Psalm 116:2 kjv
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:2 nkjv
Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:2 niv
Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:2 esv
Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.
Psalm 116:2 nlt
Because he bends down to listen,
I will pray as long as I have breath!
Psalm 116 2 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 116:1 | I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice... | Context of answered prayer preceding the verse. |
| Ps 17:6 | I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me... | David's plea for God to hear, mirroring the confidence in Ps 116:2. |
| Ps 31:2 | Incline Your ear to me; rescue me quickly! | A direct prayer asking God to incline His ear. |
| Ps 34:15 | The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. | God's constant readiness to hear and respond to His people. |
| Ps 40:1 | I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. | Direct parallel of God inclining ear and hearing. |
| Ps 66:19-20 | But truly God has listened; He has attended to the voice of my prayer... Blessed be God, because He has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me! | Affirmation of God hearing and a basis for praise, similar to Ps 116. |
| Ps 130:2 | O Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas. | A supplication for God to be attentive, showing the longing for such hearing. |
| 1 Ki 8:28 | Yet have regard to the prayer of Your servant... that You may listen... | Solomon's prayer for God to hear Israel's prayers in the temple. |
| Neh 1:6 | Let Your ear be attentive and Your eyes open, to hear the prayer... | Nehemiah praying for God to listen to his supplication. |
| Prov 15:29 | The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous. | Emphasizes God's particular attentiveness to the righteous. |
| Isa 59:1 | Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or His ear dull, that it cannot hear. | Affirmation of God's limitless power and capacity to hear. |
| John 9:31 | We know that God does not listen to sinners but He listens to anyone who is a worshiper of God and does His will. | Jesus' teaching affirming God hears specific kinds of prayer. |
| 1 Jn 5:14-15 | And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. | New Testament confidence in God hearing and answering prayer. |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | A command to pray, predicated on the belief that God hears. |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. | Encouragement to approach God confidently through prayer. |
| Jas 4:8 | Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. | Reciprocal relationship emphasizing God's responsiveness to those who seek Him. |
| Rom 12:12 | Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. | Command for continuous prayer. |
| Col 4:2 | Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. | Exhortation to persist in prayer with gratitude. |
| 1 Thes 5:17 | Pray without ceasing. | Instruction for ongoing, habitual prayer, stemming from a belief in God's hearing. |
| Eph 6:18 | Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. | Emphasis on the persistence and breadth of prayer. |
| Lk 18:1 | He told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. | Jesus' teaching on the necessity of persistent prayer. |
| Lk 21:36 | But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength... | The need for continuous prayer in anticipation of future events. |
Psalm 116 verses
Psalm 116 2 Meaning
Psalm 116:2 expresses the psalmist's profound gratitude and determined response to God's gracious act of hearing his prayer. Because God has genuinely listened and inclined His ear to the psalmist's cries, the psalmist commits to an unending life of prayer and calling upon the Lord. It signifies a continuous, grateful reliance on a responsive God, born from past deliverance and experience of His attentiveness.
Psalm 116 2 Context
Psalm 116 belongs to a collection of Thanksgiving Psalms (Pss 113-118, known as the Hallel), likely recited during significant feasts. The specific genre is a Todah or thanksgiving psalm, where the psalmist expresses gratitude for deliverance from grave danger, sickness, or distress, previously promised in a lament. Verse 1 of Psalm 116 states the psalmist's love for the Lord "because He has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy." This sets the immediate context for verse 2, establishing a causal relationship: the fact of God's past hearing leads directly to the commitment of future, persistent calling upon Him. The "ear inclined to me" depicts God's personal and attentive listening, moving beyond mere intellectual knowledge to compassionate engagement. Historically, calling upon deity was central to ancient Near Eastern worship; Psalm 116's emphasis on Yahweh as the one true God who genuinely hears and answers, stands in contrast to lifeless idols incapable of such interaction. The psalm expresses a deep, personal relationship with God, where experience of His faithfulness fuels continued devotion.
Psalm 116 2 Word analysis
- Because (כִּֽי - ki): A causal conjunction. It introduces the reason for the psalmist's declaration that follows. This small word is pivotal, establishing a direct cause-and-effect relationship: God's action is the reason for the psalmist's response. It grounds faith and future commitment in past, verifiable divine faithfulness.
- He (ה֭וּא - hu): The pronoun implicitly refers to Yahweh, the Lord mentioned in Psalm 116:1. This emphasizes the divine actor—it is He, the Sovereign God, who initiates the benevolent act of listening.
