Psalm Chapter 116 KJV
King James Version, Holy Bible
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.
More Psalms Chapter 116
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?
More Psalms Chapter 116
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.
Key Takeaways from This Psalm:
Psalm 116:1
Verse: אֲהַבְתִּי כִּי-יִשְׁמַע יְהוָה קוֹלִי
Transliteration: Ahavti ki yishma Adonai koli
English: “I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.”
Focus Word: שָׁמַע (Shama)
- Root: ש-מ-ע (Shin-Mem-Ayin)
- Meaning: “To hear,” “to listen,” “to obey.”
- Deeper Insight: Shama conveys attentive listening and responsiveness, emphasizing God’s care and the believer’s trust in His attention.
| Hebrew Word + Transliteration | Verse + Snippet | Meaning / Morphology | Scholarly Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| אָהַבְתִּי — ahavti | Verse 1 — “I love the LORD…” | “To love,” deeply cherish. | Ahavti (“to love”) signifies heartfelt affection born from gratitude. It expresses covenant devotion that arises from God’s deliverance. The verb reveals intimacy, not ritual obligation. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament |
| קָרָא — kara | Verse 2 — “I will call upon Him…” | “To call,” invoke, appeal. | Kara (“to call”) conveys urgent appeal rooted in confidence that God hears. It frames prayer as relational dependence. The term anchors the theme of answered petition. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms |
| אֶפָפ — ’epaph | Verse 3 — “The cords of death surrounded me…” | “To encompass,” surround. | ’Epaph (“to surround”) reflects inescapable danger closing in on the speaker. It evokes imagery of entanglement and mortal fear. The term heightens the dramatic tension of the Psalm. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament |
| מְצוּקָה — metzuka | Verse 3 — “…and the distress of Sheol found me.” | “Distress,” tight place. | Metzuka (“distress”) depicts constriction, emotional pressure, and helplessness. It portrays the psalmist’s psychological and spiritual anguish. The word intensifies the sense of desperation. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament |
| חַנּוּן — channun | Verse 5 — “The LORD is gracious…” | “Gracious,” kind, compassionate. | Channun (“gracious”) describes God’s benevolence shown to those in misery. It emphasizes unmerited compassion. The term enriches the Psalm’s theme of divine mercy. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms |
| שׁוּבִי — shuv i | Verse 7 — “Return to your rest, O my soul…” | “Return,” turn back, restore. | Shuvi (“return”) expresses a call for inward restoration. It signals movement from turmoil into peace. The verb reveals self-exhortation founded upon trust. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament |
| דִּמְעָה — dim‘ah | Verse 8 — “You have wiped away my tears…” | “Tear,” sorrow, weeping. | Dim‘ah (“tear”) symbolizes suffering and emotional anguish. Its removal signifies divine healing. The word strengthens the Psalm’s movement from sorrow to salvation. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament |
| הִתְהַלֵּךְ — hithallekh | Verse 9 — “I will walk before the LORD…” | “To walk,” conduct oneself. | Hithallekh (“to walk”) conveys ongoing moral conduct lived in God’s presence. It expresses covenant faithfulness. The verb emphasizes life lived consciously before Yahweh. — Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms |
| אָמַנְתִּי — amanti | Verse 10 — “I believed, therefore I spoke.” | “To believe,” trust firmly. | Amanti (“to believe”) denotes deep-seated confidence in God despite suffering. It highlights the unity between faith and confession. The word frames testimony as an outflow of trust. — Carl Friedrich Keil, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament |
| נָדַר — nadar | Verse 14 — “I will pay my vows to the LORD…” | “To vow,” make a promise. | Nadar (“to vow”) expresses solemn dedication offered to God. It indicates gratitude expressed through commitment. The verb reinforces worship as faithful follow-through. — Wilhelm Gesenius, Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon of the Old Testament |
Biblical Scholars On This Chapter:
| Scholar (Institution & Dates) | Work | View on Psalm 116 |
|---|---|---|
| Hugh Binning (University of Glasgow, 1627–1653) | Sermons on the Psalms | Binning portrays heartfelt gratitude for God’s rescue from mortal danger as central to devotion. |
| William Lowth (University of Oxford, 1660–1732) | Commentary on the Psalms | The Psalm emphasizes that life restored through divine mercy elicits sincere thanksgiving. |
| Johann Albrecht Bengel (University of Tübingen, 1687–1752) | Gnomon Novi Testamenti | Bengel interprets this Psalm as illustrating that personal deliverance strengthens faith and commitment. |
| Philip Doddridge (Northampton Academy, 1702–1751) | Family Expositor | Doddridge highlights the importance of expressing gratitude in both prayer and practical obedience. |
| James Durham (St Andrews / Edinburgh, 1622–1658) | Commentary on the Psalms | Durham reflects on the Psalm as a model of turning personal trials into worshipful acknowledgment of God’s mercy. |
NEVER FORGET YOUR VOW
Thought for the day: With God, you can do great things.
Message:
I watched a movie growing up about a woman that was looking for the fruit of the womb, she tried all she could but nothing was forthcoming, she decided to go and ask for a baby from one powerful tree in her village and she unknowingly promised the tree that she will give herself to the tree if she can bear a child, luckily to her she got pregnant and delivered a baby girl, she went back to the tree with a goat to fulfil her vow but the tree refused to take the animal and the tree held her down, she couldn’t leave again, that was when she remembered.
The lesson in this story is not to go to any tree to ask for anything but to be careful when you are making a vow to God and to man, and if you make any vow, note it and try all your best to fulfil it, may I tell you this that any vow you fail to pay will stand against you in the future in one way or the other.
It is always common for us in the face of challenges to make a commitment to God thinking He can only hear us when we make the vow, please be careful of the vow to make, don’t be a man of many words so that you can think before you talk it out
Twice in today’s bible reading, the writer said I will pay my vow to the Lord in the presence of His people, we don’t know the promise he made to God, probably he said he would dance before the whole congregation, or he will singlehandedly sponsor a project, whatever it is, he wants to fulfil his vow.
About 10 years ago, I was in school looking for a means of getting school fees, I went home on holiday and I discovered that my home church need to change its pulpit, I prayed earnestly to see who will buy it but nobody bought it, so I promised God that I will use my next income for it, behold my next income was my school fees, I was not at rest because of pledged to God, I took from my school fees and a nice pulpit was build for the church, I was so much happy, although, I suffered for the money I finally pay the money and God reward me in many ways for it.
My Counsel
Ø If you have any vow you have not fulfilled, go and do it now, if you don’t have it, call them and tell them you will come and pay
Ø Be careful before making any vow in order not to put yourself in trouble
Declaration
Father help me to think rightly and I am sorry for any vow I have failed to fulfil in Jesus' name. Amen
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