Psalm 116:12-14

¹² What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? ¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD, ¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

I love the pairing of this answer with this question. The psalmist asks: “What can I give God in return for the favor He has shown to me?” Potential answers tumble into my mind by the dozen: more time? more money? better parenting? less selfishness? No, apparently, the Lord wants me to respond to His goodness simply by enjoying it, asking Him for more of it, and thanking Him for it. Each of these responses is expressed in the ceremonial activities described in verses 13-14: “lift up the cup of salvation… call on the name of the Lord… pay my vows.” Each of these deserves a brief comment.

Paying vows. In verses 17-18, the writer sets the clause “I will pay my vows” as parallel to “I will sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord.” I thus infer that the vows this poet has in mind are apparently the expressions of thanks associated with the thank offering. In other words, his vows are expressions of thanks, not pledges of self-sacrifice.

Calling on the Lord. Here is an interesting response to God’s goodness—ask Him for more! Psalm 50:14-15 offers an illuminating cross-reference: “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” Here is the explanation for why I should respond to God’s goodness by asking Him for more of it: because He wants to be glorified by delivering me. I get the help, and He gets the glory!

Lifting up the cup of salvation. In its Old Testament context, this cup was likely part of the thank offering ceremony. But this morning as my Bible reading plan took me from Psalm 116 to Mark 12, I couldn’t help but think of the cup of salvation when I read Jesus’ words on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (v 34). I imagined this scream echoing from the rocks and caves on Golgotha as Jesus drank the cup of His Father’s full wrath against my sin, and I worshiped Him afresh. He drank the cup of wrath so I could drink the cup of salvation all the days of my life.

So what shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me? I will pay my vows of thankfulness. I will glorify Him by asking for more of His mercy and grace. And I will joyfully lift the cup of salvation to my own lips and drink. Deeply.