Psalm 116 (114-115)
You have freed me from death. ¡°I shall walk in the presence of the Lord in
the land of the living.¡± We sing our thanksgiving with all those God has
saved from death, with our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Alleluia!
I am pleased that the Lord has heard
my voice in supplication,
2 that he has not been deaf to me,
the day I called on him.
3 When the cords of death entangled me,
the snares of the grave laid hold of me,
when affliction got the better of me,
4 I called upon the name of the Lord:
¡°O Lord, save my life!¡±
5 Gracious and righteous is the Lord;
full of compassion is our God.
6 the Lord protects the simple:
he saved me when I was humbled.
7 Return, O my soul, to your rest,
for the Lord has taken care of you.
8 He has freed my soul from death,
my eyes from weeping,
my feet from stumbling;
9 I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.
10 I have kept faith even when I said,
¡°I am greatly afflicted.¡±
11 I have said in my dismay,
¡°To hope in humans is vain.¡±
12 How can I repay the Lord
for all his goodness to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people.
15 It is painful to the Lord
to see the death of his faithful.
16 O Lord, I am your servant,
truly your servant, your handmaid¡¯s son.
You have freed me from my bonds.
17 I will offer you a thanksgiving sacrifice;
I will call on the name of the Lord.
18 I will carry out my vows to the Lord
in the presence of his people,
19 in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
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Comments Psalms, Chapter 116
Jesus prayed this psalm at the beginning of his passion, and certain words
take on a different meaning when we relate them to Jesus: He has saved me
from death; I will raise the cup of salvation; the death of his faithful
ones is precious to the Lord. The mass ¨C the presence among us of Christ¡¯s
sacrifice ¨C is ¡°eucharist¡± or thanksgiving.
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