Where do you turn when you are afraid, weary, or full of grief? There are a lot of options. Psalm 116 points us to the One who is gracious, compassionate, yet also immeasurably powerful. That’s the combination you want when you are in distress.
As you immerse yourself in this psalm today, look for the turning point, the hinge that swings the author’s heart swings from fear to faith. What is it?
To get started, play the song below and read the text as you listen. Read it repeatedly. Don’t be distracted that the song doesn’t follow the psalm word-for-word. Absorb the message, and make it your own prayer to the Lord. Enjoy, but before you begin, ask the Lord to give you what your heart needs today.
Psalm 116, by The Sons of Korah. Album: Light of Life. Buy here.
Psalm 116 (NIV)
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 over me;
I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Lord, save me!”
5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;
our God is full of compassion.
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
when I was brought low, he saved me.
7 Return to your rest, my soul,
for the Lord has been good to you.
8 For you, Lord, have delivered me 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 trusted in the Lord when I said,
“I am greatly afflicted”;
11 in my alarm I said,
“Everyone is a liar.”
12 What shall I return to 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 faithful servants.
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;
I serve you just as my mother did;
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, Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord.
Questions:
1. What stood out to you?
2. More than once, the author’s heart swings from fear to faith. What did the author do or say to make that shift?
3. How would you summarize this psalm in your own words?
4. What obligation does the author express in verses 14, 17-19. What might that mean for you and me?
Learn more about the Psalms, the Sons of Korah, and order their music at: sonsofkorah.com
Thanks, brother. Good to meditate on the Word.