Precious in the Sight of the Lord

Mike Johnson

Psalm 116:15 says, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” 

We think of death in many different ways. The death of a loved one is one of the greatest agonies a person can face in his/her life. Typically, we think of death in terms of heartache, tears, sorrow, and pain. Strangely, the departure of a saint is regarded as “precious” in the sight of the Lord. How can this be?

Consider the following situation. A person makes the critical decision to become a Christian entering into a unique relationship with God. He, as a Christian, also faces many struggles and temptations in life. During this time, he communicates with God through prayer, and stays steady and sure in his love, devotion, and faithfulness to God. Finally, he passes away, leaving this life for the eternal world.

 How is his death precious in the eyes of the Lord? This verse is looking at death more from the perspective of God. We speak of death as a departure, and from an earthly standpoint, it is. But God looks at the departure of one of His saints more as an arrival. God rejoices when the faithful Christian, i.e., the saint, comes home to Him. Those who die in Christ are “going home to God,” which is “far better” (Phil. 1:23) than life here on this earth. The death of a faithful child of God is truly precious in God’s eyes.