Psalm 116 is a personal song of praise and thanksgiving to God. It celebrates the writer’s deliverance from a difficult experience that caused him great distress. We don’t know for sure who the author is, but this Psalm could have been written by any of us. We can all relate to crying out to God in the midst of a difficult and distressing situation.
When I first read through this Psalm earlier this week, I was moved to tears.
I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:1-2
Last Thursday, my husband and I were involved in a freak car accident. A tire from an animal trailer came loose and catapulted across the road into the front of my SUV. The firemen who arrived on the scene said they had never seen anything like this. The tire made a 2 foot indention into the from of my car. My brother-in-law who is an ER nurse also confirmed that accidents like this don’t usually have a good ending. If the tire would have hit an inch higher it would have gone straight through the windshield of my car with a horrifiic outcome. It is a miracle we walked away from the scene of this accident with only sore upper bodies from the airbags and seat belts. Moreover, we walked away with a tremendous feeling of overwhelming gratefulness to God.
The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!”
Psalm 116:3-4
In this Psalm the writer expresses his love for the Lord because God hears and answers His children when they call to Him. He recalls the many troubles and sorrows he has already encountered and how gracious and compassionate the Lord has been to him.
As the Psalmist remembers the merciful kindness and patient grace of the Lord towards him. He then cries out…
What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?
Psalm 116:12
The Psalmist knew that there is nothing we can do to repay the Lord for all His grace and love towards us. There is no payment or reward that we can offer to God that would pay Him back for all of the wonderful things He has done for us.
There is nothing we can do except offer Him our sacrifice of praise. We can pour out our heart of gratitude to Him for our salvation. We can tell others of the wonders of His grace and mercy. We can seek to do His will with a willing and obedient heart. We can let His love flow through us to others.
I am praising God that my husband and I have another day to worship God and tell others that Jesus loves them.
I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116:18