(REFLECTIONS ON Psalm 116:1-19)

Why do we love the Lord? Have we ever thought about this question before? How would we answer this question if someone were to ask us? We sing songs at church that say we love the Lord, we may even share with others that they are to love the Lord, but why is it that we love the Lord?

In today’s Psalm, we read why the psalmist loves the Lord. He writes,

1 I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. 2 Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

Why do we love the Lord? Because the Lord hears our voice and our cries to Him. The Lord, the Creator of the heavens and earth, the Lord of all, hears our voice, and opens His ears to us, to listen to us, to care for us. 

We love the Lord because He cares, which means we have a relationship with Him. We love the Lord, because He loves us so much that He was willing to send His Son, Jesus Christ to take our place, our sin, and our death, and to give us life in Him. 

John 3:16 states,

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

We love the Lord, because He loves us, through His Son, and brought us into relationship with Him. And since He is willing to hear our voice, we call upon His name and say, “O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!”

We love the Lord because He listens, hears our cries, and saves us. The psalmist writes, “I was brought low, and He saved me.” Being brought low refers to humility before the Lord, but it isn’t a self-manufactured humility, but it is being brought down to humility, leaving no room or hope for anything besides humility. 

Biblical humility is not pretending to be weak, thinking less of yourself, lowering yourself artificially, but it is seeing yourself truthfully before God. When the psalmist is “brought low,” he finally stands on the truth: I cannot save myself.

Brothers and sisters, why do we love the Lord? It is because the Lord first loved us, called us to be His, and hears our voice, cares for us, and is mighty to save when we are desperate for salvation.

That is why we love the Lord and desire and hope that others may also learn of the Lord’s love. His love saves us from destruction and gives us life in His Son, Jesus Christ. That is why we love the Lord, and that is why we praise the Lord. 

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.

And that is why we love our Lord, worship Him, and offer ourselves and our life to be used for His kingdom. Brothers and sisters, why do you love the Lord?

Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Psalm 116