- has inclined (נָטָ֣ה - natah): The Hebrew verb natah means "to stretch out," "extend," "bend," "bow down." In this context, it depicts a deliberate, physical action of God leaning in to hear, conveying profound attentiveness and closeness. It implies empathy and personal engagement, not a distant or indifferent hearing. It is used elsewhere to describe stretching out the heavens (Job 26:7) or extending mercy (Exod 15:13), suggesting a powerful, intentional act.
- His ear (אָזְנ֗וֹ - ozno): The "ear" (ozen) is a metonym for attention, receptivity, and the capacity to hear and act. The specific imagery of God "inclining His ear" underscores His compassionate condescension, coming down to the level of the supplicant to genuinely listen to their distress. It is an anthropomorphic expression illustrating God's readiness and desire to respond personally.
- to me (לִ֑י - li): This preposition indicates direction and a deeply personal focus. It highlights that God's attentive listening was directed specifically towards the psalmist, in their particular need. This personalized experience of divine care is the foundation of the psalmist's subsequent commitment.
- And in my days / as long as I live (וּֽבְיָמַ֥י - u-v'yamay): The Hebrew literally means "and in my days." The "and" (waw) functions here with a consequential sense, implying "therefore" or "as a result." "In my days" refers to the entire span of the psalmist's life, signifying a commitment of perpetual prayer and reliance. This isn't a temporary gratitude, but an enduring posture of dependence and devotion.
- I will call (אֶקְרָֽא - eqra): The Hebrew verb qara means "to call," "cry out," "proclaim," or "invoke." In the context of prayer, it refers to invoking God's name, crying out to Him for help or guidance. The future tense expresses a resolute, volitional act: the psalmist chooses and determines to make calling upon the Lord his lifelong practice, not merely in times of distress but continually.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- Because He has inclined His ear to me: This phrase powerfully conveys God's personal, attentive, and compassionate listening. It highlights the divine initiative and the psalmist's specific experience of being heard. This isn't a general theological truth, but a lived reality, a tangible interaction with the Holy One who cares for the individual. The use of "inclined" emphasizes a physical bending, symbolizing divine humility and willingness to engage directly with human cries.
- Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live (or And in my days I will call): This part signifies the psalmist's enduring, reciprocal response to God's attentiveness. The personal experience of God hearing becomes the motivation and foundation for a lifelong commitment to prayer and seeking Him. It demonstrates true devotion rooted in tested faithfulness – not a transactional "I'll call if you hear," but a deeply grateful "Because You heard, I will always call." It's a vow of persistent invocation, acknowledging that if God hears once, He is perpetually approachable and worthy of such trust.
Psalm 116 2 Bonus section
The active choice "I will call" (אֶקְרָא) is highly significant. It's a volitional act, showing agency and determination on the part of the psalmist. It contrasts with a passive response; having experienced divine initiative (He has inclined His ear), the psalmist actively responds by his own sustained initiative (I will call). This showcases a true partnership in devotion, where God's faithfulness elicits and empowers human faithfulness. The structure of the verse is a perfect example of a foundational biblical principle: God's gracious action (ki - because) naturally leads to a consecrated human response (u-v'yamay - therefore / and in my days). It moves from experience to enduring commitment.
Psalm 116 2 Commentary
Psalm 116:2 reveals a profound truth about the dynamic between humanity and the Divine: our faithful persistence in prayer is directly fueled by God's demonstrated faithfulness in hearing. It is not an arbitrary resolve but a logical, heart-felt response to the reality of a living God who is not distant or indifferent, but intimately engaged. The imagery of God "inclining His ear" is a beautiful anthropomorphism that communicates divine empathy and focused attention, signifying that He listens not just incidentally, but with deliberate care for the individual who cries out. This listening implies not just cognitive awareness, but a readiness to intervene and respond, as evidenced by the deliverance preceding this verse (Psalm 116:1).
The psalmist's commitment to "call upon Him as long as I live" is a lifelong covenant of trust. It means prayer becomes an integral part of existence, not just a last resort. This perseverance in calling is born from assurance, not desperation. Having experienced God's faithfulness, the psalmist knows future prayers will also be met with divine attention. This verse transforms prayer from a duty to a joyful privilege, a constant communion rooted in the memory of answered cries. It serves as an encouragement that our personal encounters with God's listening ear lay the foundation for a lifelong habit of consistent, grateful, and confident supplication. For instance, when a believer faces a crisis and fervently prays, then sees God miraculously provide, that experience cements their trust and propensity to pray first and continually in future trials. Similarly, receiving comfort in grief or clear direction in confusion, reinforces the belief that God truly inclines His ear, prompting a commitment to walk with Him in unceasing prayer.