Bible Text: Psalm 116:1-19 | Preacher: Lieutenant Rob Westwood-Payne | Series: Single Sermons | This sermon about thanksgiving to God reminds us, as we head towards the end of the year, that we have much to thank God for, and should do so publicly.

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Psalm 116:1-19, NIVUK

1 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice;

    he heard my cry for mercy.

2 Because he turned his ear to me,

    I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The cords of death entangled me,

    the anguish of the grave came over me;

    I was overcome by distress and sorrow.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

    ‘Lord, save me!’

5 The Lord is gracious and righteous;

    our God is full of compassion.

6 The Lord protects the unwary;

    when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return to your rest, my soul,

    for the Lord has been good to you.

8 For you, Lord, have delivered me from death,

    my eyes from tears,

    my feet from stumbling,

9 that I may walk before the Lord

    in the land of the living.

10 I trusted in the Lord when I said,

    ‘I am greatly afflicted’;

11 in my alarm I said,

    ‘Everyone is a liar.’

12 What shall I return to 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 fulfil my vows to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord

    is the death of his faithful servants.

16 Truly I am your servant, Lord;

    I serve you just as my mother did;

    you have freed me from my chains.

17 I will sacrifice a thank-offering to you

    and call on the name of the Lord.

18 I will fulfil my vows to the Lord

    in the presence of all his people,

19 in the courts of the house of the Lord –

    in your midst, Jerusalem.

Praise the Lord.[a]

Adonai – the Governor

Psalm 116:4 CJB

But I called on the name of Adonai: “Please, Adonai! Save me!”

God directs and judge us as our Governor

We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator, Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship. (The Salvation Army’s 2nd Article of Faith)

The relationship between God and the psalmist is personal

Psalm 116:2 ESV

Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

This sermon about thanksgiving to God reminds us our Governor, our God is an intensely personal God. He longs to be in relationship with you and me. He is interested in you as an individual.

Psalm 23 – You are not alone

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

3     he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk

    through the darkest valley,[a]

I will fear no evil,

    for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

    in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil;

    my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me

    all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the Lord

    for ever.

Read Psalm 23 and see how many times ‘my’, ‘I’, ‘me’ are mentioned.

Matthew 6 – There’s no need to worry

Do not worry

25 ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.