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PSALM 116

1. I love jehovah, because he has heard my voice and my supplication.
2. Because he has inclined his ear to me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
3. The cords of death encompassed me, and the hands of hell took hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow.
4. Then I called upon the name of jehovah, saying, O jehovah, I beseech you, deliver my soul!
5. Gracious and just is jehovah, yea, our god is merciful.
6. jehovah preserves the simple; I was brought low and he helped me.
7. Return to your rest, O my soul; for jehovah has dealt kindly with you.
8. Truly you have delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9. I will walk before jehovah in the land of the living.
10. I believed, therefore have I spoken; I was greatly afflicted.
11. I said in my terror, all men are liars.
12. What shall I render to jehovah for all his benefits towards me?
13. I will take the cup of salvations, and call upon the name of jehovah.
14. I will pay my vows to jehovah, now, in the presence of all his people.
15. Precious in the eyes of jehovah is the death of his saints.
16. O jehovah, truly I am your servant, I am your servant, and the son of your handmaid; you have loosened my bands.
17. Unto you will I offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of jehovah.
18. I will pay my vows to jehovah, now, in the presence of all his people;
19. In the courts of the house of jehovah, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. hallelujah!

Verse 13. I will take the cup of salvations, etc. To take the cup of salvations denotes the appropriation of the goods of faith. It is said cup, not wine, because wine is predicated of the spiritual church, but blood of the celestial church, although each signifies the holy truth proceeding from the lord, but in the spiritual church, the holy principle of faith, grounded in charity towards the neighbour, whereas in the celestial church, it is the holy principle of charity grounded in love to the lord; the spiritual church is distinguished from the celestial in this, that the former is principled in charity towards the neighbour, but the latter in love to the lord, and the Holy Supper was instituted that it might represent and signify the lord's love towards the universal human race, and the reciprocal love of man towards him. AC 5120.

Verse 15. Precious in the sight of jehovah, is the death of his saints. That the death of the saints does not signify damnation, but the separation and removal of unclean spirits, thus regeneration and resurrection. The case is similar with man, who as to the body must die that he may rise again, and as to his selfhood, which in itself is infernal, for unless the former and the latter die, man has not the form of heaven. AE 899.