Click here to read PSALM 116 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 116 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Psalm 116 declares God delivering Israel from Egypt and bringing them across the Jordan into the promised land.
Psalm 116 is the fourth of six “Hallel” (praise) Psalms (113-118). They were an important part of the Passover meal ceremony. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung before the meal after two cups of wine had been drunk. Then Psalms 115-118 were sung.
Structure
(Verses 1,2) I love the Lord and will call upon Him, because He inclined His ear to me
(Verses 3-9) In my sorrow and trouble, I called upon the Lord and He delivered me from death
(Verses 10-16) In my bonds, I called upon the Lord and He loosed me from death
(Verses 17-19) I will offer thanks to the Lord and call upon Him, praise the Lord
Key Scriptures
Verse 3—“The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell [Sheol] gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.” Jesus Christ faced numerous attempts on his life, beginning with King Herod trying to kill him when he was less than two years of age. But Jesus Christ had read Psalm 116 and knew that his Father would preserve and save the “simple,” or pure hearted, as in verse 6 of this Psalm. He knew that with God’s help he would “walk before the Lord in the land of the living” (verse 9).
Verse 10—“I believed, therefore have I spoken.” The Apostle Paul quotes this verse in II Corinthians 4:13,14: “We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” Paul uses the context of Psalm 116 (God delivering from the grave to the “land of the living”) to encourage the Corinthian believers regarding the future resurrection of the dead when Christ returns.
Verse 15—“Precious [valuable, costly] in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” This Hebrew word translated “precious” shows that it is a great loss to the Lord when His “saints,” those who believe and trust in Him, die. Death is an enemy, according to I Corinthians 15:26. Yet we have the victory over death, as it says in verse 57: “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!
The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
