Psalms 116:16

116:16 Yes, Lord! I am indeed your servant;

I am your lowest slave. ¹ 

You saved me from death. ² 

¹ tn Heb “I am your servant, the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 86:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The use of the expression here certainly does not imply that the Lord has such a secondary wife or concubine! It is used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant.

² tn Heb “you have loosed my bonds.” In this context the imagery refers to deliverance from death (see v. 3).