"I love the LORD because He hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because He hath inclined His ear unto me, therefore, will I call upon Him as long as I live."
Psalm 116:1-2
Yesterday – “Real love is sacrificial, focuses on the unlovely, and does not look for anything in return.”
Today:
“I love the LORD for hearing me, for listening to my prayers. Yes, He paid attention to me, so I will always call to Him whenever I need help” [1] (Psalm 116:1-2, HSB).
This beloved Psalm shows us the faithfulness of Jehovah in the believer’s life. Regardless of the circumstances, our God is in control of our lives. “He is too wise to make a mistake and too loving not to care.” [2]
The first verse shows us that the psalmist had two things in mind when he wrote this. First, he knew that he loved God! Secondly, he knew that God answered his prayer when he was in trouble.
“I love the LORD.”
Because you are reading a Bible-based devotional, I pray that you know the Lord and say this with the psalmist. We who are God’s creatures, whom He has saved by the “blood of the Lamb,” ought to be daily telling Him of our love. Do you love Him? Then tell Him so.
“Because He hath heard my voice and my supplications.”
We also ought to give some thought as to why we love Him. Did the psalmist have the right attitude as he loved God? I mean, doesn’t it look like he loved God only because of what God did for him? Surely, that’s not “pure love!” you might say. On the surface, it may even seem to have a ring of selfishness about it – He only loves God for what he can get from God! Isn’t that how a soldier of fortune operates?
“I love the Lord because he hath heard – How vain and foolish is the talk, “To love God for his benefits to us is mercenary and cannot be pure love!” Whether pure or impure, there is no other love that can flow from the heart of the creature to its Creator” [3] (Clarke – ACC).
I am grateful for Adam Clarke’s thought here, for we need not be troubled by loving God for the wrong reason if we do love Him. How else can a creature love the Creator who has given so much to them?
A poor illustration of God’s love for His creatures would be a parent’s love for their infant child. The excellent parent pours out love and affection on that child. They will meet that child’s every need out of love flowing from the deep well of their hearts. Everything from changing the diapers to feeding, bathing, soothing the upsets, and providing for all the babe’s needs, shows the love of those parents for the child. It will be years before that little one will say to mom and dad, “I love you,” and really comprehend what they are saying. But in the meantime, Dad and Mom, don’t you love to hear those words from your child?
Believers, don’t you know that our Creator who is “all-wise” knows what is in our hearts when we tell Him, “I love you, Lord!” And don’t you think He loves to hear us say to Him in our feeble way from adoring hearts that we love Him? He knows if our words are mercenary or genuine. So let’s not be hypocritical as we talk with Him!
“Because He hath inclined His ear unto me.”
The psalmist was absolutely confident of God answering his specific requests when he prayed to Him.
“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech” (Psalm 17:6).
“Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defense to save me” (Psalm 31:2).
The psalmist has called to God in the past, and God heard and answered his prayer!
“Therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.”
Lord, because I’ve called to you in the past, and you answered, always, “I will call!”
“I will call – An implicit expression of trust. The psalmist commits to depending on God for the rest of his life because God has helped him” (FSB). [4]
“As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me” (Psalm 55:16).
“In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me” (Psalm 86:7).
“I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD” (Psalm 116:13).
Believers, the same God who faithfully answered our prayer in the past, will continue to provide for us so long as we live. Therefore, “I will trust Him always!”
“True love responds to our Creator who loves us,
and to His love, as He provides for our needs.”
“I love you, Lord
And I lift my voice
To worship you
Oh my soul, rejoice
Take joy, my king
In what you hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
In your ear.” [5]
Quote: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:18-19).
[1] HSB is the Harvest Study Bible from Harvest Ministries in Guam.
[2] I remember hearing this the first time from Pastor Bill Goode of Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, IN.
[3] ACC – Adam Clarke. Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
[4] FSB, John D. Barry, Douglas Mangum, Derek R. Brown, et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ps 116:1–2.
[5] “I Love You, Lord,” by Laurie Klein (1978). Tune: I LOVE YOU, LORD (Klein). © 1978 House of Mercy Music (Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing).