Psalms 116:16

OUR DEBT OF GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR HIS DELIVERANCE

"O Jehovah, truly I am thy servant:

I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid;

Thou hast loosed my bonds.

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving,

And will call upon the name of Jehovah.

I will pay my vows unto Jehovah,

Yea, in the presence of all the people,

In the courts of Jehovah's house,

In the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Praise ye Jehovah (Hallelujah)."

"I am thy servant, the son of thy handmaid" (Psalms 116:16). "Thine handmaid here is `The Church,' or if Hezekiah was the author, `Thy handmaid was Abiyah, the daughter of Zechariah, who `had understanding in the vision of God (2 Chronicles 26:5; 29:1).'"[21]

"I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving" (Psalms 116:17). This heart-felt sacrifice is the real worship of which all the ancient bloody sacrifices were only the tokens and symbolical predecessors.

Note that this final paragraph begins with a statement of who the psalmist is; "I am thy servant." Then there follows a group of "I will's."

"I will offer ... I will call ... I will pay" (Psalms 116:17-18). There are three great reasons why men should love and serve God: (1) Because of who we are, His servants, purchased with the blood of Christ; (2) because of all the wonderful benefits that he has conferred upon us (Psalms 116:2); and (3) because we have promised so to do, in a sense, `vowed' to serve him.

"In the presence of all his people" (Psalms 116:14,18). The importance of "public worship" is also in focus in this psalm. Psalms 116:14 and Psalms 116:18 are identical, both of them stressing that the payment of the psalmist's vows shall be, "In the presence of all his people."

No matter how great the loving devotion of an individual worshipper may be, his duty is not discharged until he places his appearance and his influence in the midst of the congregation of believers. Private devotion and worship are wonderful; and Satan would really like to keep it that way, but far more is required of the faithful servant of God.