Psalms Reading – 4.17.2022
Psalm 116
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.
Psalm 117
1 Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.
2 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.
It’s appropriate on Easter Sunday that we read Psalm 116 which celebrates deliverance from death. Verses 1-9 focus on the nature and character of the Lord. Verses 10-19 reveal the response of the unnamed psalmist.
Verses 1-2 reveal the nature of worship: The Lord acts and the people respond in praise. The psalmist prays and God delivers which inspires a lifetime commitment to praise and prayer.
In the throes of death, he called out for the Lord to save him. In similar fashion, the Apostle Paul spoke of our eternal salvation in Romans 10:13, “for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” The Lord’s gracious, righteous, and compassionate nature is confirmed once again for those who have childlike faith and trust in Him. His soul can be at rest because he has been blessed by God’s deliverance so that he can walk with the Lord.
The response of verse 12 reveals the heart of worship, “What shall I return to the Lord for all His goodness to me?” He goes on to declare that we are God’s servants who are quick to offer thanksgiving and praise for the greatness of the Lord’s love toward us. Easter is a great day to celebrate our deliverance from death as we offer our loving worship to our Risen Lord!
Memory Verse: Psalm 115:1, Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
Question(s) to Consider: Is your soul at rest? Have you been delivered from spiritual death? If not, will you call on the name of the Lord Jesus to save you?