Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Reflections on Psalms 116

 Psalms 116(Contemporary English Version)
  1. I love you, LORD! You answered my prayers.
  2. You paid attention to me, and so I will pray to you as long as I live.
  3. Death attacked from all sides, and I was captured by its painful chains. But when I was really hurting,
  4. I prayed and said, "LORD, please don't let me die!"
  5. You are kind, LORD, so good and merciful.
  6. You protect ordinary people, and when I was helpless, you saved me
  7. and treated me so kindly that I don't need to worry anymore.
  8. You, LORD, have saved my life from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
  9. Now I will walk at your side in this land of the living.
  10. I was faithful to you when I was suffering,
  11. though in my confusion I said, "I can't trust anyone!"
  12. What must I give you, LORD, for being so good to me?
  13. I will pour out an offering of wine to you, and I will pray in your name because you have saved me.
  14. I will keep my promise to you when your people meet.
  15. You are deeply concerned when one of your loyal people faces death.
  16. I worship you, LORD, just as my mother did, and you have rescued me from the chains of death.
  17. I will offer you a sacrifice to show how grateful I am, and I will pray.
  18. I will keep my promise to you when your people
  19. gather at your temple in Jerusalem. Shout praises to the LORD!

The Lord had heard the psalmist's call for help and had rescued him from death. Therefore the psalmist expressed his love for the Lord and vowed to "call out to Him as long as I live." (116:2) From his experience of salvation, the psalmist knew the Lord to be compassionate and that He "guards the inexperienced." (116:6) Does this mean, then, that his inexperience led him into the situation that threatened his life? Having been rescued from near death, the psalmist could now, "walk before the LORD in the land of the living." (116:9)

The psalmist's heart overflowed with thankfulness and praise for the Lord's salvation. "How can I repay the LORD all the good He has done for me?" he asked. (116:12) In answer to his own question he determined that he would "take the cup of salvation and worship the LORD." And would "fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all His people." (116:13, 14) He also proclaimed himself to be the Lord's servant.

Concerning his rescue from death, the psalmist said, "The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the LORD's sight." (116:15) The Lord does not take our deaths lightly because He values our lives. Life to Him is precious and therefore death is precious and something He does not wish to happen prematurely. Thus He rescued the psalmist. But when it is time for us to die, He has prepared for that time by offering His own Son so that death might not be the end, but the beginning of life in His presence.

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