I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people. 15Precious in the LORD’s sight is the death of his saints. 16LORD, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains. 17I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on the LORD’s name. 18I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people, 19in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

This psalm overflows with grateful love for God, who heard the psalmist's cry and delivered him, and asks how to respond to all his goodness. I love the LORD, the psalm begins, because he listens to my voice and my cries for mercy. In distress, near death, the psalmist had called on the LORD, and the LORD had heard and delivered him, saving his soul from death, his eyes from tears, his feet from falling. And out of this deliverance rises love and gratitude: I love the LORD because he heard me; and then the question, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits toward me? The psalmist loves God for hearing and delivering him, and seeks how to respond to his goodness. This shows grateful love for God who hears and delivers, and seeking how to respond. Love God, who hears and delivers, and respond to his goodness with gratitude. Let God's hearing of your cry stir love and thanksgiving in you. Ask, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits? Respond to God's deliverance with grateful devotion.

Notice the movement of the psalm, from deliverance to love to grateful response. First, the deliverance: the psalmist was in distress, surrounded by the cords of death, near to it; he called on the LORD, LORD, deliver my soul; and the LORD heard and delivered him, saving him from death, wiping his tears, keeping his feet from falling. Second, the love: out of this deliverance rises love, I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my cries for mercy. The psalmist loves God, warmly and personally, because God heard and delivered him. And third, the response: what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits toward me? Having been so loved and delivered, the psalmist asks how he can respond, and resolves to take the cup of salvation, call on God's name, and pay his vows among God's people, offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving. This holds a pattern for our own gratitude. God has heard our cries and delivered us, in ways great and small; and this rightly stirs love and gratitude in us, a warm love for the God who hears and helps. And such love seeks a response: not to receive God's benefits and move on, but to ask, as the psalmist did, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits? and to respond with thanksgiving, worship, and devotion. We do well to love God who hears and delivers us, and to respond to his goodness with grateful thanksgiving and devotion. Love God, who hears your cries and delivers you, with warm gratitude. Do not receive God's benefits and move on; ask how to respond to his goodness. Respond to God's deliverance with thanksgiving, worship, and devotion. Let God's goodness to you stir a grateful love that seeks to give back.

That is worth taking to heart, for God hears our cries and delivers us, and this rightly stirs grateful love that seeks to respond, as the psalmist loved God and asked what he should render. We can receive God's deliverance and simply move on; but the psalmist loved the LORD for hearing him and asked what he could render for all his benefits. Respond with gratitude. When God hears and delivers you, do not simply move on; let it stir grateful love, and ask, as the psalmist did, what you shall render to the LORD for all his benefits. Love God, who hears your cries and delivers you, and respond to his goodness with grateful thanksgiving and devotion, asking what you shall render to the LORD for all his benefits, as this psalm overflows with grateful love for God who heard the psalmist's cry and delivered him, beginning I love the LORD because he listens to my voice and my cries for mercy; for in distress and near death the psalmist had called on the LORD who heard and delivered him, saving his soul from death, his eyes from tears, and his feet from falling, and out of this deliverance rose love and gratitude, I love the LORD because he heard me, and then the question, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits toward me, so that the psalmist loves God for hearing and delivering him and seeks how to respond, which holds a pattern for our own gratitude, since God has heard our cries and delivered us in ways great and small and this rightly stirs love and gratitude in us, a warm love for the God who hears and helps, and such love seeks a response, not to receive God's benefits and move on but to ask what we shall render and to respond with thanksgiving, worship, and devotion, so that we do well to love God who hears and delivers us and to respond to his goodness with grateful thanksgiving.

Lord, this psalm overflows with grateful love for you, who heard the psalmist's cry and delivered him, and asks how to respond to all your goodness. I love the LORD, the psalm begins, because he listens to my voice and my cries for mercy. In distress, near death, the psalmist had called on you, and you had heard and delivered him, saving his soul from death, his eyes from tears, his feet from falling. And out of this deliverance rises love and gratitude: I love the LORD because he heard me; and then the question, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits toward me? The psalmist loves you for hearing and delivering him, and seeks how to respond to your goodness. Show me the movement of the psalm, from deliverance to love to grateful response. First, the deliverance: the psalmist was in distress, near death; he called on you, and you heard and delivered him, saving him, wiping his tears, keeping his feet from falling. Second, the love: out of this deliverance rises love, I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my cries for mercy. The psalmist loves you, warmly and personally, because you heard and delivered him. And third, the response: what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits? Having been so loved and delivered, he asks how he can respond, resolving to take the cup of salvation, call on your name, and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. This holds a pattern for my own gratitude. You have heard my cries and delivered me, in ways great and small; and this rightly stirs love and gratitude in me, a warm love for you who hear and help. And such love seeks a response: not to receive your benefits and move on, but to ask, as the psalmist did, what shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits? and to respond with thanksgiving, worship, and devotion. Take that to my heart. When you hear and deliver me, keep me from simply moving on; let it stir grateful love, Lord, and help me ask what I shall render to you for all your benefits, responding to your goodness with thanksgiving, worship, and devotion, loving you who hear my cries and deliver me.