GOD HAS AND I WILL (Psalm 116)

Do you love the Lord? Have you ever made a list of all the reasons why you love Him?

That is what Psalm 116 is. It begins in verse 1 with, “I love the Lord, because …”

From there, it gets right to the point. Continuing with the remainder of that verse and also verse 2: “… because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.”

In short, the Psalmist wrote that he loved the Lord because He heard and answered his prayer. Have you seen definite answers to prayer in your life? Do you know that God has heard you and met you in your hour of need? If so, you should also say, “I love the Lord.”

Psalm 116 goes on to explain what God had done for him and what he would then do. It summarizes the Lord’s goodness and his response.

Verses 3-8: “The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”

Is that your testimony? Think of all that God has done in your life. This is the psalmist’s list, and it is an inspired list. I think it describes what He has done in all our lives.

But you can make your own list today. Sit down with a pen and a piece of paper. Title it “God has” or “I love the Lord because.” Then, make your list.

Keep in mind that in Psalm 116, the emphasis is not on material things. It is all about the spiritual and the eternal. When you list what God has done in your life, do not begin with the physical. Consider instead the things that will last long after this life. Rather than the things that bring only temporal comfort, think about what satisfies your soul and what the world cannot take away.

God’s goodness deserves a response, and that is what we see beginning in verse 9. There is a series of “I will” statements. If we truly are the Lord, it demands such a response. So often, we sing “Oh, how I love Jesus” without stopping to think about whether our lives reflect that truth. It needs to be demonstrated.

Verse 9: “I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.” This was a determination to live the right way, though others around him may not always do right and the circumstances may not always be enjoyable. The psalmist wanted to live with the knowledge that God was watching him.

Verses 10-12: “I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted: I said in my haste, All men are liars. What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?”

The first part of verse 10 is a testimony. All of us should speak out of our faith. Verse 11 is a warning about having your attention on other people. Too many of us get stuck there and are miserable as a result. Verse 12 denotes a return to having one’s emphasis on God and what He has done for us.

Verse 13: “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.” Do you ever think about the cup Christ took for you and the one He let you take? He took the cup of suffering so you could take the cup of salvation.

That doesn’t just mean you getting saved, but also everything connected to that salvation. Think of all the things God has given you because you are a believer. Drink the cup, friend. You will never drain it dry because there is no end to His infinite salvation and all of His goodness in your life. Enjoy all you can. Receive all God has for you today.

The psalmist, who was obviously a believer, said he would continue calling on the Lord. It had worked for him in the past, and he knew it would continue to work.

God answered your greatest prayer: “Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Seeing that He answered that prayer, it stands to reason that He will continue answering your prayers even now. Keep on praying.

Verse 14: “I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.” He was determined to do what he told God he would do. It was the least he could do after all that the Lord had done for him.

Verse 15: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” What a wonderful verse. This refers to the death of a believer from God’s vantage point, not from man’s perspective or that of the funeral home.

I stood in a church on April 2, 2008, and read this verse as I preached the funeral message for my own grandmother. This psalm is very personal because I think of her when I read this verse. She is precious to me, but her death was precious to the Lord because she went to be with Him.

What a glorious life God has given us. He is with us now, and we get to be with Him for all eternity.

Verses 16-18: “O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.”

Notice the repeated use of “I will” once again. In verse 16, the psalmist recalled what God had done for him, and in the following two verses, he stated what he would do in return.

The psalm ends with verse 19: “In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.”

We are ushered into the temple, the holy place of worship. It is no longer in Jerusalem; it is now in the court of Heaven. Jesus has made a way for us to come into this place and praise the Lord.

Reflect on all that God has done in your life. Then, by His grace, say to Him, “I will.” Allow this day to be one of rededication in your life.

The truth is that if you are truly thankful, it will lead you to a renewed commitment to the God who has been so very good to you.

Do you love the Lord? If so, allow that love to change your life.