Psalm 116b

Psalm 116, the first half of which appeared on our album, ‘Light of Life,’ is a thanksgiving psalm. It is the type of psalm that was itself present as an offering alongside some kind of formal thank offering in the temple. The psalm was presented as a testimony to declare to the congregation gathered what God had done. The second half of the psalm makes this context explicit and it speaks of presenting thank offerings and declaring God’s praise in the presence of God’s people. The psalmist is aware that he cannot repay God for the mercy he has received and so the best he can do is to make a gesture of thanks in the prescribed way (Lev. 7:12) and then glorify God by telling others.