The Meaning of Psalms 116:1 Explained

Psalms 116:1

KJV: I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.

YLT: I have loved, because Jehovah heareth My voice, my supplication,

Darby: I love Jehovah, for he hath heard my voice and my supplications;

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Psalms 116:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 116:1-11 - He Delivered My Soul
Throughout this psalm we meet the pronoun in the first person. Only in two verses, Psalms 116:15 and Psalms 116:19, does it not so occur. There is no fear of egotism, however, when the heart of the singer overflows with divine love.
Psalms 116:1-4
The psalmist here compares himself to some wild animal ensnared by the hunter and bound by the sharp cords which make free movement impossible. Bow many of God's saints have felt the deep incision of these cords! It has been with them as with Joseph, when let down into the pit. But there is no pit so deep that a cry from it may not reach the heart of God.
Psalms 116:5-11
When the quiet faith of answered prayer is ours, the fluttering soul seems to settle down to its nest in peace. The feet which were slipping now walk in the paths of life. Notice the prayer of Psalms 116:4 and the reply of Psalms 116:8. God does more than deliver; He wipes the tears from our faces, and holds us as a mother who places her hands under the armpits of her child, teaching it to walk. Paul quotes Psalms 116:10 in 2 Corinthians 4:13. How often must this psalm have been in his thought and on his lips! Do not speak hastily. An eminent religious leader said once, "I shall have good hopes of you, when you can speak and move slowly." [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 116

1  The psalmist professes his love and duty to God for his deliverance
12  He studies to be thankful

What do the individual words in Psalms 116:1 mean?

I love because He has heard Yahweh - My voice [and] my supplications
אָ֭הַבְתִּי כִּֽי־ יִשְׁמַ֥ע ׀ יְהוָ֑ה אֶת־ ק֝וֹלִ֗י תַּחֲנוּנָֽי

אָ֭הַבְתִּי  I  love 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: אָהַב  
Sense: to love.
כִּֽי־  because 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
יִשְׁמַ֥ע ׀  He  has  heard 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
ק֝וֹלִ֗י  My  voice 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
תַּחֲנוּנָֽי  [and]  my  supplications 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common singular
Root: תַּחֲנוּן  
Sense: supplication, supplication for favour.