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Wisdom & Poetry · WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE

Psalm 116

Psalm 116 is read especially through the theme of thanksgiving, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application.

ThanksgivingPraiseLament
Old Testament

Psalm 116

1I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.

2Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow.

4Then I called on the LORD’s name: “LORD, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

5The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.

6The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.

7Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

8For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.

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

10I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.”

11I said in my haste, “All people are liars.”

12What will I give to the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

13I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the LORD’s name.

14I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people.

15Precious in the LORD’s sight is the death of his saints.

16LORD, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains.

17I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on the LORD’s name.

18I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people,

19in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

READ IN CONTEXT

Understanding Psalm 116

Psalm 116 is read especially through the theme of thanksgiving, within Book V (Psalms 107–150). Its language invites attentive prayer before quick application. Read it within the complete five-book Psalms collection, then compare its prayer language with the types of prayer found across Scripture. Classification is a reading aid rather than a replacement for the Psalm's own movement and tension.

Collection

Book V (Psalms 107–150). The five-book shape of the Psalter helps readers hear individual prayers within a deliberately arranged collection.

Themes detected

Thanksgiving, Praise, Lament. Read for these themes while remaining open to tension and secondary movements.

TEXT-DERIVED READING NOTES

What to notice in Psalm 116

Psalm 116 contains 19 verses and about 257 words in this translation. These observations come from the chapter itself; they are prompts for close reading, not claims about its only possible meaning.

The opening movement

Verse 1 begins: “I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy.” Ask what situation, voice, image, or argument this opening establishes for everything that follows.

The closing movement

Verse 19 closes: “in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!” Compare the ending with the opening and note what changed, resolved, intensified, or remained open.

Vocabulary worth tracing

Recurring or prominent content words include will, lord’s, call, death, name, soul. Follow where each word appears and whether its meaning shifts with the speaker or setting.

COMMON QUESTIONS

About Psalm 116

Which Bible translation is shown here?+

This page reproduces the World English Bible Protestant edition (WEBP), a modern-English translation dedicated to the public domain.

How should I cite a specific verse?+

Use the book, chapter, and verse—for example, Psalms 116:1—and name the World English Bible if the wording matters. Each verse number above is a direct anchor link.

Does the chapter number define the complete literary unit?+

Not always. Chapter and verse numbers were added for navigation. Check the paragraphs, scenes, poetic stanzas, or argument before and after this chapter.

What kind of Psalm is this?+

Our reading profile emphasizes thanksgiving, with related themes of Thanksgiving, Praise, Lament. Many Psalms blend genres or move between moods, so this label is a guide rather than a rigid classification.

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