Psalms 116:1

KJV

¶ I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice [and] my supplications.

KJV (with Strong's)

I love {H157} the LORD {H3068}, because he hath heard {H8085} my voice {H6963} and my supplications {H8469}.

Complete Jewish Bible

I love that ADONAI heard my voice when I prayed;

Berean Standard Bible

I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice— my appeal for mercy.

American Standard Version

I love Jehovah, because he heareth My voice and my supplications.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Psalms 116:1 opens with a profound and personal declaration of love for the Lord, directly attributing this deep affection to God's faithful and attentive response to the psalmist's cries for help. This verse encapsulates the essence of a grateful heart, establishing a direct and experiential link between the psalmist's devotion and God's demonstrable faithfulness in hearing and answering prayers, thereby setting the tone for a psalm of profound thanksgiving and celebration of divine responsiveness and deliverance from distress.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Psalm 116 is a deeply personal psalm of thanksgiving, falling within the "Egyptian Hallel" (Psalms 113-118), a collection traditionally recited during significant Jewish festivals, particularly Passover. Unlike many psalms that begin with a plea, Psalm 116 immediately declares the psalmist's love for God, indicating that the crisis has already passed, and deliverance has occurred. The subsequent verses (e.g., [Psalms 116:3-4](/psalms/116-3 "Psalms 116:3-4 - Snares of Death")) elaborate on the dire circumstances from which the psalmist was rescued—the "snares of death" and "pains of hell"—and the desperate cry for help that preceded God's intervention. Verse 1 serves as the foundational statement, revealing the source of the psalmist's profound gratitude and renewed hope: the direct, personal experience of God's attentive ear and saving power. This psalm stands as a testament to individual deliverance, inviting the community to witness and share in the psalmist's praise.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** In ancient Israel, prayer was not merely a ritual but a vital, dynamic interaction between humanity and the divine. The concept of God "hearing" (שָׁמַע, _shama'_) was deeply significant, implying not just auditory perception but active listening, understanding, and responsive action. When a person offered "supplications" (תַּחֲנוּנִים, _tachanunim_), they were often humble pleas for grace or mercy, typically from a position of vulnerability, distress, or need. The act of God hearing and responding to such prayers was a powerful affirmation of His covenant faithfulness and His immanence—His active presence and engagement in the lives of His people. This was particularly crucial in a world where life was often precarious, and reliance on divine intervention for survival and well-being was paramount. The psalmist's experience reflects a common human condition of facing overwhelming adversity and finding solace and salvation in a God who truly listens and acts.
* **Key Themes:** This opening verse introduces several pivotal themes that resonate throughout the psalm and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights **Gratitude for Answered Prayer**, portraying God not as a distant deity but as one who actively engages with the cries of His people, demonstrating His accessibility and willingness to intervene. Secondly, the psalmist's declaration of "I love the LORD" reveals a **Love Born of Experience**, where devotion is not abstract but deeply rooted in personal encounter with divine faithfulness and mercy. This relational aspect of faith is foundational, echoing the New Testament truth that [we love Him because He first loved us](/1_john/4-19 "1 John 4:19 - We Love Because He First Loved Us"). Thirdly, the verse underscores **God's Attentiveness and Responsiveness**, assuring believers that their earnest pleas do not go unheard, thereby fostering profound confidence in the power of prayer and the compassionate nature of God, who bends His ear to the humble cry.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Love (Hebrew, _'ahav'_):** The verb אָהַב (_'ahav_), "to love," here expresses a deep, personal affection and devotion. It is not merely an emotional sentiment but a volitional commitment, a response of the whole being to the Lord. In this context, it is a love born out of profound gratitude and an experiential knowledge of God's character, specifically His faithfulness in hearing and answering prayer. This love is the animating force behind the psalmist's worship and thanksgiving.
* **Heard (Hebrew, _shama'_):** The Hebrew verb שָׁמַע (_shama'_) is far richer than a simple auditory perception. In biblical usage, "to hear" often implies "to listen attentively," "to understand," and crucially, "to obey" or "to respond." When God "hears" a supplication, it means He has taken notice, understood the plea, and is actively prepared to act upon it. This signifies divine attentiveness, empathy, and effective intervention, not mere passive reception of sound.
* **Supplications (Hebrew, _tachanunim'_):** The noun תַּחֲנוּנִים (_tachanunim_), derived from the root חָנַן (_chanan_), meaning "to be gracious" or "to show favor," refers to earnest pleas for grace, mercy, or favor. These are not demands but humble requests made from a position of need and dependence, appealing to God's gracious character. The use of this word emphasizes the psalmist's vulnerable state and God's compassionate, unmerited response.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"I love the LORD":** This opening declaration immediately establishes the psalmist's core affection and allegiance. It is a personal confession, an intimate relationship expressed through deep devotion. This love is the primary motivation for the entire psalm of thanksgiving, setting the tone of heartfelt adoration.
* **"because he hath heard my voice":** This clause provides the foundational reason for the psalmist's love. The "because" (כִּי, _ki_) introduces a causal link: the love is a direct, grateful response to God's active listening and positive reception of the psalmist's spoken prayer. It highlights God's personal engagement and accessibility.
* **"[and] my supplications":** This phrase further specifies what God heard. "Supplications" are earnest, humble pleas for mercy or grace, often made in distress. The conjunction "and" links "voice" (general expression of prayer) with "supplications" (specific, earnest requests), emphasizing the comprehensive nature of God's attentiveness to every aspect of the psalmist's desperate cries.

