Scripture: Psalms 116:1-19

Summary: “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (v. 12). This is a deeply
personal and sensible consideration.

WHAT SHALL I RENDER

Psalm 116

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits toward me?” (v. 12). This is a deeply personal and
sensible consideration.

I. WHAT ARE HIS BENEFITS TOWARD ME?

There is-

1. AN INCLINED EAR. “He hath inclined His ear unto me” (v. 2). He has not turned His ear away from me,
but, like an anxious father, He has bent His head to listen to what His child has to say. What a precious
privilege to have the listening, sympathetic ear of God.

2. DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH (v. 3). “Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears,
and my feet from falling” (v. 8). We have this victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15, 55-57 O
death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin
is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.).

3. BOUNTIFUL TREATMENT. “The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee” (v. 7). Out of His own fullness
and in infinite grace He has supplied all your needs. Luke 15:22-23 But the father said to his servants,
Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring
hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: Everyone Prodigals.

4. FREEDOM FROM BONDAGE. “ Thou hast loosed my bonds ” (v. 16). The bonds of sin, doubt, and fear
have been broken. We’re at liberty to serve the Great Deliverer with gladness.
II. WHAT SHALL I RENDER UNTO HIM?

1. I WILL LOVE HIM (v. 1). “We love Him because He first loved us." I will yield Him the affection of my
heart because He hath loved my soul out of the pit of corruption.

2. I WILL CALL UPON HIM. Yes. “As long as I live” (v. 2). This is a very expressive way of showing our
gratitude to GOD.

3. I WILL REST IN HIM. “Return unto thy rest, O my soul ” (v. 7). I will show my confidence by resting my
soul entirely in Him. This is what He desires. Matt. 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

4 I WILL WALK WITH HIM (v. 9). We should plan all the details of our daily life to His glory. We should
choose Him as our constant companion (2 Cor. 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:).

5. I WILL SPEAK FOR HIM (v. 10). I will testify to what He has done for my soul. My lips shall speak His
praise, and my tongue shall not be silent.

6. I WILL TAKE FROM HIM (v. 13). This means we are to take from Him the things He has showed us. Joy,
goodness, mercy, compassion, etc. and give them to others.

7. I WILL OFFER TO HIM. “I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving . . . I will pay my vows unto the
Lord.” (w. 17-18).

The sacrifice of thanksgiving may not seem a very costly gift, but it’s pleasing unto God (Heb. 13:15-16
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving
thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.).

Give Him your best because He gave His best for us.
What Shall I Render?
Psalm 116:12
As we begin the month of November, our thoughts usually turn to a time of
Thanksgiving. It is a time of reflection on the past and evaluation of the present. We
need to stop and think about the many ways that God has blessed us. Now you may
not be thinking about that this morning. You may be focusing on the negatives in your
life.

Many folks simply fail to think about what God has done. Some absolutely refuse to
even acknowledge God. Note: Interview with Marlyn Manson "The devil has a sense
of humor and if God exists He does too…" There are many reasons that a person may
not think about the benefits of God, but this morning, I want to encourage you to
spend just a few minutes and give it some thought.

Read: Ps 116:1-19

What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?" (Psalm 116:12)

Render = to give in return, give back, restore, reflect, echo, to give in

acknowledgement of dependence or obligation

I. What Are His Benefits Toward Us?

A. An Inclined Ear. v2

1. That means He wants to hear from us.

2. He is interested in what we have to say.

3. What's on our hearts…our needs…our struggles.

(Psa 40:1) "I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto
me, and heard my cry."

4. God is interested in our needs and concerns.

5. He is longing to hear from us.

a. If you are a child of God, the Lord wants you to "pray without
ceasing".
 b. If you do not know the Lord as your personal Savior, He wants
to hear from you as well!

(Rom 10:13) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of

the Lord shall be saved." (Psa 34:6) "This poor man cried,
and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his
troubles."

B. Deliverance From Death. v3,8

1. He hears of cries and answers by deliverance!

2. That thief on the cross said simply, 'Lord remember me…' and the
Lord answered, 'This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.'

3. The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ.

C. Bountiful Treatment v7

1. The Lord didn't just promise us life, but He promised that life would
be abundant and full.

2. It is the quality of life that is important to us, isn't it?

3. A mere existence is one thing, but a life that is full and

rewarding…that comes from God.

