Psalm 116 16

Psalm 116:16 kjv

O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

Psalm 116:16 nkjv

O LORD, truly I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds.

Psalm 116:16 niv

Truly I am your servant, LORD; I serve you just as my mother did; you have freed me from my chains.

Psalm 116:16 esv

O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.

Psalm 116:16 nlt

O LORD, I am your servant;
yes, I am your servant, born into your household;
you have freed me from my chains.

Psalm 116 verses

Psalm 116 16 Meaning

Psalm 116:16 is a heartfelt declaration of renewed devotion and thanksgiving by the Psalmist to the LORD, following a profound experience of divine deliverance. It signifies a person's complete identification as God's faithful servant, emphasizing a deep, inherited loyalty and lifelong commitment, which is the natural response to God's gracious act of freeing them from metaphorical or literal bonds of distress and death.

Psalm 116 16 Context

Psalm 116 is a personal psalm of thanksgiving (Todah) by an individual who has been delivered from a severe and life-threatening affliction, described as "the snares of death" and "the pains of Sheol" (v. 3). The Psalmist cried out to the LORD in distress (v. 4) and experienced divine compassion, rescue, and intervention (v. 5-8). Verse 16, therefore, is a culminating declaration of profound gratitude and a re-commitment to a life of service and obedience to the God who delivered them. It comes after vows were made during the distress (v. 14) and are now being publicly fulfilled. Historically and culturally, the concept of a "servant" to a master, or particularly to God, was a profound statement of relationship, dedication, and submission to the divine will, acknowledging God's sovereignty and benevolent ownership.

Psalm 116 16 Word analysis

• O LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): This refers to the covenant name of God, indicating a deeply personal relationship. It signifies His unchanging nature and faithfulness to His promises. The Psalmist directly addresses the personal God who intervened on their behalf.
• truly (אָכֵן - 'akhen): This is an emphatic affirmation, meaning "indeed," "surely," or "verily." It highlights the sincerity and certainty of the Psalmist's declaration, leaving no doubt about the truth of their commitment.
• I am your servant (עַבְדֶּךָ אֲנִי - 'avdeka 'ani):
  • Servant (עֶבֶד - 'eved): In Hebrew, this term can mean "slave," "bondservant," or "devoted worshiper." In the context of God, it denotes a position of humble submission, loyalty, and willing obedience rather than coercion. It highlights God's rightful ownership and the Psalmist's voluntary surrender. This identity is the core of their relationship with God.
  • 'ani (אֲנִי): "I" – emphasizes personal identification and ownership of this truth.
• I am your servant, the son of your maidservant (עַבְדְּךָ בֶּן־אֲמָתֶךָ - 'avdeka ben-'amateka):
  • The son of your maidservant (בֶּן־אֲמָתֶךָ - ben-'amateka): This phrase profoundly deepens the declaration of servitude.
    • Maidservant (אָמָה - 'amah): Refers to a female servant or slave.
    • This phrasing can imply being born within the household of the master, making the servitude inherent and lifelong. It often denotes a person of low status or someone entirely dependent on their master. For the Psalmist, it emphasizes a complete and hereditary dedication to God, from birth or from deeply ingrained family tradition.
    • It signifies an unbreakable bond of loyalty, almost as if saying, "I belong to you by birth and by destiny." It echoes the concept of a permanent bondservant who, out of love for their master and household, chooses to remain (Exod 21:5-6).
• you have loosed my bonds (פִּתַּחְתָּ מוֹסֵרָי - pittachta moseray):
  • Loosed/Opened (פָּתַח - patach): Implies releasing, setting free, unbinding.
  • Bonds/Chains (מוֹסֵרָה - moserot): Refers to literal ropes, chains, or metaphorical bonds of affliction, distress, and the ultimate bondage of death or the grave, as alluded to earlier in the psalm (Psa 116:3, "snares of death").
  • This phrase states the reason for the renewed, heartfelt commitment. God's act of deliverance is the basis for the Psalmist's deepened service. It implies being freed from whatever held them captive—be it physical sickness, enemies, fear, or the literal grasp of death. The deliverance leads directly to a life of worship and commitment.

Psalm 116 16 Bonus section

The language of "son of your maidservant" was not only a humble acknowledgment of personal status but could also serve as an act of drawing the listener into the Psalmist's intimate sphere, demonstrating the depth of their relationship with YHWH. It aligns with the understanding of God's people as His cherished servants from generations. This expression connects God's past redemptive acts (like freeing Israel from Egyptian bondage) to personal, contemporary deliverance, implying that being a "servant" to God is a legacy and an honor. In the New Testament, this idea finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ, who came "in the form of a servant" (Php 2:7), and believers are now called to be "slaves of Christ" (Rom 1:1), liberated by Him to serve Him fully in Spirit and truth, recognizing His liberating grace as the foundation for all obedience and worship.

Psalm 116 16 Commentary

Psalm 116:16 stands as a powerful testament to the transformative impact of divine deliverance on human devotion. The Psalmist, having experienced God's rescue from what felt like the very jaws of death, reaffirms their identity not merely as a believer, but as God's personal 'eved, a devoted servant. The repetition of "I am your servant" underlines a deliberate, willing submission, while the addition "the son of your maidservant" amplifies this into a commitment rooted deeply in identity and tradition, signifying a lifelong, inherent, and unbreakable bond of loyalty—like one born into a household who would never leave. This profound declaration of humility and allegiance is a direct response to God's gracious act: "you have loosed my bonds." The freedom granted by God is not freedom from Him, but freedom for Him; liberation from distress leads not to independence but to an even deeper, grateful dependence and consecrated service. This verse beautifully encapsulates the core Christian principle that our freedom in Christ is given so that we might joyfully serve Him out of love, having been redeemed from the bonds of sin and death. It's a template for believers to dedicate themselves fully to the LORD, recognizing that their life, freedom, and very being are gifts from the One who breaks every chain.