Pray this Psalm after receiving Holy Communion

Psalm 116 can become a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving after receiving Holy Communion at Mass, giving thanks to God for his love and mercy.

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The Church has a large treasury of prayers that can be prayed after Holy Communion, including prayers that were written by saints or even passages from the Bible.

One passage from the Bible that has been recommended by some is Psalm 116.

Fr. Pius Parsch explains in his book, The Breviary Explained, that “Psalm 115[116] is a beautiful prayer of thanksgiving which we often use as a prayer after Holy Communion.”

Many of the Psalms make great prayers, as they were originally written from the heart, expressing the emotional anguish of the composer.

This particular Psalm is one that recognizes the great goodness of God and how he has rescued us from danger.

Psalm 116

I love the Lord, who listened
    to my voice in supplication,
Who turned an ear to me
    on the day I called.
I was caught by the cords of death;
    the snares of Sheol had seized me;
    I felt agony and dread.
Then I called on the name of the Lord,
    “O Lord, save my life!”

Gracious is the Lord and righteous;
    yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord protects the simple;
    I was helpless, but he saved me.
Return, my soul, to your rest;
    the Lord has been very good to you.
For my soul has been freed from death,
    my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I shall walk before the Lord
    in the land of the living.

I kept faith, even when I said,
    “I am greatly afflicted!”
I said in my alarm,
    “All men are liars!”
How can I repay the Lord
    for all the great good done for me?
I will raise the cup of salvation
    and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people.
Dear in the eyes of the Lord
    is the death of his devoted.
Lord, I am your servant,
    your servant, the child of your maidservant;
    you have loosed my bonds.
I will offer a sacrifice of praise
    and call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord
    in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the Lord,
    in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Hallelujah!