(Phil 4:19) "But my God shall supply all your need according to
his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

4. God's Goodness Is Like the Prodigal Son's Father…

(Luke 15:22-23) "But the father said to his servants, Bring forth
the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and
shoes on his feet: {23} And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it;
and let us eat, and be merry:"

D. Freedom From Bondage v16

1. The bonds of sin, doubt, and fear is broken.

2. We no longer must be held captive in 'sin's dread sway'.

 3. Jesus has given us Truth and the Truth is what sets us free! Cf. Jn 8:32

 His ear is inclined towards us

 He delivers from death
 He abundantly blesses
 He sets us free

(Psa 116:12) "What shall I render unto the LORD for all his
benefits toward me?"

II. What Shall We Render (or give back) Unto Him?

A. We should love Him. v1

1. We should love Him because of all His benefits toward us.

2. We should love Him because He has expressed His great love for us.

(John 15:13) "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends."

3. Do we love Him?

(John 14:15) "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

4. If we do, then we will be obedient to Him.

(1 John 4:16) "And we have known and believed the love that
God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth
in God, and God in him."

B. We Should Call Upon Him. v2

(Psa 55:17) "Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry
aloud: and he shall hear my voice."

(Phil 4:6) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto
God."

1. Prayer is the basis of fellowship with God.

2. God desires to hear from us.

 3. Consider how good it is to hear from a loved one who has been away.

4. Email is great, but there is something special about hearing their

voice.

5. Do we talk with the Lord? " 'ere you left your room this morning, did
you think to pray?"

C. We Should Walk Before Him. v9

1. Our 'walk' speaks of our testimony to others.

2. It is not a private matter; our Christian walk is public!

(Rom 6:4) "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into

death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory
of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

3. Jesus told us to let our lights shine before men, that they might see our
good works and glorify God in heaven!

4. Being a child of God carries the responsibility of being a witness and

testimony to others.

5. We should be willing to 'render' or return to the Lord a willingness to

walk uprightly for Him.

D. We Should Receive His Salvation. v13

1. Salvation is a free gift from God.

2. It is up to each one of us, individually, to either receive or reject.

3. God so loved us that He gave Jesus Christ to die in our place…what

will we do with that truth?

4. We can reject it or neglect it, but there is no other way of salvation.

(Heb 2:3) "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation;

which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was
confirmed unto us by them that heard him;"
(Acts 4:12) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we
must be saved."

(Acts 16:31) "And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved, and thy house."

(Psa 116:12) "What shall I render unto the LORD for all his
benefits toward me?"
What shall I render unto the Lord for all
His benefits toward me?
Thomas Ernest Lowe gave this message to an assembly in Maryland in the 1930’s.

“What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call
upon the name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:12-13

“What shall I render (give) unto the Lord for all his benefits?” In the world they say one good turn
deserves another. If a man does something for you, you are thought little of if you do not return the favor.
If a man helps you, and then he gets in a hard place, you should help him. That looks good in the eyes of
the world, and David writing in the Psalms looks over everything God has done for him.

He sees his throne and his kingdom. He thinks of the victories he has won under God. He brought the
children of Israel into a powerful place. They had more land, soldiers, money, power, they were more of a
nation under the leadership of the shepherd boy than they were under any other king. David, of all the
other kings of Israel, was the closest one to being a real Emperor. His kingdom was a real kingdom and
looking over it all, his mind went back to the time he was called away from keeping the sheep.

You all probably remember how Samuel went down to get a king for God from among the sons of Jesse
the Bethlehemite. God told Samuel, “Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the
Bethlehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.” Samuel went to Bethlehem and said,
“Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called
them to the sacrifice. And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said,
“Surely, the Lord’s anointed is before him.” He was a tall fellow, muscular and fine looking, and Samuel
thought, “This one will make a wonderful king,” but “the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his
countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man
seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” The next son
passed before him, and Samuel said, “Neither has the Lord chosen thee.” The next one was called, but the
same answer, “Neither has the Lord chosen thee,” until all seven sons passed before Samuel. There were
no more, and everyone that had passed, God had rejected, until Samuel might well have wondered
whether or not he had heard God’s voice, and whether the King would really come from among Jesse’s
sons. “And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the
youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep, (he is young and we do not have him present on occasions
like this).”
The things that do not count with man are the things that often count with God. The trouble with the
Christian church is they are taking count of too many things that count with man, but do not count with
God. God has chosen the weak and the foolish in order that they might confound the wise, and the things
which are mighty.

