Psalms 116 - Printer Friendly

What does Psalms 116 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

Each psalm in the "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalm 113—118) focuses on an aspect of God's relationship to His people. An early statement in this block refers to Israel's rescue from Egypt (Psalm 114:1); these songs were associated with Jewish festivals such as Passover. This passage concentrates on the personal experience of God's intervention.

At some point, the psalmist faced a dire crisis. Old Testament descriptions of emotion can be melodramatic (Psalm 6:6; 38:3), but this incident appears to be a very literal threat to the psalmist's life. The word sheo refers to the Old Testament concept of the afterlife (Psalm 89:48). Those prayers for rescue were granted, and the writer plans to worship God for the rest of his life in response (Psalm 116:1–4).

Danger and stress take a toll. But the psalmist points out God's attributes of mercy, grace, and justice. This leads to a sense of rest: a trusting freedom from panic or terror. The psalmist has experienced God's power to rescue personally. Not only has God's intervention kept the writer free from failure and anguish, but the Lord has also spared the psalmist's life (Psalm 116:5–9).

Faith in God does not bring immunity to normal human emotions. During this crisis, the psalmist spoke out about the intense hurt he felt. Yet this did not cause him to doubt God. Rather, the psalmist chooses to put faith in the Lord, who never changes (Malachi 3:6), rather than in the dishonest words of men. The writer intends to honor the Lord with vows and public praise (Psalm 116:10–14).

God allows each person to experience many things, and some are tragic. Yet each human life has value. The term translated "precious" here is from the root word yāqār, which refers to something of great importance and value. Though He knows and controls the hour of our death (Psalm 139:16), the Lord doesn't treat our lives carelessly (Psalm 72:14). What we experience—even when it's painful—is part of God's good plan (Romans 8:28) for those who love Him (Psalm 116:15)

Out of appreciation for God's salvation, the psalmist vows to serve and worship the Lord. Being rescued from some danger or stress is often compared to being freed from chains (Psalm 107:13–14). Related analogies are used for sin (Romans 6:17). With this newfound sense of freedom, the psalmist intends to publicly praise and honor God: to call on His "name" (Psalm 116:16–19).

Psalm 116:1–4 expresses the psalmist's love for God, who has granted a prayer for rescue. The writer was near death, suffering distress and anguish, but he called on the Lord, and the Lord answered. This inspires a promise to honor God for a lifetime.

Psalm 116:5–11 emphasizes the Lord's mercy and love in rescuing the psalmist from danger. The experience caused the writer to complain about his suffering, and to bitterly compare the perfect faithfulness of God with the dishonesty of humanity. Rest and trust come from recognizing God's goodness.

Psalm 116:12–14 considers how the psalmist should react to God's merciful rescue. Being saved from death, the writer promises to worship God faithfully. He also plans to make His praise of God public. This is not spoken as if a payment is due, or that his rescue was dependent on making a deal with God. Rather, it is the natural response of someone grateful for what they have received.

Psalm 116:15–19 expresses gratitude that the Lord cares about the lives of His people. The psalmist promises to honor the Lord and give Him public praise for the rest of his life. The psalm ends with a Hebrew phrase often rendered in English as "hallelujah!"

Chapter Summary:

The psalmist thanks God for rescue from a fatal threat. During some intense crisis, the writer cried out to God and was spared. For this reason, the psalmist promises to praise God forever. The danger made this writer question the reasons for his situation, but did not erase his faith. He recognizes that the Lord values all of His people, and vows to publicly honor the One who has saved him.

Chapter Context:

Major Jewish celebrations incorporated a series of songs (Psalms 113—118), often called "the Hallel." These frequently use the phrase halelu-yāh, better known in English as "hallelujah." This literally means "Praise the Lord!" Psalm 116 emphasizes the personal salvation experienced by the psalmist. His words explore the way God's people often struggle to understand hardships (Psalm 73:2–3).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

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