Psalm Chapter 116

Psalm 116:1 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

Sometimes we tend to forget God when everything is going well. We need to purpose in our hearts to remember Him and serve Him all our days whether times are bad or good.

Psalm 116:3 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.

If we are children of God, the worse the trouble is, the closer God is even though we may not always realize that. To become a child of God, one has to repent of sin and trust in Jesus the Son of God for salvation. We then become born again by the Spirit of God. Old things are passed away and all things become new. After we become His children we can count on God being there in times of trouble or in times of peace. I believe He is the closest when we need Him the most.

Psalm 116:4 Then called I upon the name of the LORD; O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.

Why would the soul need deliverance if we were not in danger of being lost. Sin destroys and kills just like God told Adam and Even it would do. After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they needed their souls delivered. God sent a savior, who is Jesus the Christ (Messiah) to die for sins so that we could be saved from sin and our souls are delivered from the power of hell.

Psalm 116:5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

His mercy and graciousness is what caused God to finally send Jesus to become one of us. God actually came in the flesh and became one of us. Jesus was God in the flesh.

Psalm 116:6 The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

Being saved from sin, born again is actually being delivered from eternal death. David is seeing here the future work of Jesus Christ to save a soul from death. Jesus actually reversed the curse caused by the sin of Adam. This deliverance will only come to us when are in Christ which means in fellowship with, believing in and receiving Jesus. We also start following Him and believe His word.

Psalm 116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

This sounds like it is describing the life in eternity after one has passed from death into life eternally. I don't believe David was just talking of life on the earth. Although Jesus heals and saves our lives many times, the real healing is when we pass from this temporary life into eternity with our sins forgiven. Every person has to receive Jesus by faith to enter into eternal life and God's plan of salvation.

Some believe that if one would keep the whole law of Moses without breaking it in one point they could be saved apart from Jesus. I would never want to take that chance. Give me Jesus anytime. It sounds much easier. Jesus, however, did keep the whole law and never broke it. He was able to be a perfect, spotless sacrifice for sins because He did not sin Himself.

Psalm 116:10 I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
11 I said in my haste, All men are liars.

Think about these words for a second. "All men are liars." Sounds harsh but it is true. Our salvation depends on God, our instruction is from God's word.

Nothing or no one no matter how highly esteemed he or she may be should ever be looked upon as a source above the word of God. If the Pope says something contrary to the word, we better believe the word. If any preacher says something opposing the word, we better believe the word. I believe godly men of God would agree with me on that.

Men and women went to their deaths by the leadership of Jim Jones because they revered this man above the word of God. God gave us the word. Let us not take it lightly or take any man's word above it. I encourage everyone who reads these writings to check it out. I would fear if I thought my words were taken as absolute truth without question. Question everything I write. Even make sure the scriptures I use are not taken out of context.

Psalm 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

If a person has made His peace with God and his sins are under the blood of Christ, then when he or she dies, immediately they go into the presence of the Lord. They never have any more suffering, sorrow and fear. No death, sickness, pain or terror can ever afflict them again. If all of us could see a glimpse of Heaven we would not want to return.

I wonder sometimes if this is why not very many come back after they die. I know of a couple who saw Heaven and returned but not many. God probably grieves over our tears when our loved ones die but on the other side there is joy and glory. That born again loved one is rejoicing in the presence of God and God is glad to see them there.

2Corinthians 5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Many have seen this place of beauty and peace and came back to tell of it, on other hand I've read stories of those the went to hell and returned to warn others of it. However, unless we know these people personally we do not know if maybe they just had a dream or vision. However some of them seem real at the time.

Psalm 116:16 O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,

Not necessarily to be seen of men to exalt oneself but to be an example and be unashamed to worship God in public. We are not to be ashamed of our Lord but are not to serve Him only to be seen of men either. Do our children ever see us reading our bibles or in prayer?

Psalm 116:19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Again and again we cannot praise God enough. I can always tell when someone is a person of prayer, there is a thankfulness and joy about them. A person of prayer seldom is a person of complaints. The two do not mix.

May God restore to us the Joy of Salvation.

Psalm 117

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