Psalm 116

A Bible Devotion from Psalm 116

Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of His Saints

1 I love the LORD, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.

3 The pains of death surrounded me, and the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!"

6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

12 What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? 13 I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I will pay my vows to the LORD now in the presence of all His people.

15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints.

16 O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
Psalm 116:1-4, 6-7, and 12-17, NKJV

One of the most often quoted verses from the Bible is found in Psalm 116: Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints.

What exactly does that mean, and how does it fit in this Psalm? It almost seems to be sandwiched right in the middle of the Psalm with no connections to the verses before and after it.

Prior to this verse, the Psalmist is expressing his great love for the Lord. When he seemed to be surrounded by death, he called upon the name of the Lord and God saved him. What if God hadn't saved him? Would that have meant that God wasn't answering his prayer?

We ask that question often, don't we? Why do babies die; why did that Christian who was so faithful to God and who had such a great and wonderful impact in teaching God's Word die of cancer? I really think that the Psalmist was pondering this, too, as he walked before the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 116 reminds us that death is not a curse to the Christian. Those left behind are certainly very grieved, but not that saint. My sister and I struggled greatly when our sister, Patsy, went to be with the Lord. But we knew that we were being selfish; for her sake, we certainly did not want her to have to come back to this world. Her joy is complete in Christ at this very moment.

Yes, Lord, I am Your servant and will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon your name as long as I remain on this earth. And, when that day comes that I am to depart this world, I will not be unhappy. I will be in God's presence forever!

Think about Psalm 116 and pray today that you are truly among the saints of God who love and serve Him, and know that in the day He takes you to be with Him, you will indeed be rejoicing!

Next: Psalm 117 - God Alone Is Truth!