The Meaning of Psalms 116:5 Explained

Psalms 116:5

KJV: Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.

YLT: Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous, Yea, our God is merciful,

Darby: Gracious is Jehovah and righteous; and our God is merciful.

ASV: Gracious is Jehovah, and righteous; Yea, our God is merciful.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Gracious  [is] the LORD,  and righteous;  yea, our God  [is] merciful. 

What does Psalms 116:5 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 116:5 mean?

Gracious [is] Yahweh and righteous and Yes our God [is] merciful
חַנּ֣וּן יְהֹוָ֣ה וְצַדִּ֑יק וֵ֖אלֹהֵ֣ינוּ מְרַחֵֽם

חַנּ֣וּן  Gracious  [is] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַנּוּן  
Sense: gracious.
יְהֹוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְצַדִּ֑יק  and  righteous 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.
וֵ֖אלֹהֵ֣ינוּ  and  Yes  our  God  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מְרַחֵֽם  merciful 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: רָחַם  
Sense: to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.