Psalm 116

¹ I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
² Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
³ The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called on the name of the LORD: “O LORD, save me!”
⁵ The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
⁶ The LORD protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.
⁷ Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.
⁸ For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,
⁹ that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

¹⁰ I believed; therefore I said, “I am greatly afflicted.”
¹¹ And in my dismay I said, “All men are liars.”
¹² How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?
¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.
¹⁴ I will fulfill 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, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.
¹⁷ I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.
¹⁸ I will fulfill 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.

Charles Spurgeon notes to the Village Preacher called this Psalm “Psalm of Thanksgiving in the Person of Christ”. As I read this Psalm, I can picture Christ living this Psalm during his time on this earth. Spurgeon writes that this Psalm is a continuation of Psalm 115 was is consider the Passover Psalm. It could be considered as a Psalm that represents the nation of Israel coming out of the bondage of Egypt. As we look at the first verse, we see three key points that should be in our life. First, I love the Lord. Second, God hears my voice. And third, my cry that he heard is for mercy. Why do I cry for mercy? Mercy is defined as: compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one’s power; compassion, pity, or benevolence. Who else could I turn to, beside God? However, if I picture this as a Psalm that my Lord would pray, why would he call for mercy? Would it be because of John 3:16?

As a young boy around eleven I would help milk the cows in the early mornings and evenings seven days a week. It was during this time in my life I remember the song “Tell Me the Story of Jesus” that would play on the radio at this time. This was back in the early sixties. This Psalm reminds me of my story of a journey with Jesus that started at an early age. The Christian walk is not just a walk that means I go to church on Sunday but leave out my beliefs in my daily secular walk. No, it is a walk that makes me a servant to God’s way, and His will.