WHAT SHALL I RENDER?
“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. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” Psalm 116: 12-14
Many of us have struggled with the same question. “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” How are we to respond to God for the many blessings He has provided us?
We know we could never repay Him for His graciousness in our lives, but God’s goodness calls for a response. It is good for us to reflect on how wonderfully blessed we are. The psalmist reminds us that God is the source of blessings. So many in our world fail to recognize where our many benefits originate. The Lord is the giver of every good gift. The air that we breathe is a gift from God. He gives us strength and health. We owe our ability to work or earn a living to Him. Our family and friends are the results of His goodness. Above all, we owe our eternal salvation entirely to God. It is only because of God’s grace that we know the meaning of salvation. God paid the complete price for our redemption in the sacrifice of His Son. Jesus went to the cross and suffered in our place because of His great love for us. God recorded the truth about our hopeless condition and His sufficient supply in the Word of God, and then had some faithful servant deliver the message to us. The Holy Spirit brought conviction to our hearts and drew us to God, then birthed us into God’s forever family. We have an inheritance in Heaven waiting for us.
We also have the promise that we will one day be able to see our Savior, as well as those who have gone before us. How could we ever thank God enough for His benefits toward us? WHAT SHALL I RENDER?
The last verse of our text says, “I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.” Though we could never repay God for His blessings, the psalmist offers a suggestion for a reasonable response to God’s goodness. He said, “I will pay my vows.” In other words, I will make good all the promises or commitments I have made to God in the past. I will publicly testify to the goodness and grace of God in my life. I will demonstrate my gratitude by honoring Christ with a life of thanksgiving and praise. Our gratefulness can be seen in the way we live our lives.