November 6, 2009
I LOVE THE LORD
Psalm 116
Bryan Jackson
Central Truth
Praise God in the midst of despair and anguish, for He hears the prayers of those in trouble.
Key Verse | Psalm 116:1–2
I love the Lord
because he heard my plea for mercy,
and listened to me.
As long as I live, I will call to him when I need help.
(Psalm 116:1-2)
Psalm 116
I Love the LORD
1
I love the LORD, because he has heard
my voice and my pleas for mercy.
2
Because he inclined his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3
The snares of death encompassed me;
the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;
I suffered distress and anguish.
4
Then I called on the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!”
5
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
our God is merciful.
6
The LORD preserves the simple;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7
Return, O my soul, to your rest;
for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
8
For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling;
9
I will walk before the LORD
in the land of the living.
10
I believed, even when
1
116:10
Or believed, indeed; Septuagint believed, therefore
I spoke:
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11
I said in my alarm,
“All mankind are liars.”
12
What shall I render to the LORD
for all his benefits to me?
13
I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,
14
I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people.
15
Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints.
16
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your maidservant.
You have loosed my bonds.
17
I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving
and call on the name of the LORD.
18
I will pay my vows to the LORD
in the presence of all his people,
19
in the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!
Dive Deeper | Psalm 116
Psalm 116 is a psalm of thanksgiving. In this psalm, the writer is remembering how the LORD delivered him from certain death (verses 3-11) and gave him a life of ministry and service. Because God delivered him, the psalmist resolved to call on him as long as he lived.
Why does it always seem that we have to be in despair before we call upon the LORD? It's been said that there are no atheists in foxholes, and, while I've never been in the military, I know that prayer will always be in schools as long as there are midterms and finals. There is something about being completely helpless and distraught that forces us to cling to something bigger than ourselves. Sometimes, it's our wealth, our place on the societal totem pole, or our human gifts and abilities. We cling to these things like our life depends on them, but they cannot save or deliver. As we frantically grasp at the things of this world to save us from this world, why should we be surprised when they do not?
The psalmist was facing certain death and instead of clinging to his earthly wealth or stature, he threw himself at the feet of the Almighty, the only One who has the power to save. God's delivery of the psalmist from death leads to reflection on the character of God--namely, that He is gracious, merciful, and righteous. All too often, we as Christians know this about God, but for the most part haven't experienced this fully in our daily lives. Out of this terrible ordeal, the psalmist has a new vision of God. Much like looking at the facets of a diamond, he has seen a side of God that he would not have known had he not experienced this event.
The psalmist concludes in verse 12-19 (NLT), "What can I offer God for all he has done for me?" The answer is public worship. The psalmist was delivered, but it is the entire congregation that shares in thanksgiving. Community is crucial to the proper worship of a glorious savior.
Discussion Questions
1. Is there a time in your day that you can set apart time just to say "thanks" to God? (Car commutes work great.)
2. Do you rely on your wealth/job/social standing/etc. in times of despair when you should be relying on God? If so, why?
3. If you can trust God for your salvation, how much more should you trust him during the daily trivialities of life? Because God is able to do the impossible (reconciling depraved man to a holy God), we should trust Him with the easier. How can you trust Him with the small details of life?