Samuel said, “If you have one more son we will not sit down until that boy comes to the feast.” They sent
for David. The Bible says, “He was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance and goodly to look to.”
He came up to Samuel and God said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” Samuel took the horn of oil and
anointed him and from that day the Spirit of the Lord came upon David, and from that day forward,
everything that happened to Israel was to set that shepherd boy on the throne. God had given His word
and put His hand to the plow, and when He does, He never turns back. He made that boy king. They tried
to kill him and he was hunted for his life. One day he went out to a cave. Men came out to him who owed
money, or who were distressed, or discontented, and David became their captain. They kept coming until
they were a band of about four hundred men. At last Saul died, and David became king and reigned over
Judah for seven and a half years, and then he was made king of all Israel for thirty-three years.

Looking back over it all, David said, “God has done wonderful things for me, now what can I do for
Him?” It seems strange for a man to ask what he can do for God. God who made the sun, moon, stars, and
the ocean, and all the rest of it. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the silver, gold, everything in this
world, yet this man was asking God what he could do for Him.

There is a story told to the children about the lion and the mouse. The lion was going along through the
jungle one day, when suddenly he heard a weak cry, and when he looked, there was a little mouse. The
little mouse said, “Do not tread on me.” “All right,” said the lion, and he stepped aside. The mouse was
very grateful and said, “Some day, I might be able to help you.” The lion laughed and said, “How could
you?” “You do not know,” said the mouse, “Something might happen so that I can help you.” Years
rolled by, and the hunters came looking for wild animals for the circus. They captured the lion and bound
him head and foot so that he could not move. He roared and struggled to get free until the jungle rang
with his roaring. If he could have gotten free, he would have destroyed everyone around him, but he was
bound tightly. Then, he heard a little voice that said, “I will help you,”—and, when he looked, there was
the mouse. It began to gnaw at the rope until at last one of those powerful paws was able to wrench itself
free from the rope, and that was enough. In a very short time he was completely free, and bounded away
into the jungle. Such a little mouse could set the great lion free!

It is the same with us. It is in the power of men and women to move the God of the universe. You here
tonight, are able to make Him happy or sad. Could I make the rich of this world happy or sad? No. If I
would die tonight, they would not care. If we would all go, it would not make any difference to them, but
there isn’t a man, woman, or child here that God doesn’t know. He has known you ever since you came
into this world. He knows everything you do, and everything you ever will do. He knows your trials, your
trouble, the thoughts that go through your mind, even those that you never tell to anyone, not even your
closest friend. He has made for us a way of escape. He has given us that which we need. When you get up
in the morning, you are well and happy. You go to work, and just take everything as a matter of fact. How
little you think of God! How little you think what a blessing it is to have a healthy body! To be able to sit
down and enjoy your meals. How many really thank Him? How many realize the blessing it is to have
teeth to eat with? Get a bad tooth on each side of your mouth, and see if you do not realize then what it
means to have good teeth. You open the window in the morning, and breathe the fresh air. Very few think
of it as coming from God. How many count it a blessing? The beautiful sunlight is given to us by God.
We are given wonderful blessings, wonderful things. Everything good we have comes from God. Every
piece of bread you put in your mouth, every breath of air, every night’s sleep, every drink of water,
everything that makes a man’s heart glad, God gave it. Man thanks the devil for those things, but God
gave it to him. The devil never put enough fresh water here to wash your face. He never gave enough
clothes to cover an infant. Every piece of clothing that is on the children of Hell tonight, was given to
them by God. Every bit of air that keeps them alive to blaspheme His name, was sent by God. Why does
God treat the ungodly so well?

Take two farmers in the country. One loves God and the other does not. The one lives to himself, never
goes to church, does everything he can to break God’s heart, yet when a shower of rain comes down it
falls on this one’s farm the same as on the one who loves God. The sun shines on both, the wheat looks
about the same when it comes up, and that is what many people cannot understand. They say, “That
fellow doesn’t think of God, and God blesses him, so why do I need it?”

