Logos Bible Study

Psalm 116:1–9

The NET BibleOther versions

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116:1I love the Lord

because he heard my plea for mercy,1

116:2and listened to me.2

As long as I live, I will call to him when I need help.3

116:3The ropes of death tightened around me,4

the snares5 of Sheol confronted me.

I was confronted6 with trouble and sorrow.

116:4I called on the name of the Lord,

“Please Lord, rescue my life!”

116:5The Lord is merciful and fair;

our God is compassionate.

116:6The Lord protects7 the untrained;8

I was in serious trouble9 and he delivered me.

116:7Rest once more, my soul,10

for the Lord has vindicated you.11

116:8Yes,12 Lord,13 you rescued my life from death,

and kept my feet from stumbling.

116:9I will serve14 the Lord

in the land15 of the living.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Heb “I love because the Lord heard my voice, my pleas.” It is possible that “the Lord” originally appeared directly after “I love” and was later accidentally misplaced. The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls that God heard his cry for help (note the perfect in v. 2a and the narrative in vv. 3–4).
  2. 2 Heb “because he turned his ear to me.”
  3. 3 Heb “and in my days I will cry out.”
  4. 4 Heb “surrounded me.”
  5. 5 The Hebrew noun מצר (“straits; distress”) occurs only here, Ps 118:5 and Lam 1:3. If retained, it refers to Sheol as a place where one is confined or severely restricted (cf. 865 מֵצַר, “the straits of Sheol”; “the anguish of the grave”; “the pangs of Sheol”). However, מֵצַר suggests an emendation to מְצָדֵי (métsadey, “snares of”), a rare noun attested in Job 19:6 and Eccl 7:26. This proposal, which is reflected in the translation, produces better parallelism with “ropes” in the preceding line.
  6. 6 The translation assumes the prefixed verbal form is a preterite. The psalmist recalls the crisis from which the Lord delivered him.
  7. 7 Heb “guards.” The active participle indicates this is a characteristic of the Lord.
  8. 8 Or “the [morally] naive,” that is, the one who is young and still in the process of learning right from wrong and distinguishing wisdom from folly. See Ps 19:7.
  9. 9 Heb “I was low.”
  10. 10 Heb “return, my soul, to your place of rest.”
  11. 11 The Hebrew idiom גָּמַל עַל (gamal ’al) means “to repay,” here in a positive sense (cf. Ps 13:5).
  12. 12 Or “for.”
  13. 13 “Lord” is supplied here in the translation for clarification.
  14. 14 Heb “walk before” (see Ps 56:13). On the meaning of the Hebrew idiom, see the notes at /.
  15. 15 Heb “lands, regions.”

The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

I love the Lord, because he has heard

my voice and my pleas for mercy.

Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

The Lord preserves the simple;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return, O my soul, to your rest;

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling;

I will walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles

NIVNew International Version (2011)

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;

he heard my cry for mercy.

Because he turned his ear to me,

I will call on him as long as I live.

The cords of death entangled me,

the anguish of the grave came over me;

I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Lord, save me!”

The Lord is gracious and righteous;

our God is full of compassion.

The Lord protects the unwary;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

Return to your rest, my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.

For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling,

that I may walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

I love the Lord because he has heard

my appeal for mercy.

Because he has turned his ear to me,

I will call out to him as long as I live.

The ropes of death were wrapped around me,

and the torments of Sheol overcame me;

I encountered trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Lord, save me!”

The Lord is gracious and righteous;

our God is compassionate.

The Lord guards the inexperienced;

I was helpless, and he saved me.

Return to your rest, my soul,

for the Lord has been good to you.

For you, Lord, rescued me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

I will walk before the Lord

in the land of the living.

Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers

NLTNew Living Translation

I love the Lord because he hears my voice

and my prayer for mercy.

Because he bends down to listen,

I will pray as long as I have breath!

Death wrapped its ropes around me;

the terrors of the grave overtook me.

I saw only trouble and sorrow.

Then I called on the name of the Lord:

“Please, Lord, save me!”

How kind the Lord is! How good he is!

So merciful, this God of ours!

The Lord protects those of childlike faith;

I was facing death, and he saved me.

Let my soul be at rest again,

for the Lord has been good to me.

He has saved me from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

And so I walk in the Lord’s presence

as I live here on earth!

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

I love him, because Yahweh has heard

the voice of my supplications.

Because he has inclined his ear to me,

I will call all my days.

The ropes of death encircled me,

and the distresses of Sheol found me.

I found trouble and grief.

Then I called on the name of Yahweh:

“O Yahweh, please save my life!”

Gracious is Yahweh and righteous,

and our God is merciful.

Yahweh watches over the simple.

I was brought low, but he gave me victory.

Return, O my soul, to your repose,

for Yahweh has dealt bountifully with you.

For you have rescued me from death,

my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.

I will walk before Yahweh

in the land of the living.

Copyright 2012 Lexham Press

KJV 1900King James Version

I love the Lord, 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.

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.

I will walk before the Lord

In the land of the living.

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