Psalm 116 12

Psalm 116:12 kjv

What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

Psalm 116:12 nkjv

What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me?

Psalm 116:12 niv

What shall I return to the LORD for all his goodness to me?

Psalm 116:12 esv

What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?

Psalm 116:12 nlt

What can I offer the LORD
for all he has done for me?

Psalm 116 verses

Psalm 116 12 Meaning

Psalm 116:12 poses a profound rhetorical question, expressing the psalmist's deep gratitude and his struggle to adequately respond to the boundless goodness and unfailing faithfulness of the Lord. Having experienced miraculous deliverance from death and distress, the psalmist is overwhelmed by the Lord's "benefits"—all His gracious dealings and mercies. The question is not one of genuine ignorance regarding how to repay God, but rather an emphatic acknowledgment that no human offering or action could ever fully recompense or equal the Lord's unmerited favor. It prompts the worshiper to consider the appropriate, sincere, and heartfelt response of a redeemed life.

Psalm 116 12 Context

Psalm 116 is a deeply personal psalm of thanksgiving (Toda), belonging to a collection often associated with individual prayers of distress and deliverance. The psalmist had cried out to the Lord (v. 1-2) from a situation of severe affliction, perhaps near death (v. 3-4, 8), and the Lord had graciously heard and rescued him (v. 6-8). Prior to verse 12, the psalmist praises the Lord for His righteousness, graciousness, and mercy (v. 5) and His special care for the helpless (v. 6). He recounts the specifics of his deliverance: "For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling" (v. 8). Having been lifted out of despair and having walked again in the land of the living (v. 9), the psalmist is now pondering how to appropriately express his profound indebtedness and boundless gratitude. This rhetorical question (v. 12) immediately precedes his declarations to lift up the "cup of salvation" and fulfill his vows to the Lord publicly (v. 13-14), indicating that the answer lies in both spiritual devotion and public testimony and obedience.

Psalm 116 12 Word analysis

• What: (מָה - Mah) This interrogative particle often conveys astonishment, inability, or a strong sense of wonder rather than seeking factual information. Here, it underscores the speaker's overwhelming feeling of gratitude, so great that any suitable "repayment" seems beyond capacity.
• Shall I render: (אָשִׁיב - Ashiv, from the root שׁוּב - shuv) This verb typically means "to return," "restore," or "repay." In this context, it refers to offering or giving back to the Lord. It carries the nuance of obligation, not in the sense of earning favor, but as a devoted response. This act of "rendering" is never conceived as a payment to God for services rendered, which would be contrary to His self-sufficiency; rather, it is a response of praise, worship, and faithful obedience, acknowledging God as the sole Giver of all good things. This stands in contrast to ancient pagan ideas where gifts were made to appease angry gods or coax them into acting, a form of contractual exchange.
• to the LORD: (לַֽיהוָה - La'Adonai) Referring to the personal, covenantal God of Israel, Yahweh. The direct address emphasizes the intimate relationship between the psalmist and his Deliverer. It highlights that the grateful response is directed specifically to the God who is faithful to His promises and to His people, distinguishing Him from impersonal or capricious deities.
• for all: (כָּל - Kol) Emphasizes the totality and comprehensiveness of God's grace. It's not just for some benefit, but for every single one of His gracious acts, which are limitless and beyond measure. This underscores the boundless nature of divine benevolence.
• His benefits: (תַּגְמוּלוֹהִי - Tagmulov, plural of תַּגְמוּל - tagmul) This word denotes 'dealings,' 'rewards,' 'bounties,' or 'recompense.' While gemul can refer to payment (positive or negative), tagmul almost exclusively denotes God's generous and benevolent dealings towards people. It encapsulates all acts of kindness, protection, deliverance, sustenance, and unmerited favor. The plural form signifies the multitude and diversity of these blessings. This word suggests that God acts first, not reactively, initiating blessing out of His own character.
• toward me: (עָלָי - Alay) Signifies a direct and personal recipient. The benefits are not abstract but personally experienced by the psalmist, making the gratitude profoundly individual. This particularization of God's blessings deepens the sense of personal obligation and response.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "What shall I render": This phrase introduces a profound inquiry into human capacity to respond to divine goodness. It acknowledges the imbalance between finite human beings and an infinite, self-sufficient God. The question implies the human inability to "repay" God in any sense that would add to His glory or diminish His infinite self-sufficiency (Acts 17:25). It shifts the focus from a transaction to a heartfelt expression of devoted submission.
• "to the LORD for all his benefits toward me": This specifies the recipient and the motive. The motivation for any "rendering" is solely God's prior, unmerited grace. The sheer magnitude ("all") and the personal nature ("toward me") of these "benefits" preclude a casual or superficial response, demanding total devotion. This emphasizes God as the initiator of the relationship, showering benefits first, which then evokes a response of gratitude and loyalty from the recipient.

Psalm 116 12 Bonus section

The rhetorical nature of "What shall I render?" suggests that the question itself is part of the answer. It directs the worshiper's gaze inward and upward, prompting a consideration of their posture before God. The emphasis is not on what God lacks or requires to be appeased, but what is fitting and due from a redeemed and grateful heart. This marks a profound departure from transaction-based religious systems. Furthermore, the answer is often found in the very next verses, indicating that the solution is not a singular action but a life of continual devotion, expressed through both private worship and public commitments. The "cup of salvation" (v. 13) has deep theological ties to Jewish communal feasting of thanksgiving and foreshadows the Lord's Supper, where Christ's ultimate "benefit"—salvation through His blood—is commemorated. The 'rendering' ultimately finds its truest expression through Christ, the One who truly rendered perfect obedience and sacrifice to the Father on our behalf, enabling our imperfect responses to be acceptable.

Psalm 116 12 Commentary

Psalm 116:12 captures a moment of overwhelmed gratitude, not unlike a debtor pondering how to pay an unpayable debt of kindness. It's a spontaneous outpouring from a heart recently delivered from affliction, wrestling with the sheer weight of God's continuous and overwhelming grace. The psalmist is not questioning if he should respond, but how adequately to express an appropriate return for such immeasurable blessings. Since God needs nothing and owns everything (Ps 24:1), true "rendering" cannot be a compensatory act. Instead, it involves the offering of oneself in complete devotion: lifting the "cup of salvation" as a declaration of faith (Ps 116:13), fulfilling vows made in distress, a commitment to public testimony, offering sacrifices of praise, living a life of obedient service, and dedicating resources as an act of worship. It underscores that the proper human response to God's love is a wholehearted, continuous lifestyle of faith, praise, and obedience, reflecting His goodness back into the world through selfless acts and devotion. This question transforms the act of giving from duty into a privilege and a joy.

• Practical Usage Examples:
  • After receiving a significant blessing, pausing to reflect not just on the blessing, but on God the Giver and pondering, "What part of my life, my time, my resources, can I now joyfully dedicate in response?"
  • Choosing acts of sacrificial service, giving, or worship not out of compulsion but as an overflow of a grateful heart for Christ's sacrifice and daily provision.
  • Publicly sharing one's testimony of God's deliverance as a means of honoring Him, fulfilling a spiritual "vow" of praise.