There were ten lepers who came to Jesus, and He healed them. They went away. One turned back, and
with a loud voice glorified God, but the other nine kept on going and did not return to give thanks. If God
would get the glory for what He does, His praises would be ringing up and down every street in Baltimore
City, on every farm they would be resounding, every city in the world would be ringing out the praises of
God for the blessings He gives the children of men. But, people cannot understand why He treats the
unjust so well. Why is it? He loves them. It isn’t hard to be kind to those who treat us well, but it is hard
to be kind to those who do not treat us well. God loves men and women so much that the ungodly man
finds rain on his crops too. His children are well. There is money to pay the bills. But, what does he do
with those blessings? Because God blesses him, he often takes it for evidence that there is no God. He
looks up into His face, and says, “I do not believe there is any God. I am as well off as the fellow next
door.” But, he doesn’t measure by the spiritual measure. You might have as much money as the man next
door, your children might go to the same school, but there is something in the heart you know nothing
about. If God has given bread and meat, air and sunshine, water and life, and all the wonderful things, it is
but to lead us to pray so He can give us something more wonderful.

When God begins to reveal to your heart that His Son died for you, and convicts you of sin, God wants to
really bless you. He might have given you health before, clothed you, fed you, but the real evidence of
God’s love to this world was shown when He gave them the Gift that surpassed all other gifts, even Jesus
Christ our Lord. One day with Jesus is worth a thousand years of the temporal blessings of this world
without Him. One meal from the bread of Heaven is worth all the bread of this world. Jesus said, “Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”

You have been wonderfully blessed, and there arises the question, if you are honest, “What must I do?
Surely I have a part. There are two to every bargain. God has done such wonderful things for me, what
shall I do for Him?” What does He want from you? He wants your heart and life—nothing else will
satisfy Him and nothing else, not even the wonderful natural blessings of which I have spoken, will
satisfy you.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. The invitation to men and women
is to look at the thing fairly. To see what God has done for them and what you can do to please Him.
Come and receive His Son’s blood as an atonement for your soul. You have nothing to give that is
worthwhile.

Jesus once went to a Pharisee’s house to eat bread, and while He was talking to them, one of them who
sat at the table with Him said, “Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God.” Then Jesus said,
“A certain man made a great supper and bade many. The day of the feast came around, and when all was
ready, the master said to his servant, “Say to them that were bidden, come for all things are now ready,
but they with one consent began to make excuses. The first said, I have bought a piece of ground and I
must needs go and see it. I pray thee, have me excused, and the next said, I have bought five yoke of
oxen, and I must go prove them, I pray thee have me excused. Another said, I have married a wife, and
therefore I cannot come.” The servant went back to tell the master, and the master was angry because he
had been insulted. Those, who had been bidden, insulted the master by their absurd excuses. When the
first one said, “I am going to see my piece of ground tonight,” it was an insult, an absurd excuse. No one
goes to look at ground at night. When the second said, “I am going to try my oxen tonight,” the servant
knew nobody bought oxen without trying them. The next fellow married a wife, and she would probably
have been glad to have gone.
The master said, “All right, they will not come, but there will be guests at the feast. I am grieved.” He had
everything he could wish for, plenty to eat, clothes, money, land, but he was not beyond the place where
he could be wounded, and he was wounded by the replies he received from the ones he had invited.

He said to the servant, “Go out into the streets, and lanes of the city. I do not care what the people are
like, whether they are black or white, rich or poor, bring them in. Bring in the halt, the maimed, the poor
and the blind. Bring in everybody, I am going to have a feast.” The servant went out, and came back with
the people following him. They were blind ones with their sticks, lame ones with their crutches, beggars
in their rags. A mob was following the servant, and as they smelled the good things that quickened their
pace. The servant said, “I have done as you commanded me, but there is still plenty of room for more.”
The master said, “Go out into the highways and hedges, go up every little lane, behind every hedge, and
every man, woman and child you find, bid to the supper.” The servant went out and found another crowd.
He brought them from off the farms, out of the fields, from the highways and hedges. “Come right along,
just as you are, you have to get there soon or the food will be cold.” They all sat down and had a
wonderful time, eating and drinking. The master said, “None of those men which were bidden shall taste
of my supper.”

