Psalm 116
Dear RTB’ers,
Death – Psalm 116:3, 8, 15. Although David expressed fear for his life, I don’t recall him writing of anything like a reprieve from death. Psalm 6 is a lament, with David expressing fear, weariness and weeping, but death is only a mention, not a near occasion. Likewise, in Psalm 41 David speaks of death, but in the third person. By contrast, the author of today’s psalm seemed to be at death’s door:
- The snares of death encompassed me…
- For you have delivered my soul from death…
- Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.
His reaction is thanksgiving and praise.
And us? We’ve had a number of deaths at St. Andrew’s the past few years, but with celebrations of resurrection instead of funerals. Death is acknowledged; resurrection is embraced. It’s what we believe – the apostle Paul said it best, For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21) We will go at His behest. Until then, we’ve got work to do.
Blessings.
See also: October 13 (2022) / Psalms 116-117.