Psalm 116 and 117 … Consider Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul

Originally posted: 12/01/2020

Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you, (116:7).

No one would deny that we find ourselves living in a time that is filled with angst, concerns, worries and unrest. And if not for the Lord, where would we find our hope, health, comfort or peace? Today, we are reminded through these two psalms of praise, that God is faithful, and He will return our soul to rest when we call on Him in faith.

The cords of death encompassed me
And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
I found distress and sorrow.
⁴ Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!”
⁵ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
Yes, our God is compassionate.
⁶ The Lord preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
⁷ Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you, (116:3-7).

Here once again, we find another psalmist engaging in soul talk. And the fact that he instructs his soul to return to rest, is a clear indication of his faith in the Lord, depicting a soul who knows rest through relationship with Yahweh, who knows to trust Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul.

Many versions translate the second line of Psalm 116:7 as, “for the LORD has been good to you.” And while there is no denying the truth that the Lord has been so very good to us, when reading the words, “for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you,” an image of His bountiful generosity is evoked and seems to be a more fitting description, especially in light of the original language.

has dealt bountifully: “1580. גָּמַל gāmal:  A verb meaning to recompense another, to bring to completion, to do good. This word has a broad spectrum of meanings. The predominant idea of this word is to recompense either with a benevolent reward… or an evil recompense… The idea of bringing to an end… or plants that have ripened… At times this word is best translated to do good or to deal bountifully…” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

His Bountiful generosity is His recompense to all those who place their faith in Him alone; and because of His Bountiful generosity, bestowed by His unfathomable goodness and undeserved grace, we are made complete in Christ.

For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority, (Colossians 2:9-10).

When we are made complete in Christ, we too know what it is to receive rest for our soul. Our rest is His gift, purchased by His Bountiful Sacrifice: His life on earth, His death on a cross, His resurrection from the grave, and His glorious ascension to the right hand of His Father. And when we root ourselves in His Truth, there is nothing, and no one, who can rob us of the rest we have in Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? ³² He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? ³³ Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; ³⁴ who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us, (Romans 8:31-34).

Consider Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He inclines His ear to hear our prayers.
  • 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, (116:1-2).

• • • “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full,” (John 16:24).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He saves our life from the cords of death.
  • The cords of death encompassed me
    And the terrors of Sheol came upon me;
    I found distress and sorrow.
    ⁴ Then I called upon the name of the Lord:
    “O Lord, I beseech You, save my life!” (116:3-4).

• • • Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die…” (John 11:25-26).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He manifests His grace in His righteous compassion.
  • Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
    Yes, our God is compassionate, (116:5).

• • • even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus, (Romans 3:22-24).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He preserves and saves those who are simple-hearted and lowly.
  • The Lord preserves the simple;
    I was brought low, and He saved me, (116:6).

• • • But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. ¹⁷ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all,” (Luke 18:16-17).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He returns our soul to rest.
  • Return to your rest, O my soul,
    For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you, (116:7).

• • • “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light,” (Matthew 11:28-30).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He has rescued us from death; and will bring us to Himself, where He will put an end to our tears and stumbling.
  • For You have rescued my soul from death,
    My eyes from tears,
    My feet from stumbling, (116:8).

• • • And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, ⁴ and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away,” (Revelation 21:3-4).

• He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, for He has extended His great lovingkindness and everlasting truth to all nations and all peoples!
  • Praise the Lord, all nations;
    Laud Him, all peoples!
    ² For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
    And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
    Praise the Lord! (117:1-2).

• • • “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,” (John 3:16).
    • Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me,” (John 14:6)

How do we respond to Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul?

The question almost seems ludicrous; isn’t it completely obvious what our response should be? But the very sad and tragic reality is that sometimes we allow the angst, concerns, worries and unrest of this life to rob us of our place in His rest, rob us of remembering truly how Bountifully He Has Dealt With Our Soul.

We have to be intentional, to root ourselves, to remind ourselves by speaking of our love for Him and contemplating all the reasons why we love Him; that we would never forget or take for granted how He Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul!

May our love grow as we call upon Him in faith. Let us meditate on His unfathomable goodness and undeserved grace, for He hears the cry of our prayers to Deal Bountifully With Our Soul!

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, (116:1-2).

When we love someone, we look for ways to show them through acts of kindness, quality time and thoughtful gifts. It’s Christmas season. Let us ponder that question: what can we possibly offer in return to Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul?

What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me? (116:12).

The psalmist answers his own question; and basically in one word, it’s worship, with all that he is, wherever he is, that others might witness his gratitude and love.

I shall lift up the cup of salvation
And call upon the name of the Lord.
¹⁴ I shall pay my vows to the Lord,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people…
¹⁷ To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And call upon the name of the Lord.
¹⁸ I shall pay my vows to the Lord,
Oh may it be in the presence of all His people,
¹⁹ In the courts of the Lord’s house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the Lord! (116:13-14, 17-19).

When we consider Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul, when we see all of life in view of His mercies, we will arrive at the same answer… worship Him with all that we are, wherever we are.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship, (Romans 12:1).

And when we present our bodies as living and holy sacrifices to God as our spiritual service of worship, our whole life will be lived out in acts of kindness, quality time and thoughtful gifts as our offering of love to Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul.

Oh, may we never get over His great lovingkindness toward us, bestowed by His everlasting truth through the mercies and grace of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And let us pray that as we live out our love and gratitude in a lifestyle of worship, that others would be drawn to join us in praising Him Who Has Dealt Bountifully With Our Soul!

Praise the Lord, all nations;
Laud Him, all peoples!
² For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
Praise the Lord! (Psalm 117).

Let’s Grow Together!