What does it mean that “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15)?

Answer

The essence of Psalm 116—a hymn of gratitude—is a profoundly personal love narrative stemming from deliverance. The psalmist has recognized how deeply God looks after him, particularly in matters of life and death: “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints,” as stated in Psalm 116:15 (ESV). The New Living Translation conveys the message more naturally to contemporary readers: “The LORD cares deeply when his loved ones die.”

When taken out of context, one might question whether “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” suggests that God takes pleasure or derives satisfaction when His followers pass away. However, when we consider the psalmist’s recent and narrow escape from death, the true meaning of the phrase becomes clear.

The writer of Psalm 116 recounts a close brush with death: “Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow” «The sorrows of death compassed me, And the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. », (Psalm 116:3, NLT). Yet, when the psalmist cries out to the Lord for assistance, God answers his plea: “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling” «For thou hast delivered my soul from death, Mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. », (Psalm 116:8, NLT). In gratitude for the Lord’s kindness, the psalmist pledges to extol God for His compassionate care and commits to serving Him faithfully.

The term translated as “precious” signifies “of high worth, value, or cost.” In the original Hebrew, the word translated as “saints” denotes the Lord’s devoted followers—those who actively love and serve God and dedicate themselves to a covenantal relationship with Him. Therefore, the declaration “precious in the sight of the Lord is the”Lord is the death of His saints” reveals that God is not indifferent about how and when His faithful servants die. “How painful it is to the Lord,” says Today’s English Version.

Just as our “lives are precious to him” «He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: And precious shall their blood be in his sight. », (Psalm 72:14, NIV), so is the ending of our lives. God does not regard the death of one of His beloved children lightly. If it is not our appointed time to die, the Lord will hasten to protect us. “Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign LORD rescues us from death,” says Psalm 68:20 (NLT). The moment and circumstances of our death will not take God by surprise. Scripture says, “All my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began” «Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; And in thy book all my members were written, Which in continuance were fashioned, When as yet there was none of them. », (Psalm 139:16, HCSB). The Lord knows how, when, and where we will die. He cares deeply about every circumstance we face, and particularly the crucial moment of our death.

God watches fiercely over His servants, says Isaiah 54:17: “‘No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,’ declares the LORD.” Through Zechariah, God affirms, “Anyone who harms you harms my most precious possession” «For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. », (Zechariah 2:8, NLT). Like the apostle Paul, we can be confident that God will keep us alive until our last breath.Work for Him is completed (Philippians 1:22-25). We can trust, as Jesus did, that no one will lay a hand on us until our time has come (John 7:30; John 8:20).

When the psalmist was struggling for his life in the “snares of death,” his prayer captured God’s attention. His life-and-death situation was precious in the eyes of the Lord. When we face life-threatening situations, we can be assured that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil” (1 Peter 3:12). We can have confidence that God will defend us, “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). Our lives and deaths are matters of profound importance to God.