#### Literary Devices
Psalms 116:1 employs several powerful literary devices. The most prominent is **Personal Confession**, as the psalmist directly states "I love the LORD," making the opening a deeply intimate and subjective declaration of faith and devotion. This is immediately followed by a clear **Cause and Effect** relationship, indicated by the word "because." The psalmist's love is not arbitrary but a direct, logical consequence of God's action ("he hath heard my voice and my supplications"). This structure reinforces the experiential basis of faith. Furthermore, there is an element of **Anthropomorphism** in the phrase "he hath heard my voice," attributing human sensory perception (hearing) to God, which serves to make God's responsiveness relatable and tangible to the human experience, emphasizing His attentive and caring nature. The verse also functions as a **Declarative Statement**, setting the theme for the entire psalm as a testimony of answered prayer and grateful praise.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 116:1 serves as a foundational statement regarding the nature of prayer and God's character, echoing throughout the biblical narrative. It underscores the profound truth that God is not a distant or indifferent deity, but one who actively listens and responds to the cries of His people. This experiential knowledge of God's attentiveness transforms abstract theology into lived reality, fostering a love that is rooted in gratitude and trust. The psalmist's declaration of love, born from answered prayer, illustrates the reciprocal nature of the covenant relationship: as God demonstrates His faithfulness, humanity responds with devotion and praise. This dynamic relationship is a cornerstone of biblical theology, emphasizing God's desire for intimate communion with His creation.

* [Jeremiah 33:3](/jeremiah/33-3 "Jeremiah 33:3 - Call to Me and I Will Answer You"): This prophetic invitation directly encourages calling upon God with the promise of a divine answer, reinforcing the theme of God's responsiveness to prayer.
* [Philippians 4:6](/philippians/4-6 "Philippians 4:6 - Do Not Be Anxious, But Pray"): Paul's exhortation to present requests to God with thanksgiving resonates with the psalmist's attitude, highlighting the importance of gratitude accompanying our petitions.
* [Psalm 18:6](/psalms/18-6 "Psalm 18:6 - In My Distress I Called to the LORD"): This verse vividly portrays another instance of crying out to God in distress and experiencing His powerful deliverance, directly paralleling the experiential basis of the psalmist's love in Psalm 116:1.

