MEDITATION ON PSALM 116 November 23, 2015
What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
I love the pairing of this answer with this question. The psalmist asks: “What can I give God in return for the favor He has shown to me?” Potential answers tumble into my mind by the dozen: more time? more money? better parenting? less selfishness? No, the response outlined in the next two verses names three other activities:
Paying vows. A bit later in the psalm (vv 17-18), the writer sets “I will pay my vows” as parallel to “I will sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord.” I infer that the vows this poet has in mind are the expressions of thanks associated with the thank offering. In other words, his vows are expressions of thanks, not pledges of sacrifice.
Calling on the Lord. Here is an interesting response to God’s goodness—ask Him for more! Psalm 50:14-15 offers an illuminating cross-reference: “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Here is the explanation for why I should respond to God’s goodness by asking Him for more of it: because He wants to be glorified by delivering me. I get the help, and He gets the glory!
Lifting up the cup of salvation. In its Old Testament context, this cup was likely part of the thank offering ceremony. But as my Bible reading plan took me from Psalm 116 to Mark 12, the cup of salvation appears in a different light when I read Jesus’ words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v 34). I imagine this scream echoing from the rocks and caves on Golgotha as Jesus drank the cup of His Father’s wrath against my sin, and I worship Him afresh. He drank the cup of wrath so I could drink the cup of salvation all the days of my life.
So what shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me? I will pay my vows of thankfulness. I will glorify Him by asking for more of His mercy and grace. And I will joyfully lift the cup of salvation to my own lips and drink. Deeply.