Psalm 116 Catholic: What Shall I Render to the Lord?

Psalm 116 is the thanksgiving of someone God has rescued from death: “What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me? I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” Jesus and the Apostles likely sang it at the Last Supper among the Hallel psalms, and the Church sings it on Holy Thursday. In the Douay-Rheims it appears as two psalms, 114 and 115. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.

Psalm 116 in the Douay-Rheims Bible

I have loved, because the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer.
Because he hath inclined his ear unto me: and in my days I will call upon him.
The sorrows of death have encompassed me: and the perils of hell have found me. I met with trouble and sorrow:
And I called upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, deliver my soul.
The Lord is merciful and just, and our God sheweth mercy.
The Lord is the keeper of little ones: I was little and he delivered me.
Turn, O my soul, into thy rest: for the Lord hath been bountiful to thee.
For he hath delivered my soul from death: my eyes from tears, my feet from falling.
I will please the Lord in the land of the living.

I have believed, therefore have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.
I said in my excess: Every man is a liar.
What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me?
I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people:
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds:
I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people:
In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Psalm 116 or Psalm 114?

Psalm 116 is a special case. The Greek and Latin Bibles, and so the Douay-Rheims, divide it into two psalms: Psalm 114 (verses 1–9 of the Hebrew Psalm 116) and Psalm 115 (verses 10–19). Both parts are given above. In Latin the first part begins Dilexi, quoniam exaudiet Dominus and the second Credidi, propter quod locutus sum. See how many psalms are there?

What the psalm means

“I have loved, because the Lord will hear”: love springs from gratitude for answered prayer.
Rescued from death: “The sorrows of death have encompassed me… And I called upon the name of the Lord.”
Rest for the soul: “Turn, O my soul, into thy rest: for the Lord hath been bountiful to thee.”
The chalice of salvation: the thanksgiving cup of the Temple sacrifice, which Christians see fulfilled in the Eucharistic chalice.
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”: God treasures the death of those who are faithful to him.

How the Church uses Psalm 116

On Holy Thursday, at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper: “Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ.” See Holy Thursday.
On Corpus Christi (Year B) and other Eucharistic celebrations. See Corpus Christi.
At funerals, with the response “I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.” See Catholic funeral readings.
In the traditional Office of the Dead, Vespers began with the antiphon Placebo Domino from this psalm: “I will please the Lord in the land of the living.”
In the traditional Latin Mass, the priest prayed “What shall I render to the Lord… I will take the chalice of salvation” before receiving the Precious Blood.

A prayer with Psalm 116

Written for this page:

Lord, what shall I give you for all your goodness to me?
I will take the cup of salvation and call upon your name.
You freed me from the snares of death; I will walk before you in the land of the living.
Accept my thanks and my life, offered with the sacrifice of your Son. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Psalm 116 two psalms in the Douay-Rheims?

The Greek and Latin Bibles divided it into Psalms 114 and 115, while the Hebrew keeps it as one psalm.

Where is “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”?

Psalm 116:15 in modern Bibles (115:15 in the Douay-Rheims).

What is the “chalice of salvation”?

The cup of thanksgiving offered in the Temple; Christians see it fulfilled in the chalice of the Eucharist.

More psalms and prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Psalms 114–115 (116), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayer was written for this page.