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Psalm 116
New American Bible (Revised Edition)

Psalm 116[a]

Thanksgiving to God Who Saves from Death

I

1 I love the Lord, who listened
    to my voice in supplication,
2 Who turned an ear to me
    on the day I called.
3 I was caught by the cords of death;[b](A)
    the snares of Sheol had seized me;
    I felt agony and dread.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord,
    “O Lord, save my life!”

II

5 Gracious is the Lord and righteous;
    yes, our God is merciful.(B)
6 The Lord protects the simple;
    I was helpless, but he saved me.
7 Return, my soul, to your rest;
    the Lord has been very good to you.(C)
8 For my soul has been freed from death,
    my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.(D)
9 I shall walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.[c](E)

III

10 [d]I kept faith, even when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted!”(F)
11 I said in my alarm,
    “All men are liars!”(G)
12 How can I repay the Lord
    for all the great good done for me?
13 I will raise the cup of salvation[e]
    and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.
15 [f]Dear in the eyes of the Lord
    is the death of his devoted.(H)
16 Lord, I am your servant,
    your servant, the child of your maidservant;(I)
    you have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer a sacrifice of praise
    and call on the name of the Lord.(J)
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord(K)
    in the presence of all his people,
19 In the courts of the house of the Lord,
    in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116 A thanksgiving in which the psalmist responds to divine rescue from mortal danger (Ps 116:3–4) and from near despair (Ps 116:10–11) with vows and Temple sacrifices (Ps 116:13–14, 17–19). The Greek and Latin versions divide the Psalm into two parts: Ps 116:1–9 and Ps 116:10–19, corresponding to its two major divisions.
  2. 116:3 The cords of death: death is personified here; it attempts to capture the psalmist with snares and nets, cf. Ps 18:6.
  3. 116:9 The land of the living: the phrase elsewhere is an epithet of the Jerusalem Temple (cf. Ps 27:13; 52:5; Is 38:11). Hence the psalmist probably refers to being present to God in the Temple.
  4. 116:10 I kept faith, even when I said: even in the days of despair, the psalmist did not lose all hope.
  5. 116:13 The cup of salvation: probably the libation of wine poured out in gratitude for rescue, cf. Ex 25:29; Nm 15:5, 7, 10.
  6. 116:15 Dear in the eyes of the Lord: the meaning is that the death of God’s faithful is grievous to God, not that God is pleased with the death, cf. Ps 72:14. In Wis 3:5–6, God accepts the death of the righteous as a sacrificial burnt offering.
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Psalm 116
New International Version

Psalm 116

1 I love the Lord,(A) for he heard my voice;
    he heard my cry(B) for mercy.(C)
2 Because he turned his ear(D) to me,
    I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death(E) entangled me,
    the anguish of the grave came over me;
    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.
4 Then I called on the name(F) of the Lord:
    “Lord, save me!(G)”

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;(H)
    our God is full of compassion.(I)
6 The Lord protects the unwary;
    when I was brought low,(J) he saved me.(K)

7 Return to your rest,(L) my soul,
    for the Lord has been good(M) to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me(N) from death,
    my eyes from tears,
    my feet from stumbling,
9 that I may walk before the Lord(O)
    in the land of the living.(P)

10 I trusted(Q) in the Lord when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted”;(R)
11 in my alarm I said,
    “Everyone is a liar.”(S)

12 What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness(T) to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
    and call on the name(U) of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows(V) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight(W) of the Lord
    is the death of his faithful servants.(X)
16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;(Y)
    I serve you just as my mother did;(Z)
    you have freed me from my chains.(AA)

17 I will sacrifice a thank offering(AB) to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will fulfill my vows(AC) to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts(AD) of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.(AE)

Praise the Lord.[a]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 116:19 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
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Psalm 115
Psalm 117
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New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE)

Scripture texts, prefaces, introductions, footnotes and cross references used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, DC All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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