“WHAT SHALL I RENDER UNTO THE LORD FOR ALL HIS BENEFITS TOWARD ME?” Now,
that is a personal question. There isn’t a person who cannot remember, leaving general blessings aside,
some particular blessing in his life, and some may remember a half dozen or more. God has blessed you
in many ways, you, who are outside of Christ. Now, what will you do for Him for His wonderful benefits
to you? The only way to make His heart glad is to make your heart glad. The only thing that will make
you joyful is to take the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.

Men and women who are lost without Christ and hope, do not have to be. You came into this world in sin,
you were born in it and shapened in iniquity, but you do not have to go out that way. The invitation has
come to you. Many who have been bidden have refused to come. I ask you, what is your excuse? As the
call comes to you, all things are ready. Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. What is
your excuse? I am afraid your excuse is as foolish as those men’s excuses, and as insulting.

There are excuses and there are reasons. Sometimes the excuse is the same as the reason, but most times
the excuse is a different thing from the reason, but God knows the reason and so do you. You may give
me an excuse. If you are an honest man or woman it will be the same as the reason, but my experience has
been, the excuse is very seldom the reason, and those foolish excuses that were given to the ruler were not
the reasons. That man did not stay away because he wanted to see his land, or the other man to try the
oxen, and the other because he was married. They stayed away because they did not love the one who was
giving the feast, and did not care for his company. You may excuse yourself. Your excuse may be “I can’t
keep it,” or “I will come some other time,” or “I do not feel well tonight,” but your reason is, YOU LOVE
YOUR SIN BETTER THAN YOU LOVE YOUR SOUL.

“What will a man give in exchange for his soul? What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and
lose his soul?”

May there be those here that will make their peace with God before it is too late. Let God have right of
way. Many times I know I have done things that have grieved the heart of God. God is not some great
giant, or a burly man, or a big rough fellow, but He is the most tender, loving, easily grieved person you
could ever imagine. Things that would make no impression upon you or me, hurts God’s heart. Things
that you may think little of, are terrible in the sight of God. There is no man or woman here would go
home and hurt his or her mother, or anybody you loved in the family, or outside of the family, but your
very best loved one doesn’t love you anywhere near the way God loves you. It is a hard man or woman
who can return hate for love. It is a cruel person who makes life difficult for another who loves them
dearly. It takes a harder man or woman still to harden the heart or stiffen the neck and wound God’s
tender heart. I pray you will find Him tonight. As the question comes to you, “What shall I render unto
the Lord?”—may you answer with David, “I WILL TAKE THE CUP OF SALVATION,”—“And CALL
UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD.”

God grant this night might mark your taking the cup of salvation and calling on the name of the Lord. He
has said, “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Amen.
 How to Repay God
 Devotional by John Piper

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of
salvation and call on the name of the Lord, I will pay my vows to the Lord. (Psalm
116:12–14)
The very use of the language “rendering to God for all his benefits to me” makes me
nervous. Payback can so easily imply that grace is like a mortgage. It’s really
generous, but you have to pay it back.

Paul said in Acts 17:25, God is not “served by human hands, as though he needed
anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” In
other words, you can’t give anything to God or do anything for God that he hasn’t
first given to you and done for you.
You see this again in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and
his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of
them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” So none of our work
can ever be a payment to God, because the very work is another gift from God. With
every deed we do for God we go deeper into debt to grace.
So in Psalm 116 what keeps the paying of vows free from the dangers of being treated
like a debt payment is that the “payment” is, in reality, not an ordinary payment, but
another act of receiving which magnifies the ongoing grace of God. It does not
magnify our resourcefulness.
The psalmist’s answer to his own question, “What shall I render to the Lord for all his
benefits?” is, “I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.” In
other words, I call on the Lord to fill the cup. To pay back the Lord means to go on
receiving from the Lord so that the Lord’s inexhaustible goodness will be magnified.
Lifting up the cup of salvation signifies taking the Lord’s satisfying salvation in hand
and drinking it and expecting more. We know this because of the next phrase: “I will .
. . call on the name of the Lord.” I will call for more help. What shall I render to God
for graciously answering my call? Answer: I shall call again. I will render to God the
praise and the tribute that he is never in need of me, but is always overflowing with
benefits when I need him (which I always do).
Then the psalmist says, in the third place, “I will pay my vows to the Lord.” But how
will they be paid? They will be paid by holding up the cup of salvation and by calling
on the Lord. That is, they will be paid by faith in the promise that more grace — all-
sufficient grace — is always on the way.
 WHAT SHALL I GIVE UNTO THE LORD?
Ps. 116:12-19
12 What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? 13 I shall lift
up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I shall pay my
vows to the LORD, Oh {may it be} in the presence of all His people. 15 Precious in
the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones.
16 O LORD, surely I am Thy servant, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid,
Thou hast loosed my bonds. 17 To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and
call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh {may it be} in the presence of all His
people, 19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD! (NAS)

