READ Psalm 116:1–11. 1 I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: “LORD, save me!” 5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The LORD protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. 8 For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living. 10 I trusted in the LORD when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; 11 in my alarm I said, “Everyone is a liar.”
A THANKFUL LIFE. The psalmist almost died (verses 3 and 8). In his fear he called everyone a liar (verse 11), but he trusted God even when his emotions were out of control (verse 10). Now he has restructured his life on the basis of grateful love. The first mark of a thankful life is this: “I will call on him as long as I live” (verse 2). To call on God’s name means two things in the Bible—to trust in him and nothing else for your salvation (Romans 10:12–13) and to orient your whole life to prayer and worship (Genesis 12:8). Grateful people should also walk before God (verse 9). This means to live conscious of him at all time. It is to be both “wholly exposed [and accountable] but wholly befriended [and loved].”120 Love the Lord, for he listens.
Prayer: Lord, when I get into a tight place, my heart instinctively says, “I can fix this. I can handle this.” I think about people to call—but it is all futile. I can’t handle life, and the sooner I admit this deep in myself, the sooner I’ll know the peace of always calling on you. Amen.