Psalm 116: 1-4 – “Then …”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹I love the Lord, because He heard my voice [and] my prayers. ²Because He turned His ear to me, also in my days I will call. ³The cords of death encompassed me and the terrors of Sheol found me. I found distress and sorrow. ⁴Then I called in the name of the Lord, “I beg, O Lord, deliver my soul!”

In verse 3, the psalmist gives some idea of what has moved him to the expressions of thankfulness and love in verses 1 and 2.

What is noteworthy in Hebrew is the intensity of the language here. Interestingly, the words themselves admit of a variety of translations, which explains what appears to be significant differences in various Bible versions, for instance:

“The ropes of death became tangled around me. The horrors of the grave took hold of me. I experienced pain and agony” (God’s Word Translation).

“The sorrows of death have encompassed me: and the perils of hell have found me. I met with trouble and sorrow” (Douay-Rheims Bible).

“Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow” (New Living Translation).

“The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow” (NIV).

What all the versions share, however, and what is important is the picture being painted: deep misery! “The cords of death encompassed me!”

I don’t think any of us have a problem relating to the psalmist’s lamentable estate here. Sometimes it feels like this is where I live. “The terrors of Sheol found me … and I found distress and sorrow!” Trouble seems to hunt me until it finds me and although I certainly am not looking for it, I find it anyway. I’m reminded of Psalm 143:3, “The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in the darkness like those long dead.”  

The picture being painted (and with which we are all too familiar) is that of finding ourselves not just inconvenienced, not just in unpleasant circumstances, but rather in situations where we feel like we’re going to die! Whatever it is, it hurts to the very depths of our soul. And not only does it hurt but it is utterly beyond us. As David said in Psalm 142:6, “I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.”  I can’t do this. I can’t take this. I see no way out. It is all utterly beyond me.

What on earth are we to do in such straits?

“Then I called on the name of the Lord.”

Matthew Henry said, “We have many reasons for loving the Lord, but are most affected by His loving-kindness when relieved out of deep distress.” What can we say? So many times He has done exactly that – relieved us “out of deep distress.”

I’m also reminded of Psalm 107:10-13, which says, “Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains, … they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress.”

^“Then I called on the name of the Lord.” What a simple thing to do. And what a privilege.

What a day it will be to finally meet face to face with this One to whom we have so often cried in distress, this One who so many times “answered by setting us free!”