The Lord Will

Psalms 116

Old Testament · King James Version

Psalm 116 is a personal thanksgiving psalm. The speaker loves the Lord because prayer was heard, remembers anguish and deliverance, returns to rest, receives salvation with gratitude, and responds with vows and public praise.

1

I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

2

Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

3

The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

4

Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

5

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

6

The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.

7

Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

8

For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

9

I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

10

I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:

11

I said in my haste, All men are liars.

12

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

13

I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

14

I will pay my vows unto the Lord now 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 thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

17

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

18

I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people,

19

In the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

Context

A Hallel psalm centered on testimony after severe distress. Its language of death, tears, rescue, vows, sacrifice, and public worship is devotional poetry, not a guarantee that every believer will escape illness, danger, or death in the same way.

Themes & application

  • Answered prayer
  • Love of God
  • Deliverance
  • Rest
  • Faith in affliction
  • Thanksgiving
  • Vows
  • Public worship
  • Mortality

Bring distress honestly to God, receive help with gratitude, and let deliverance deepen trust and public thanksgiving. Keep vows truthful and safe, avoid romanticizing suffering or death, and never use this psalm to shame people whose prayers are not answered as hoped.

Key verses

Psalm 116:1

Love grows from experienced mercy and heard prayer.

Psalm 116:7

The soul is called back to rest because of God's goodness.

Psalm 116:13

The cup of salvation symbolizes grateful reception of God's rescue.

Psalm 116:15

The death of God's faithful ones matters deeply to God and must not be glorified.

Common misreadings of Psalms 116

Misreading: Psalm 116 promises that faithful people will always survive crises or recover physically.

In context: The psalm testifies to one deliverance and does not guarantee identical outcomes for every believer.

Misreading: Verse 11 proves that every human being is always lying.

In context: The statement comes from the speaker's pressured experience and should not be universalized into blanket distrust.

Misreading: Verse 15 glorifies death or makes dying spiritually desirable.

In context: It affirms the value of God's faithful people even in death; it does not encourage death, self-harm, or neglect of life.

Misreading: Vows in verses 14 and 18 justify dangerous promises or coercive religious obligations.

In context: Biblical vows are not permission for self-harm, financial exploitation, or manipulation.

Cross-references

  • 2 Corinthians 4:13 — Paul later cites Psalm 116:10 in a context of faith amid affliction.
  • Psalm 56:13 — A related image of deliverance from death and walking before God.
  • Jonah 2:9 — Thanksgiving and fulfillment of vows after deliverance.

Frequently asked questions about Psalms 116

Does Psalm 116 guarantee healing or rescue from death?
No. It records grateful testimony after deliverance and should not be turned into a universal promise of physical recovery.
What does 'precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints' mean?
It means the death of God's faithful ones is not trivial or unnoticed; the verse does not glorify death or discourage efforts to preserve life.

Sources & editorial notes

Translation
Commentary anchored in the public-domain Psalm 116 text used by the site (en).
Authorship
The psalm heading does not name an individual author; the commentary does not assign one beyond the text.
Editorial process
Synthesis checked against four literary movements and safeguards around health claims, suffering, trust, vows, mortality, self-harm, and afterlife proof-texting.

References

  • Psalm 116 — Primary text and literary structure.
  • 2 Corinthians 4:13 — Later canonical reception of Psalm 116:10.

Author: The Lord Will Editorial Team · Reviewed by: Ugo Candido · Updated: 2026-08-22