God loves you! Given that, you return the love by gratitude, praise, prayer, and worship. Psalm 116 is another Passover Psalm sung by Jews during Passover. The author of this psalm is unknown, yet it’s very personal. Read it out loud as if you were saying it to God.
Psalm 116
1 I love the Lord because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
2 Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!
3 Death wrapped its ropes around me;
the terrors of the grave [Sheol] overtook me.
I saw only trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“Please, Lord, save me!”
5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is!
So merciful, this God of ours!
6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith;
I was facing death, and he saved me.
7 Let my soul be at rest again,
for the Lord has been good to me.
8 He has saved me from death,
my eyes from tears,
my feet from stumbling.
9 And so I walk in the Lord’s presence
as I live here on earth!
10 I believed in you, so I said,
“I am deeply troubled, Lord.”
11 In my anxiety I cried out to you,
“These people are all liars!”
12 What can I offer the Lord
for all he has done for me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and praise the Lord’s name for saving me.
14 I will keep my promises to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.15 The Lord cares deeply
when his loved ones die.
16 O Lord, I am your servant;
yes, I am your servant, born into your household;
you have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving
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 house of the Lord
in the heart of Jerusalem.Praise the Lord!
Psalm 116 NLT
Imagine Jesus Singing this Passover Psalm
Pastor Sandy Adams adds some insight.
Imagine, Jesus singing these lyrics as He left the upper room, and walked across Jerusalem to the Garden of Gethsemane. “The pains of death surrounded Me…”
Later that night, in great agony, He would pray the same prayer. And here we get a possible glimpse at the aftermath of Jesus’ turmoil in the garden. Jesus was distressed and trouble with the prospect of betrayal and death. He agonized until His perspiration was like drops of blood.
Jesus gained a peace in the Garden that night.
Jesus began His priestly ordeal with a tremendous trust in God. Though death had him surrounded – His eyes were flush with tears – it felt like His feet were slipping.
He knew death was ahead for Him, but more importantly, Jesus knew He would also be resurrected. God would deliver His soul from death.
How do you say thanks to God?
The first way to say thanks to God is to “take up the cup of salvation.” Through God’s grace our cup is now brimming with blessing. The least we can do is enjoy it. Put it to your lips and take a long, deep drink. The way to say thanks to God is to enjoy His blessings.
A second way is “to call upon the name of the LORD.” Hey, the best way to thank an auto mechanic for excellent service is the next time your car malfunctions you take the vehicle back to him. The same is true with God. When you have a problem, make Him your first resort not last retreat. Before you call a friend, or run to church, go to God. You thank Him for past kindness by relying on His current kindness.
A third way to say thanks to God is to “pay your vows… in the presence of all God’s people…” The psalmist is so thankful to God he parades his lamb through the streets as he walks His sacrifice to the Temple. He’s not embarrassed by his devotion to God. He wants the world to know of his love for God. The psalmist goes public with His praise. Jesus told us to pray in private. Go into our room and shut the door. But when we praise God we’re suppose to roll the windows down. We need to praise Him at school, in the office, at the grocery store, or the ballpark.
Death is No More!
Jesus’ resurrection transformed death from an enemy into a friend. The grim reaper has become our transport to glory. Death is no longer a tombstone, but a stepping stone. It’s been said, “What the caterpillar calls the end of life, the Master calls a butterfly.”
Again think what these words meant coming from the lips of Jesus… He was about to be nailed to a tree – a public disgrace. He’ll paraded through the streets, and mocked, and hung from a cross for all to see. Yet, He’s ready to pay His vows. As we’re told in Hebrews 12:2, “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame…” Jesus was humiliated so we could save face and be declared righteous.
Pastor Sandy Adams
God Hears Your Prayers!
At times, you may think that He doesn’t. Why? You may be asking with the wrong motives — selfish motives. Besides that, if you’re not a born-again believer, one of His Children, He won’t respond. For the unbeliever, the prayer that God wants to hear is, “Lord, I am a sinner! I repent of my sins! Please, Lord, save me! I will follow you for the rest of my life.”
That is a prayer you need to pray while you’re still alive and coherent.
If you’re not sure if you’re saved or not, if you truly want to be born again and have the assurance of salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, feel His Shalom — a peace that surpasses all understanding, and get a 1-way, non-stop ticket to Heaven after you die, or that you won’t be left behind at the Rapture, which can happen at any moment, this is what you have to do…
