116:9 land of the living. This verse certainly implies a future bodily resurrection. The Psalm 116:8 expressed confidence in deliverance from death, and Psalm 116:15 assures us that the death of God’s saints is seen by God and is precious in His sight.

116:12 all His benefits. God has given multitudes of benefits to every person. “He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:25). There is only one thing we can do to repay Him—that is, to receive His “cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:13). When certain men asked Jesus how they could work the works of God, He answered: “Believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:28-29). Jesus has drunk the bitter cup of God’s judgment for us (Matthew 26:39), so now our “cup runneth over” with “goodness and mercy” (Psalm 23:5-6).

116:13 the cup of salvation. The answer to the question in Psalm 116:12 (“what shall I render unto the Lord?”) is simply to accept His great gift of salvation. Compare John 6:28-29. The cup of salvation provides “living water...springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10,14). We can now say: “My cup runneth over,...and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever” (Psalm 23:5-6).

116:15 death of his saints. Although death is the great enemy of all men, those who have been redeemed and forgiven no longer need fear its “sting” (I Corinthians 15:55) or drown in its sorrow (I Thessalonians 4:13), knowing that death is merely an entrance into the joyful presence of their Savior, to whom they are like precious gems (Malachi 3:17).