In The Presence of All

Psalm 116 is a psalm, most likely written by David, expressing gratitude and love for God. The psalmist loves God because He hears and answers prayers, delivers and saves, and offers care and comfort. It reflects on God’s salvation and calls others to join in worship and service. The psalm is a beautiful expression of deep devotion and thanksgiving.

At the end of the Psalm, the author declares:

I will sacrifice a thank offering to you
    and call on the name of the Lord.
I will fulfill my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord—
    in your midst, Jerusalem.

In the concluding stanza of the psalm, the author proclaims that he will worship God with thanksgiving, call on His name, and fulfill the vows he has made to God in the presence of all.

I want to make one simple observation from this Psalm. We’ve already explored the importance of fulfilling our vows to God, but this psalm emphasizes that we should be willing to carry out our vows of service and worship in the presence of all, not just privately or timidly. We must be willing to keep our promises to God in front of others. While we do not need to be boastful or purposefully public in vow-keeping, we should not shy away from publicly honoring our commitments to God.

We should not hide our service to God, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 5. Our service, worship, and reliance on God should be something we are willing to express openly, both in front of others and alongside them.

Have you vowed your life to God? Are you willing to keep that vow in public? Or, do you try to keep your pledge a secret? If we’ve kept it a secret, why? Don’t be frightened to express service and devotion to God in public. Instead, be courageous and fulfill your vow in the presence of all. #KeepYourWord