Psalm 116

New Century Version

Thanksgiving for Escaping Death

116 I love the Lord,
    because he listens to my prayers for help.
²He paid attention to me,
    so I will call to him for help as long as I live.
³The ropes of death bound me,
    and the fear of the grave took hold of me.
    I was troubled and sad.
⁴Then I called out the name of the Lord.
    I said, “Please, Lord, save me!”

⁵The Lord is kind and does what is right;
    our God is merciful.
⁶The Lord watches over the foolish;
    when I was helpless, he saved me.
⁷I said to myself, “Relax,
    because the Lord takes care of you.”
⁸Lord, you saved me from death.
    You stopped my eyes from crying;
    you kept me from being defeated.
⁹So I will walk with the Lord
    in the land of the living.
¹⁰I believed, so I said,
    “I am completely ruined.”
¹¹In my distress I said,
    “All people are liars.”

¹²What can I give the Lord
    for all the good things he has given to me?
¹³I will lift up the cup of salvation,
    and I will pray to the Lord.
¹⁴I will give the Lord what I promised
    in front of all his people.

¹⁵The death of one that belongs to the Lord
    is precious in his sight.
¹⁶Lord, I am your servant;
    I am your servant and the son of your female servant.
    You have freed me from my chains.
¹⁷I will give you an offering to show thanks to you,
    and I will pray to the Lord.
¹⁸I will give the Lord what I promised
    in front of all his people,
¹⁹in the Temple courtyards
    in Jerusalem.