Psalms 116
1 Alleluia. I have loved: therefore, the Lord will heed the voice of my prayer.
I love Yahweh, because he hears me when I cry for him to help me.
2 For he has inclined his ear to me. And in my days, I will call upon him.
He listens to me, so I will call out to him all during my life.
3 The sorrows of death have surrounded me, and the perils of Hell have found me. I have found tribulation and sorrow. (Sheol h7585)
Everything around me [MET] caused me to think that I would die; I was very afraid that I would [die and go to] the place where dead people are. I was very distressed/worried and afraid. (Sheol h7585)
4 And so, I called upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, free my soul.
[But] then I called out to Yahweh, saying, “Yahweh, I plead with you to save/rescue me!”
5 Merciful is the Lord, and just. And our God is compassionate.
Yahweh is kind and does what is right; he is our God, and he acts mercifully [to us].
6 The Lord is the keeper of little ones. I was humbled, and he freed me.
He protects those who (are helpless/cannot defend themselves); and when I thought that I would die, he saved me.
7 Turn again, my soul, to your rest. For the Lord has done good to you.
I must encourage/tell myself to (have inner peace/not worry any more), because Yahweh has done very good things for me.
8 For he has rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from slipping.
Yahweh has saved me [SYN] from dying, and has kept/protected me from [troubles that would cause me to] cry. He has kept/protected me from stumbling.
9 I will please the Lord in the land of the living.
[So here] on the earth, where people are still alive, I live knowing that Yahweh is [directing] me.
10 Alleluia. I had confidence, because of what I was saying, but then I was greatly humbled.
I continued to believe/trust [in Yahweh], even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted/troubled.”
11 I said in my excess, “Every man is a liar.”
[Even] when I was distressed/worried and said, “I cannot trust anyone,” [I continued to trust in Yahweh].
12 What shall I repay to the Lord, for all the things that he has repaid to me?
So now [I will tell you] [RHQ] what I will offer to Yahweh, because of all the good things that he has done for me.
13 I will take up the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will offer to him a cup [of wine] to thank him for saving/rescuing me.
14 I will repay my vows to the Lord, in the sight of all his people.
When I am together with many [HYP] people who belong to Yahweh, I will give to him the offerings that I solemnly promised to give to him.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his holy ones.
Yahweh is very grieved/sad when one of his people dies.
16 O Lord, because I am your servant, your servant and the son of your handmaid, you have broken my bonds.
I am one of those who serve Yahweh; I serve him like my mother did. He has freed/saved me from dying (OR, from being fastened by chains).
17 I will sacrifice to you the sacrifice of praise, and I will invoke the name of the Lord.
[So] I will offer to him a sacrifice to thank him, and I will pray to him.
18 I will repay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people,
When I am together with many of [HYP] the people who belong to Yahweh, [in the courtyard] outside his temple in Jerusalem, I will give to him the offerings that I solemnly promised to give to him. Praise Yahweh!
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
