What Does Psalm 116:14 Mean in the King James?

I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

Psalm 116:14 · KJV

The analysis reads the King James wording.

King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.

THE KEY

In Hebrew, “pay” is ⁨אֲשַׁלֵּם⁩ (ashallem, “I will pay, make complete”), from ⁨שׁלם⁩ (shalam, “be whole”), the seed of ⁨שָׁלוֹם⁩ (shalom, “wholeness”): the vow is carried to completion in full view of the people.

THE MEANING

A promise made to the LORD reaches its completion when it is carried out, with the community able to witness it. Devotion includes follow-through; the vow is not left as private intention.

WHAT THIS UNDOES

This undoes the belief that saying a promise is enough: here, the vow remains unfinished until the promised act is carried through.

THE ROOT

אֲשַׁלֵּם

ashallem

GROWS FROM

שׁלם

To be whole or complete; in this verb form, to make good or repay.

“pay” in this verse is ashallem. The verb shares its root with ⁨שָׁלוֹם⁩ (shalom, “wholeness”), holding repayment and completion together. The vow is not merely spoken; it is brought to its promised end before the people.

ALSO GROWS

shalom: Wholeness, well-being

שָׁלוֹם

The same root connects fulfilling a vow with wholeness.

shalem: Whole, complete

שָׁלֵם

It makes clear that “pay” can carry the sense of bringing something to completion.

shillem: To pay, repay, make good

שִׁלֵּם

This verb form shows how the root’s sense of completion becomes the concrete act of repayment.

THE PATTERN

A vow reaches completion when pledged words are carried through before God.

When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not slack to pay it: for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it would be sin in thee.

Deuteronomy 23:21 · KJVThis verse treats delay in paying a vow as leaving the promise unfulfilled before the LORD.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 · KJVIt joins a spoken vow to its completion in action.

Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:

Matthew 5:33 · KJVIt carries the same pattern into the call to perform what has been sworn to the Lord.

THE THREAD

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:

Psalm 50:14 · KJV

This verse uses the same Hebrew root ⁨שׁלם⁩ (shalam, “be whole; make good”) for “pay,” alongside the same word for “vows.” Pairing that fulfillment with thanksgiving shows the vow becoming a completed response to God.

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