Why read Psalm 116?
Psalm 116 is a brief prayer of praise for God's mercy and faithfulness. Its invitation to all peoples makes it suitable for a simple moment of thanksgiving.
You can read this psalm when its themes speak to your circumstances, or as part of your regular reading of the Psalter. This explanation draws on the text itself; the psalm is not reserved for one particular need.
«Praise the Lord, all nations; praise Him...» — so begins Psalm 116, a passage of 2 verses from the 16th Kathisma. In the Orthodox Church, the Psalter is read at every service, and this psalm has its place in the order of prayer.
Text of Psalm 116
1. Praise the Lord, all nations; praise Him, all peoples;
2. For His mercy towards us is great, and the truth of the Lord endures forever.
When Psalm 116 is read
- It belongs to the 16th Kathisma and is read in the order of the Psalter during services; believers read it during fasting periods and in times of need.
- At the end of each psalm, tradition adds: «Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen».
Neighbouring psalms
The numbering follows the Orthodox Psalter (Septuagint). The same psalm may have a different number in other Bible editions.
