The Reflection on Life's End

If you wrote a letter to God, what would you say? Would your letter look back to how God has led you through life? Would it be more of a prayer asking God for guidance or for providing for your needs or for your family? Would you ask God questions? Why do all these bad things happen to good people? Would you complain to God? Would you accuse Him of not helping or not answering your prayers. If you could write God a letter (and you can), what would you say?

In Psalm 116, we have the opportunity to read someone’s letter to God. It’s honest and intimate. It is reflective on God’s care in some challenging circumstances. As we read this Psalm, we find out that the writer was in a tough spot. He writes, “the snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I suffered distress and anguish” (Psalm 116.3). In another place, he writes, “I am greatly afflicted; All mankind are liars” (Psalm 116.10-11). The writer is in a dark place staring death in the face. He even describes tears and being brought low and stumbling and death. He even says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Psalm 116.15).

But, by the time, this Psalm is written down. Something has changed. Death did not move in. Somehow God heard His prayer and rescued him. Psalm 116 is His letter to God. In this letter, we hear his prayer, wrestle with his question, and join in his response.

READ Psalm 116.1-11.

In Psalm 116.4, we hear the prayer, “Lord, deliver my soul.”

We see in Psalm 116, four different times the writer calls out to God. The first is in Psalm 116.2, Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.” The second time, in Ps. 116.4, “Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!” The third time is found in Psalm 116.13, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” And the fourth time, we read in Psalm 116.17, “I will offer to you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.” Four times, four calls to prayer. The second one was the cry for help when on death’s doorstep. The other threeconfess that they will call on God as long as he lives, and call on the name of the Lord.

What prompted this call for help or prayer fo resucue is the writer is staring down death. The cords of the grave are wrapping him up tightly with little chance for escape.

Do you remember the story of Jonah? He tried to run away from God’s call on his life and hops on a boat in the opposite direction. God sends a great storm. Jonah tells the sailors to toss him into the sea. God provides the fish to swallow Jonah. From the belly of the fish, Jonah calls to God for helped. He describes his near death experience as follows:

Jonah 2:5 ESV

The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head

The Apostle Paul picked up the theme from Psalm 116.10, of trusting in God in the midst of life’s afflictions. Paul picks up on the Psalmist’s theme of trusting God when facing life’s challenges. Here’s what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 4:8–14 ESV

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.

“I believed, so I speak” so says the Psalmist. So, says Paul and all who trust in God and now in Jesus Christ to raise us up in the face of death.

Would you consider reaching out to God this week in prayer? Maybe you need to bring your request to God and ask him, “Lord, save my life.”

Here’s one way I’ve seen God’s people pray. Last fall, my mom was in the hospital and has had almost 3 years of poor health. Upon arriving the Emergency Department, one of my dad’s fellow co-workers who works at the hospital saw mom in the a secluded waiting area (ie. COVID area). The staff said she couldn’t go back there. She said, she already had the virus and was going to pray with my mom. In her prayer, she prayed that “God would heal mom before the doctors had a chance to work on her.”

Within the hour, mom apparently passed out and coded. She woke up and saw the crash cart and knew something had happened. Within a day or two, she would be discharged from the hospital on a Thursday night.

That night our elders and deacons were preparing to start our monthly leadership meeting. The leaders asked how my mom was doing and then said, “Why don’t you call her and we will pray with her over the phone?” I called, put her on speaker phone and then handed it to one of the elders. I figured one or two guys would pray and we’d say Amen and then start our meeting. After the first elder prayed, he handed the phone down to the next one and he prayed, who handed it John, and Brad, and Scott, and Kris, and Sam and Rick…Every single leader of our chuch prayed for my mom that night. My friends, your church has leaders that believe in the power of calling out to God.

During that window of time, four of mom’s doctors were conferring on mom’s case since she had that near death experience of the code. I just wonder if God used the prayers of faithful men that Thursday night to guide the doctors in their conversations to treat my mom.

On Holy Saturday, April 3, the day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we are inviting our friends to join us in a 24 hour prayre event using Psalm 23 as a guide. You can call the church office at 217-488-6204 to sign up or sign up online. We have 30 minute slots available.

In Psalm 116.12, we wrestle with his question, “What shall I render to the Lord?

The word, “render” in this verse could also be undersood as, “return.” “What shall I return to the Lord?” Sometimes this word is used in the context of repentance. A negative example of this word is found in 2 Chronicles. In 2 Chronicles 32, the king of Assyria, Sennacherib, invaded Israel. Israel’s king Hezekiah planned to stand against the invading army. The Assyrians were powerful and had the upper hand. They started to send intimidating messages to cast doubt on Hezekiah’s leadership. However, Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah prayed. Sounds a little bit like our Psalm. They were staring death and destruction in the face.

