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.
3 
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow.
4 
Then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul.
5 
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
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.
9 
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
10 
I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
11 
I said in my haste, All men are liars.
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.
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.
19 
In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?”

What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Here David speaks,
(1.) As one sensible of many mercies received from God—ALL HIS BENEFITS. This psalm seems to have been
penned upon occasion of some one particular benefit (Ps. 116:6, 7), but in that one he saw many and that one
brought many to mind, and therefore now he thinks of all God’s benefits towards him.
Note, When we speak of God’s mercies we should magnify them and speak highly of them.
(2.) As one solicitous and studious how to express his gratitude: WHAT SHALL I RENDER UNTO THE LORD?
Not as if he thought he could render any thing proportionable, or as a valuable consideration for what he had
received; we can no more pretend to give a recompense to God than we can to merit any favour from him; but he
desired to render something acceptable, something that God would be pleased with as the acknowledgment of a
grateful mind. He asks God, What shall I render? Asks his friends, or rather asks himself, and communes with his
own heart about it. Note, Having received many benefits from God, we are concerned to enquire, 
What shall we render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward us?

1. He will love God

Psalm 116:1
I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Matthew 22:37
37 
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind.
Mark 12:30
30 
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all
thy strength: this is the first commandment.
Luke 10:27
27 
And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy
strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
John 21:14-17
14 
This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.
15 
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He
saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 
He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 
He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto
him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love
thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
Revelation 2:4
4 
Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
2. He will continue to call upon him
Psalm 116:2
2 
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:13
13 
I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116:17
17 
I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
Psalm 18:6
6 
In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry
came before him, even into his ears.
Psalm 86:5
5 
For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.
Psalm 145:18
18 
The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

3. He will rest in him

Psalm 116:7
7 
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.

God is the soul’s rest; in him only it can dwell at ease; to him therefore it must retire, and rejoice in him. He
has dealt bountifully with us; he has provided sufficiently for our comfort and refreshment, and encouraged us to
come to him for the benefit of it, at all times, upon all occasions; let us therefore be satisfied with that. Return to
that rest which Christ gives to the weary and heavy-laden,

Matthew 11:28
28 
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:29
29 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
4. He will walk before him
Psalm 116:9
9 
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.
Ephesians 4:17
17 
This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of
their mind,
Ephesians 5:8
8 
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Philippians 3:16-18
16 
Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
17 
Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.
18 
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the
cross of Christ:

5. He will pay his vows.

Psalm 116:13-14
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.
Deuteronomy 23:2
21 
When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the Lord thy God will surely
require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.
Deuteronomy 23:23
23 
That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and perform; even a freewill offering, according as thou hast
vowed unto the Lord thy God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth.
Ecclesiastes 5:4
4 
When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast
vowed.

6. He will offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving

Psalm 116:17-19
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.
19 
In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.
Hebrews 13:15-16
15 
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to
his name.
16 
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

7. He will continue to be God’s faithful servant in His house

Psalm 116:16
16 
O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.
Psalm 116:19
19 
In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.