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 116:1 offers a timeless encouragement for believers today, inviting us into a deeper, more experiential relationship with God. It challenges us to move beyond a theoretical understanding of prayer to a confident expectation that God genuinely hears and responds to our "voice" and "supplications." When we intentionally recall and acknowledge God's past faithfulness in answering our prayers, our love and trust in Him are profoundly deepened. This verse calls us to cultivate a consistent and heartfelt prayer life, recognizing that every answered prayer, no matter how small, is a fresh demonstration of God's attentiveness and a new reason to love Him more deeply. It reminds us that our devotion is not a duty but a grateful response to a God who is intimately involved in our lives, transforming our anxieties into adoration and our pleas into praise.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What specific instances of answered prayer in your life have deepened your love for God?**
* **How does the understanding that God "hears" your voice and supplications impact your confidence and consistency in prayer?**
* **In what ways can you more intentionally cultivate a heart of gratitude for God's attentiveness, even when answers are not immediately apparent?**
* **How might reflecting on God's past faithfulness strengthen your faith in current or future challenges?**

### FAQ
**Does the psalmist's love for God in this verse imply a conditional love, based only on answered prayer?**

Answer: While the verse explicitly states "because he hath heard my voice," it does not imply a conditional love in the sense that the love would cease if prayers were not answered. Instead, it highlights the *experiential basis* of the psalmist's love. True biblical love for God is rooted in His character and covenant faithfulness, which are consistently demonstrated through His responsiveness. The psalmist's declaration is a testimony to God's nature as a hearer of prayer, which *deepens* and *confirms* an already existing love and trust. It's a grateful response to divine grace, not a transactional exchange. The psalmist's love is a natural overflow of experiencing God's goodness and mercy, affirming His trustworthiness and power.

**What is the significance of God "hearing" the psalmist's voice and supplications?**

Answer: The act of God "hearing" (Hebrew: _shama'_) is profoundly significant. It goes far beyond mere auditory perception. In biblical thought, when God hears, it implies attentive listening, understanding, and, crucially, a responsive action. It signifies His active engagement with humanity, His compassion, and His readiness to intervene. For the psalmist, it meant that his desperate cries in a time of distress were not ignored but were met with divine attention and effective deliverance. This concept assures believers that their prayers are not uttered into a void but are received by a personal, caring, and powerful God who is intimately involved in their lives, as seen in [Psalm 4:1](/psalms/4-1 "Psalm 4:1 - Answer Me When I Call").

**How does this verse speak to times when prayers feel unanswered?**

Answer: Psalms 116:1 primarily focuses on the *experience* of answered prayer, which serves as a powerful foundation for faith. However, even when prayers feel unanswered, this verse reminds us of God's *character* as one who hears. The "hearing" is a constant, even if the "answer" is not always what we expect or desire, or if it unfolds in God's timing. The New Testament encourages persistent prayer, trusting in God's wisdom and sovereign plan, even when understanding is limited ([Romans 8:28](/romans/8-28 "Romans 8:28 - All Things Work Together For Good")). This verse provides a bedrock of assurance that God is always attentive, even if His responses are sometimes mysterious or involve a different path than we envisioned.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 116:1, with its profound declaration of love for a God who hears and delivers, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The psalmist's experience of being heard in distress foreshadows the ultimate deliverance secured by Christ. Jesus himself, in His earthly ministry, was the embodiment of God's attentive ear, constantly hearing the cries of the sick, the marginalized, and the desperate, and responding with healing and compassion ([Matthew 11:5](/matthew/11-5 "Matthew 11:5 - The Blind Receive Sight")). More profoundly, Christ's own fervent prayers in the Garden of Gethsemane ([Luke 22:42](/luke/22-42 "Luke 22:42 - Not My Will, But Yours Be Done")) and His cry from the cross ([Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - My God, My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?")) demonstrate His complete identification with humanity's supplications. Through His death and resurrection, Christ became the ultimate answer to humanity's deepest cry for deliverance from sin and death. Now, as our High Priest, Jesus continually intercedes for us before the Father, ensuring that our "voice" and "supplications" are not only heard but are presented effectively through Him ([Hebrews 7:25](/hebrews/7-25 "Hebrews 7:25 - He Always Lives to Make Intercession")). Our love for the Lord, like the psalmist's, is now rooted in the definitive act of God's hearing and delivering us through Christ, enabling us to approach the throne of grace with confidence, knowing that [1 John 2:1](/1_john/2-1 "1 John 2:1 - We Have an Advocate"), Jesus Christ the righteous.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

1 John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

Psalms 66:19

[But] verily God hath heard [me]; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.

Psalms 66:20

Blessed [be] God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.

John 16:24

Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

1 John 5:2

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Psalms 34:3

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.