Psalm 116:1 kjv
I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.
Psalm 116:1 nkjv
I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications.
Psalm 116:1 niv
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.
Psalm 116:1 esv
I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.
Psalm 116:1 nlt
I love the LORD because he hears my voice
and my prayer for mercy.
Psalm 116 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference (Short Note) |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 6:5 | "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart..." | Command to love God wholly |
| Matt 22:37 | Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all..." | Greatest commandment re-affirmed |
| 1 John 4:19 | "We love because He first loved us." | Love for God is responsive |
| Ps 18:6 | "In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God; He heard my voice..." | God hears calls in distress |
| Ps 34:17 | "When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears..." | God's immediate response to righteous |
| Ps 66:19-20 | "But God has surely listened and has heard my prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me." | Direct acknowledgement of God hearing prayer |
| Ps 145:18-19 | "The LORD is near to all who call on Him... He hears their cry..." | God's nearness and responsiveness |
| Isa 65:24 | "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear." | God's pre-emptive attentiveness |
| Jer 29:12 | "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you." | Promise of hearing prayer |
| Dan 9:18-19 | "...for we do not present our pleas before You because of our righteousness, but because of Your great mercies... O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, pay attention..." | Appeal based on God's mercy |
| Jon 2:2 | "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction, and He answered me..." | Prayer answered from distress |
| Matt 7:7-8 | "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." | Assurance of answered prayer |
| Mk 11:24 | "Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." | Faith essential for prayer |
| John 15:7 | "If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." | Relationship with Christ empowers prayer |
| 1 John 5:14-15 | "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." | Confidence in God's hearing based on will |
| Heb 4:16 | "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace..." | Invitation to approach God for grace |
| Ps 30:2 | "O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me." | Specific instance of prayer and deliverance |
| Ps 40:1-3 | "I waited patiently for the LORD; He inclined to me and heard my cry." | God's patient attentiveness and deliverance |
| Ps 130:1-2 | "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice..." | Crying out in profound need |
| Ps 103:2-5 | "Bless the LORD, O my soul... who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy." | Call to bless God for His goodness |
| Ps 118:21 | "I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me; You have become my salvation." | Thanksgiving for salvation/answer |
| Rom 10:13 | "For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" | Universal promise of God's hearing and salvation |
| Jas 5:16 | "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective." | Powerful effect of prayer |
Psalm 116 verses
Psalm 116 1 Meaning
Psalm 116:1 declares the psalmist's deep and abiding love for YHWH, the sovereign God. This love is presented not as a mere emotion but as a firm, settled conviction and devotion, directly consequent upon God's demonstrable faithfulness in answering prayer. Specifically, the psalmist expresses profound gratitude that the Almighty listened attentively and responded to their earnest cries and desperate supplications for divine favor and rescue.
Psalm 116 1 Context
Psalm 116 is a Todah (thanksgiving) psalm, a profound expression of gratitude from an individual who has been delivered from a severe affliction, possibly life-threatening distress or even the brink of death (cf. v. 3, "the cords of death entangled me"). It recounts the psalmist's fervent cry to God in a time of extreme peril and acknowledges YHWH's merciful and faithful response. The psalm flows from the psalmist's personal experience of divine intervention, leading to a renewed commitment to walk before the Lord. Verse 1 serves as the foundational declaration of this responsive love, setting the tone for the entire psalm which then elaborates on God's kindness and the psalmist's subsequent vows of worship and faithfulness. Historically, such psalms were likely offered during public worship, perhaps accompanied by sacrifices, as a testament to God's deliverances and to encourage the community in faith.
Psalm 116 1 Word analysis
"I love": In Hebrew, אהבתי ('ahevti). This is the Qal perfect first common singular form of the verb 'AHAV, meaning "to love." The perfect tense indicates a completed action with enduring results; thus, it conveys a settled, enduring love rather than a transient emotion. It reflects a personal, deep-seated devotion born out of a profound experience.
