Psalm 116:1

Psalm 116

Deliverance from death

This Psalm is the fourth in the “Hallel” and it praises and thanks the Lord for His deliverance from death. No author is mentioned although it reads like a Psalm of David. Some indeed attribute it to a king and have noticed that it mirrors the thoughts of Hezekiah after he was saved from dying. Isaiah 38:9-20.

The Psalm has some beautiful sentiments and is particularly poignant for me having suffered a heart attack and what was described as “catastrophic heart failure,” just 6 months ago! Let’s enjoy this tribute to the Lord who guards and keeps us all despite what life may throw at us. 

 

V1        What a beautiful opening statement of humble praise, “I love the Lord!” We could stop and muse over this one statement for a long time. Before we investigate some of the reasons why we love Him perhaps it’s good to remember that we love Him because He is! His existence and His holiness and purity, His power and His glory are as good a reason as any to “love the Lord.”. That we poor human creatures have a God is enough, where would we be without Him? How dull and empty life would be if there was no higher power. We are compelled to love simply because we recognise that we are not alone.

There are at least a thousand and one other reasons to love, in fact one modern song numbers our gratitude-count at 100 Billion X! The psalmist is overwhelmed with gratefulness because the Lord heard his voice and heard his cry for mercy. This is the God who hears. He hears our joyful songs. He hears our plaintive cries. He hears our expressions of repentance. He hears us as we cry out in fear and terror. He hears our rambling requests. He hears our simple demonstrations of thanksgiving. He hears us when we sing out loud in large gatherings and He hears when we are alone and overwhelmed with joy. He hears us when we rise in the morning and He hears our humble request for sleep, as we lay to rest at night. He hears the burbling of the tiny child and the sophisticated orations of the educated sage. God hears when we speak plain language and when we babble away in tongues, He hears it all and that is a good reason to love Him! Hallelujah! 

 

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