Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Tuesday, 29 April 2014 - Psalm 116:1 I love Yahweh, because he listens to my voice,
and my cries for mercy.
2 Because he has turned his ear to me,
therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The cords of death surrounded me,
the pains of Sheol[a] got a hold of me.
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called on Yahweh’s name:
“Yahweh, I beg you, deliver my soul.”
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 116:3 Sheol is the place of the dead.
12 What will I give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call on Yahweh’s name.
14 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,
yes, in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in Yahweh’s sight is the death of his saints.
16 Yahweh, truly I am your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your servant.
You have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call on Yahweh’s name.
18 I will pay my vows to Yahweh,
yes, in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of Yahweh’s house,
in the middle of you, Jerusalem.
Praise Yah!--World English Bible
Three times we hear it in this passage: "I will call on...the name of the Lord." In the midst of recovery from illness, the psalmist turns to the Lord. This is what turns things around. Ordinarily, and in times of illness or recovery, we are often "turned in upon ourselves," as Martin Luther says. We get trapped in the egocentric predicament. In the midst of suffering or pain our feelings can make it seem like we are all alone. Maybe we even want to be alone. But as people of faith, we know that confession helps us make the big turn: we call upon the Lord. Now everything is different. We are not alone. Our pain, our illness, our recovery is God's pain, God's illness, God's recovery. That's what God who was in Christ did for us on the cross. And that may start us on the road to thanksgiving, just like the psalmist says.
Thank you for calling out to us to call on you. And help us to entrust ourselves into your care. In Jesus' name. Amen.
Vern Rice
Mounds View, Minn.
Master of Divinity , 1964
Psalm 116:1 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications.
2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.
4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: "O Lord, I pray, save my life!"
12 What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,
14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.
16 O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord--New Revised Standard Version
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