2 Chronicles 32:20–21 ESV

Then Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed because of this and cried to heaven. And the Lord sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword.

God answered their prayers. He rescued them from the evil king! Life is good. Let’s celebrate. Here’s how Hezekiah, the king of Israel responded.

2 Chronicles 32:25 ESV

But Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and Judah and Jerusalem.

Our Psalmist had a similar experience. Death is closing in. He prays and God delivers. Listen to his question and reflection in Psalm 116.12-13.

This psalm was sung or prayed at the Passover celebration. Many believe this psalm may have had connection with one of the cups of wine for the meal which they called the cup of salvation. No matter which cup, we do know that Jesus took a cup at the last supper.

Jesus may have prayed this psalm just hours before his arrest and crucifixion. As you look at Psalm 116.15, the death of Jesus was precious in the sight. Why? Because the death of Jesus brought salvation to the world.

Notice that Ps 116.15 tells us the precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Most of the time in the Bible, the idea of precious described precious or valuable stones. Think marble, or diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. For those who are followers of Jesus, their death is precious in God’s sight. How much more the death of the perfect one, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

Dominant Thought: The Lord comes near even at the time of death. In our core 52 this week from Psalm 23, we read, “Even though I walk through the valey of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.” In the context of death, Rick Warren said is this way, “When God is near, you lose your fear.”

My friends, based on what you know about Jesus, what is your response? Join me and the Psalmist by asking the question, “What should I return to the Lord? or How should I respond to the Lord?” We could be like Hezekiah and feel that God owes it to us. Or we could respond in a way that shows our gratitude and love to God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

In Psalm 116.1, we join in hisresponse, “I love the Lord.”

In this psalm, we find five ways to respond to the benefits or goodness of God.

First, Love the Lord (Ps. 116.1-2). Strangely, this verse is only one of two times in the Bible where someone says, “I love the Lord.” The other verse is Psalm 18.1. “Continual love flows out of daily answers to prayer” (Charles Spurgeon, Treasury of David, volume 3, p.67).

Second, recognize His goodness (Ps. 116.5-9). These verses recount the goodness of God describing God as gracious, righteous, and merciful. He preserves the simple and saves those are brought low. We can find rest for our souls by recognizing that God has been good to us. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The combination of grace and righteousness in the dealings of God with his servants can only be explained by remembering the atoning death of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Treasury of David, volume 3, p. 68).

Third, serve the Lord (Ps. 116.16). In this verse, the Psalmist confesses his role to serve when he says, “I am our servant, the son of your maidservant.” I’m here to sere you because you have set me free. You have loosed my bonds. Maybe thinking back to the cords of death that were wrapped around him (Ps. 116.13). When you remember that God has set you free, then you respond with service. Not to earn his favor but out of gratitude which is the next response.

Fourth, give thanks (Ps. 116.17-18). The Psalmist commits to offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and he desires to honor his vow. Twice in this psalm we encounter the same verse. In Psalm 116.14, 18, the verse is identical, “I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.” He wants everyone to know what God has done for him and that He desires to respond according to God’s goodness and rescue.

Fifth, praise the Lord (Ps. 116.19). This psalm closes the same way Psalm 113, 115 and Psalm 117 close. Praise the Lord. Again, what do you way in response to a God who is near when you are on death’s doorstep? Hallelujah. What do you say in response to a God who listens when we call out to him? These psalms have one word for us. Hallelujah.

“It was that wise Jesus-follower, Augustine, who said that he longed to be a walking hallelujah” (J.K. Jones blog from August 12, 2020, http://www.drjkjones.com/blog/a-walking-hallelujah). So, how about you? If you write God a letter, what will you write? If you want to text it to Him or speak it to him. I encourage you to use Psalm 116 as a guide. I hope you’ll be able to close it the same way our Psalmist closes it with…Hallelujah.

5 Day Devotional Guide on Psalm 116

Dominant Thought: The Lord comes near even at the time of death.

You may want to refer to the sermon notes for further discussion. Take a moment to read the assigned Scripture and then reflect or discuss the questions. Customize this outline to your situation. Here are some questions to ask from the Discovery Bible Method:

What are you thankful for today or this week?

What challenges are you facing?

Have 2 or 3 people read the scripture out loud.

Can you summarize this passage in your own words?

What did you discover about God from this passage?

What have you learned about people from this passage?

How are you going to obey this passage? (What is your “I will” statement?)

With whom are you going to share what you have learned?

Based on this passage, what can we pray about?

Day 1: Psalm 116.1-2

Day 2: Psalm 116.3-7

Day 3: Psalm 116.8-11

Day 4: Psalm 116.12-14

Day 5: Psalm 116.15-19

Related Media

Related Sermons