Psalms 116

Thanksgiving for God’s Deliverance

¹I love him, because Yahweh has heard

the voice of my supplications.

²Because he has inclined his ear to me,

I will call all my days.

³The ropes of death encircled me,

and the distresses of Sheol found me.

I found trouble and grief.

⁴Then I called on the name of Yahweh:

“O Yahweh, please save my life!”

⁵Gracious is Yahweh and righteous,

and our God is merciful.

⁶Yahweh watches over the simple.

I was brought low, but he gave me victory.

⁷Return, O my soul, to your repose,

for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

⁸For you have rescued me from death,[#Hebrew “my soul.” If “soul” is accepted, then “death” means “the place of death,” that is, the netherworld.]

my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

⁹I will walk before Yahweh

in the land of the living.

¹⁰I believed when I spoke,

“I am afflicted greatly.”

¹¹I said in my haste,

“Everyone is a liar.”

¹²What shall I give back to Yahweh

for all his benefits to me?

¹³I will lift up the cup of salvation

and proclaim the name of Yahweh.

¹⁴I will pay my vows made to Yahweh

in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵Costly in Yahweh’s view is[#Literally “in the eyes of Yahweh”]

the death of his faithful ones.

¹⁶Ah, Yahweh, I am indeed your servant;

I am your servant, the child of your maidservant.

You have loosed my bonds.

¹⁷I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving,

and proclaim the name of Yahweh.

¹⁸I will pay my vows made to Yahweh

in the presence of all his people,

¹⁹in the courts of the house of Yahweh,[#Or “temple”]

in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.

Praise Yah!