> [[psalm-115|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-117|Next →]] --- # Psalm 116 ## Thanksgiving to God Who Saves from Death ### I 1 I love the LORD, who listened to my voice in supplication, 2 Who turned an ear to me on the day I called. 3 I was caught by the cords of death; the snares of Sheol had seized me; I felt agony and dread. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD, “O LORD, save my life!” ### II 5 Gracious is the LORD and righteous; yes, our God is merciful. 6 The LORD protects the simple; I was helpless, but he saved me. 7 Return, my soul, to your rest; the LORD has been very good to you. 8 For my soul has been freed from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. 9 I shall walk before the LORD in the land of the living. ### III 10 I kept faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted!” 11 I said in my alarm, “All men are liars!” 12 How can I repay the LORD for all the great good done for me? 13 I will raise 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 Dear in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his devoted. 16 LORD, I am your servant, your servant, the child of your maidservant; you have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer a sacrifice of praise 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. Hallelujah! \* (Psalm 116) A thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds to divine rescue from mortal danger ([Ps 116:3] – [4]) and from near despair ([Ps 116:10] – [11]) with vows and Temple sacrifices ([Ps 116:13] – [14], [17] – [19]). The Greek and Latin versions divide the Psalm into two parts: [Ps 116:1] – [9] and [Ps 116:10] – [19], corresponding to its two major divisions. \* (116:3) The cords of death: death is personified here; it attempts to capture the psalmist with snares and nets, cf. ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:6]. \* (116:9) The land of the living: the phrase elsewhere is an epithet of the Jerusalem Temple (cf. ([[psalm-27|Ps 27]]:13]; [52:5]; [Is 38:11]). Hence the psalmist probably refers to being present to God in the Temple. \* (116:10) I kept faith, even when I said: even in the days of despair, the psalmist did not lose all hope. \* (116:13) The cup of salvation: probably the libation of wine poured out in gratitude for rescue, cf. ([[exodus-25|Ex 25]]:29]; [Nm 15:5], [7], [10]. \* (116:15) Dear in the eyes of the LORD: the meaning is that the death of God’s faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death, cf. [Ps 72:14]. In ([[wisdom-03|Wis 3]]:5] – [6], God accepts the death of the righteous as a sacrificial burnt offering. a. (116:3) ([[psalm-18|Ps 18]]:5]; [Jon 2:3]. b. (116:5) [Ex 34:6]. c. (116:7) ([[psalm-13|Ps 13]]:6]. d. (116:8) [Ps 56:14]; [Is 25:8]; [Rv 21:4]. e. (116:9) ([[psalm-27|Ps 27]]:13]; [56:14]; [Is 38:11]. f. (116:10) ([[2-corinthians-04|2 Cor 4]]:13]. g. (116:11) ([[psalm-12|Ps 12]]:2]. h. (116:15) [Ps 72:14]; [Is 43:4]. i. (116:16) [Ps 86:16]; [143:12]; ([[wisdom-09|Wis 9]]:5]. j. (116:17) [Lv 7:12ff]. k. (116:18) [Jon 2:10]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[psalm-115|← Previous]] | [[psalm-00|TOC]] | [[psalm-117|Next →]]