INTRODUCTION
It is very difficult to buy gifts for some people. Either their tastes are particular of they
have most everything in the price range you want to spend.

Could it be the Psalmist had this problem when he asked the question, "What shall I
render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" What can you give to God who
owns all the gold and silver and the cattle on a thousand hills? There is one gift you
and I can give the Lord that He doesn't have until we give it to Him. We can give
ourselves!

This gift of self can be evidenced through a recognition that time, talent and
possessions belong to Him. We use them best and have them longer when we give
them to Him and He blesses our use of them. Follow in your Bible as we notice how
the Psalmist answers the question of verse 12.

I. WHAT SHALL I GIVE UNTO THE LORD? . . I will give myself and
receive His salvation. v. 13.

13 I shall lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

EXPLANATION
Many of you have a Bible with chapter headings. The heading for chapter 116 says
something like "A Psalm of Thanksgiving for deliverance from death." Many believe
that this Psalm Isa. song of praise from King Hezekiah. They relate this chapter with
Isa. 32 & 38. Turn in your Bible to Isa. 38:1-5. You see God added 15 years to
Hezekiah's life; now he gives praise.

The first item of praise has to do with the cup of salvation. However this is
interpreted, it relates to the saving power of the Lord and the individual acceptance of
that offer in the promised Messiah Jesus Christ. It says, "I shall life up" and calls
attention to the responsibility of each individual to receive the offer of salvation.

On your Vow card today, the middle area refers to the stewardship of talent. Whatever
talent you and I have, it ought to be submitted unto the Lord for His use in bringing
others to Christ. You and I need to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ in our
personal life and then to witness to win others.

What shall I give unto the Lord? I shall give myself in receiving His salvation and I
shall give myself in prayer ans concern for the salvation of others. Please list those
who need our prayers that they might be saved.

ILLUSTRATION
Jim Harwood is a Chaplain in the United States Navy. He has preached here on a
Sunday night. Some will recall that through him I was invited to preach a revival
meeting in the First Southern Baptist Church of Pearl Harbor.

Jim was called to preach under my pastorate in Huntington Beach, California. He left
a career in the Navy and went to seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas. While there he
participated regularly in the visitation program of his church.

One night he visited with his pastor and they went to a home of a man who was not a
Christian. The pastor made an attempt to win this man to the Lord, but seemed to be
getting nowhere. The pastor suggested they leave and come back another time. Jim
then asked if he could say a word to this man and proceeded to lead him to
acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

What was the difference in the pastor's presentation and that of the seminary student,
Jim Harwood? Jim began by saying to this man, "You know, I pray for you every day
and I've been doing that for several months." The witness bathed in prayer is always
more effective.

APPLICATION

Do you really want to see somebody saved? Is there really somebody you love who is
lost and on their way to hell? Do you really understand no one goes to heaven because
they are a good person but only because they have humbled themselves and received
Christ? Then pray for them and constantly ask others to pray for them. If you don't
care enough to pray regularly and ask others to pray for them, do you really care? Are
you willing to make a commitment to that? Surely every Christian is!

What shall I give unto the Lord? Myself and a concern for others to be saved; Notice
the second point.