"the Lord": יהוה (YHWH). This is the sacred, covenant name of God, revealing His personal and relational character. It signifies God's self-existence, eternal presence, and faithfulness to His promises. The use of YHWH here emphasizes that the psalmist's love is directed to the specific, revealed God of Israel, not a generic deity.
"because": כי (ki). This conjunction explains the reason or cause. It clearly establishes that the psalmist's love is not unprompted but is a direct and logical response to God's action. This love is a grateful acknowledgment, not a condition.
"He has heard": שמע (shama'). The Qal perfect third masculine singular form of the verb SHAMA'. This implies more than just perceiving sound; it means to listen attentively, to comprehend, to heed, and, crucially in a prayer context, to respond effectively. God's "hearing" is His active engagement and intervention.
"my voice": קולי (qōlî). From the noun קול (qōl), meaning "voice" or "sound," with the first common singular pronominal suffix "my." It signifies an audible, direct cry or call. It suggests earnestness and a personal, direct appeal to God.
"and my pleas for mercy": תחנוני (taḥănūnî). This is the plural form of the noun תַּחֲנוּן (taḥănûn), meaning "supplication," "entreaty," or "plea for grace/favor/mercy." It derives from the root חנן (chanan), "to be gracious." This emphasizes that the psalmist's request was not based on personal merit but on an appeal to God's benevolent, compassionate, and gracious character.
Words-group analysis:
- "I love the Lord": This phrase establishes a profoundly personal and reciprocal relationship. It contrasts with impersonal religious duties; it is a heart-level affection for the divine Person who has demonstrated His care. This love is fundamental to a biblical walk of faith.
- "because He has heard": This highlights the dynamic and responsive nature of God. He is not a distant, indifferent deity, but one who actively listens and intervenes in the lives of His people. This "hearing" is the catalyst for the psalmist's love and trust.
- "my voice and my pleas for mercy": This phrase details the nature of the communication between the psalmist and God. It wasn't just any sound but a specific "voice" (earnest cry) and "pleas for mercy" (desperate entreaties for grace). This underscores that God answers prayers that are often uttered in desperation, appealing to His compassion rather than to the petitioner's worthiness. It implicitly forms a strong polemic against pagan deities who are often depicted as deaf or unresponsive to human pleas, in contrast to the living, active, and caring YHWH (cf. Ps 115:5-7).
Psalm 116 1 Bonus section
- Todah Aspect: Psalm 116 is recognized as a Todah (תודה) or "thanksgiving offering" psalm. In ancient Israelite worship, a Todah sacrifice (often bread and grain offerings with a communion meal) was given in thanks for deliverance from specific dangers or affliction. Here, the psalm itself acts as a verbal Todah, an offering of grateful praise and testimony. The opening declaration of love is a fitting prelude to such an offering.
- Theological Contrast (Polemics): The active and attentive hearing of YHWH, as declared in this verse, stands in stark contrast to the characteristics of pagan idols prevalent in the ancient Near East. These idols, crafted by human hands, "have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear" (Ps 115:5-6). Psalm 116:1 powerfully asserts that the God of Israel is alive, personal, and actively engaged with His creation, responding to the heartfelt cries of His children.
- The "because" (כי): The simplicity of "because" is profound. It implies a rational and experiential basis for faith. The love is not blind but founded on empirical evidence of God's character and actions. This experiential aspect strengthens and sustains the believer's commitment.
Psalm 116 1 Commentary
Psalm 116:1 beautifully encapsulates the essence of responsive faith. The psalmist's love for YHWH is not merely a theoretical doctrine or an emotional whim, but a deep-seated devotion born out of a real, experienced encounter with God's faithfulness. Having cried out in distress and been met with divine attentiveness and mercy, the psalmist's heart is overwhelmed with gratitude, leading to a declared, enduring love. This verse teaches us that God actively listens to the earnest cries of His people, especially those offered in humility and reliance on His mercy. His hearing leads to intervention, and His intervention rightly elicits our love, worship, and steadfast trust. It is a testament to God's relational nature: He hears, He responds, and in doing so, He draws us into deeper devotion.