Psalm 116 - Faithful Departed

Psalm 116:1-16 NIV

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. 

I trusted in the Lord when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”;

 in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”

What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me? 

I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord. 

I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. 

Truly I am your servant, Lord;

 I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

Psalm 116 is a psalm that pilgrims sing on the way to festival in Jerusalem. The phrase, "Lord, save us!" in the original language is "Hosanna!" When Jesus rode into Jerusalem at Passover the crowds shouted "Hosanna! Lord, save us!" It was a cry of confidence in Jesus as the Anointed One sent to deliver Israel from her oppression.

In its original use the psalm is meant to encourage those who march towards the temple. They prepare by singing psalms of praise to the Lord. This psalm celebrates the Lord's deliverance from distress. It seems the psalmist's life was threatened. The threat may have been illness. The threat may have been enemies who pursue his downfall. The threat could be in his own mind. Look at the state of his mind.

Psalm 116:11 NIV

in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”

Sounds paranoid to me. Sounds like a dismal look upon one's fellow humans.

Whatever his situation, he felt threatened, cried out for help to the Lord and was delivered from his distress. His soul returns to rest. His confidence in the Lord is solidified. He makes promises to always call upon Yahweh. He will fulfill his vows to God. He will make offerings and sacrifices at the temple before God and his people.

One odd phrase needs mention.

Psalm 116:15 NIV

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

It almost sounds like God is pleased when His people die. Is this biblical proof that God needs a person in heaven more than He needs them on earth? I often hear us console one another with this thought when a loved one dies. I don't think that is what this verse means.

Think about how you feel when you stand at the casket of a dearly loved person in your life. You are deeply saddened to lose them, but grateful to have known them. Our grief is replaced with gratitude over time. I think God is pleased with a life lived well in His service. When a person has fought the good fight and has ran the race well, God praises them and welcomes them. "Well done, good and faithful servant", the Master will say.

The death of a faithful servant of God is precious because of their faithful life. Through their faithfulness to God they were blessed to be a blessing to others. Their lives made the world richer and better.

May all those who cry out to the Lord know that the Lord is faithful and may His faithfulness keep us faithful to Him that we might be a blessing to His name and a light to the world.