II. WHAT SHALL I GIVE UNTO THE LORD? . . I shall give

myself in service. v. 16

16 O LORD, surely I am Thy servant, I am Thy servant, the son of Thy handmaid,
Thou hast loosed my bonds. 17 To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and
call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh {may it be} in the presence of all His
people, 19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD! (NAS)

EXPLANATION
The Psalmist says, "Surely Lord, I am thy servant." What a great occupation; a servant
of God. To serve God means you must give time to the Lord. We have to be a steward
in the area of the time God gives each of us.

You know the same problem hinders every area of stewardship. Some say, "It's my
time, it's my talent, it's my money," but one who recognizes they owe a gift of self
unto the Lord, recognize all of time, all of talent and all of money really belongs to
Him.

Hezekiah had a gift of 15 years added to his life. God gave it to him. In love and
appreciation he gave it back to the Lord in service. Today, you are being asked to give
your time. You are being asked to make a vow to be faithful in support of the worship
services and outreach ministries. It is a demonstration that you give yourself to God.

ILLUSTRATION
After weary months of defeat and suffering in the Second World War there appeared
the first glimmer of hope that the tide was turning. Winston Churchill said it was the
beginning of the end. But there was a great need for more coal production and the
Prime Minister called a meeting. There were present the miners themselves--not the
executives or the administrators. He told them of the crucial need for more production
and the assurance that somewhere out ahead, there was a victory. And then he came to
his conclusion, which I shall paraphrase. "When our children shall ask us what we did
to give them their good heritage, some will say, "I flew over Dunkirk', and others will
say, 'I marched with the Eighth Army'. But you will say with equal right and with
equal pride, 'I dug coal.'"

APPLICATION

Industry does what is called a "time study." In this they evaluate how much time it
takes for various jobs. It lets them know about time commitments. Suppose someone
did a time study on you, what would it reveal about your commitment? More time for
the things of the Lord than anything else? Or more time for T.V. than Bible study? Or
more time for sports than evangelism? Or more time on beauty care than spirit care?
What does the commitment of time reveal? It should reveal we have given ourselves
to the Lord.

Now notice the third way that Hezekiah demonstrated that he was rendering
something unto the Lord.

III. WHAT SHALL I GIVE UNTO THE LORD?

A sacrifice of Thanksgiving! vs. 17 & 18.

17 To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the
LORD. 18 I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh {may it be} in the presence of all
His people, 19 In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD! (NAS)

EXPLANATION
The Keil-Delitzch Commentary says about this verse, "what is meant is literal thanks-
offerings in payment of vows." It is the response of gratitude and love. Because
Hezekiah loved the Lord and was grateful for the additional gift of years, he wanted to
make some vows.

This making of vows is most properly done in response to God's gifts rather than an
attempt to earn God's gifts. It is best not to say to God, "If you'll do this for me, I'll do
that for you."

It is better to say, "because I love you, and recognize your blessing, I want to make
and pay a vow. I want it to be a sacrifice of thanksgiving. That represents a mature
Christian commitment.
ILLUSTRATION
In a Southern city the people of God were gathered for the mid-week prayer meeting.
It was almost time for the service to be dismissed when one of the doctors in the
community rushed in and said, "Mr. So and So is desperately ill. Five doctors have
given him up. He asked me to come here and beg you to pray that God would spare
him for just one reason, that he might get right with God and serve Him."

The people tarried and prayed for God to spare the life of their neighbor. God heard
their prayers. God raised him up.

My friends, just as quickly as he got well he failed to keep his promise. He went on
living just like he had lived. His attitude toward sin and God was the same. Just a few
weeks later, now fully recovered, so he thought, he started upon a trip to another city
but scarcely had begun that trip when he was suddenly stricken and died without
regaining consciousness.

He started that trip in continued rebellion against God. He ended that trip in Hell.
Proverbs 29:1 tells us, "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall
suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

APPLICATION
Hezekiah's gratitude was expressed positively. You and I have the opportunity in a
multitude of ways to express our gratitude and give unto the Lord because of all His
benefits.

Right now, will you fill out the portion of this card that has to do with possessions?

CONCLUSION

The text repeats a request of the Psalmist. In verse 14 and in verse 18 we have the
same words. Notice them now. He wants all the people to see him make his vow. He
wants to influence his nation toward God. How about you this morning? What are you
willing to do in the presence of these, God's people and in this, "God's House?"