Psalms

Psalms 116: The LORD hears and receives thanks

Begin in prayer

Before we hear the thanks of a man rescued from death, let us remember the prayers God has heard and the mercies we have received. Ask Him to bring us to Jesus and teach us lifelong gratitude.

“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered Yahweh. My prayer came in to you, into your holy temple.

Jonah 2:7

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word, and help us to see Christ. Show us that the gracious Lord hears His servant and calls the rescued to a life of prayer and thankful obedience. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

The singer loves the Lord because He heard his cry for mercy when death surrounded him. He called for deliverance and found the gracious, righteous and merciful God preserving the simple and saving him from his low condition. His soul returns to rest as he remembers rescue from death, tears and falling, and promises to walk before God among the living. Faith spoke amid great affliction, though in haste he called all men liars. Asking what he can give for God's benefits, he takes the cup of salvation and calls on the Lord's name. Even the death of God's saints is precious in His sight. Calling himself God's servant whose chains are freed, he offers thanks and keeps vows among God's people in Jerusalem's courts.

As you read Psalms 116, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The gracious LORD hears and rescues His servant, whose love answers with lifelong prayer, obedience and public thanks.

God's listening gives the singer reason to love Him and call upon Him throughout his life. Death's cords and the pains of the grave made the prayer urgent, and the simple cry asked for the rescue he could not secure. God's grace and mercy belong beside His righteousness, so the answered man can speak of the character his need has encountered. Remembered deliverance calls his soul back to rest and his feet to a life walked before God. Second Corinthians 4 verses 13 and 14 quote his believing speech and ground Paul's hope in God raising His people with Jesus. The singer's hasty verdict on all men stands beside that honest confession of affliction. His answer to God's benefits is to take the cup of salvation, call on His name and keep his vows publicly. The man whose chains God freed still calls himself His servant, and even His saints' death is precious before Him. Thanksgiving therefore gathers the rescued life into worship with God's people in the courts of His house.

How does Psalm 116 show us that the gracious LORD hears and rescues His servant, whose love answers with lifelong prayer, obedience and public thanks?

God's gracious hearing turns a distressed cry into love and lasting prayer.

Death surrounded the singer until he called upon the Lord for deliverance. God preserved the simple and saved him when he was brought low. Being heard gives him reason to love God and keep calling throughout his life.

God's remembered rescue gives rest and a life to walk before Him.

The singer speaks to his soul because God has delivered him from death, tears and falling. He will walk before the Lord among the living. His believing words acknowledge great affliction, while his hasty speech exposes the strain he experienced.

God's servant answers saving goodness with received mercy and public thanksgiving.

He takes the cup of salvation and calls on the name that heard his distress. Vows and thanksgiving belong before the whole people. His loosened chains make willing service precious, while the Lord also treasures the death of His saints.

Memorise

Return to your rest, my soul, for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116:7

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what mercy from the Lord Jesus have I received without answering Him in thankful obedience?

The rescued man says, “You have freed me from my chains.” He calls himself God's servant and promises thanks among His people. Mercy has given him a life to walk before the Lord.

Our sin binds us to a debt we cannot remove through promises or gratitude. Jesus died for His people and paid their debt before the righteous Judge, breaking the condemnation from which no promise could free them. The Father raised Him to life. His sacrifice is complete, with the whole debt paid and forgiveness secured for those who trust Him.

Call on the name of the Lord Jesus, and turn from your sin to trust Him. Every person who comes to Him receives forgiveness. Thank Him for the kindness you have forgotten, and keep the promises obedience requires. Jesus keeps His believing servants through life and death, receiving the public thanks of people whose bonds His mercy has broken.

Parent's note

Tell your children that the gracious Lord hears His servant and calls the rescued to a life of prayer and thankful obedience. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God for hearing cries for mercy and ask for love, willing service and public thanksgiving. Bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “Behold, you are made well. Sin no more, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

John 5:14

Gracious Father, thank You for hearing the weak cry and seeing the life brought low. Please forgive our forgotten promises and bring us to Jesus for the pardon His completed sacrifice provides. Give our children hearts that love You. Help Your people walk before You, give thanks among the congregation and trust Your precious care when death comes near. Amen.