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When Was the Last Time You Said ‘I Love You’?

A recent survey found that the longer couples stay together, the less frequently they say, “I love you.” While 50% of couples in the early years of marriage express love daily, only 33% of those married over a decade do so, and for couples married 50 years or more, the number drops to just 18%.

But why does it matter?

Even if we assume our spouse, children, parents, or close friends know we love them, expressing it still has a powerful effect. It reassures them of their value, strengthens relationships, and fosters deeper connection.

If spoken love is vital in our human relationships, how much more important is it in our relationship with God? Have we allowed our expressions of love for Him to fade over time?

Psalm 116 opens with four simple but profound words:

“I love the Lord.”

This declaration is worship in its purest form. No elaborate words are needed—just a sincere heart that acknowledges who God is and what He has done. But the psalmist doesn’t stop there; he tells us why he loves the Lord and how he expresses that love.

Let’s explore these truths together.

Why Do We Love the Lord?

1 John 4:19 reminds us, “We love Him because He first loved us.” Our love for God is always a response to His love for us. The psalmist in Psalm 116 gives us three powerful reasons why we can love the Lord.

1. God Listens

"I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live." (Psalm 116:1-2, ESV)

God hears us. He is never too busy, distracted, or indifferent.

When we pray, we are not speaking into the void. We are calling on a God who listens with love, who bends down to hear our cries, and who responds with wisdom and care.

How do we know God loves us? Because He listens to His children. He welcomes us into His presence. He invites us to cast our burdens on Him (1 Peter 5:7) and promises that He is near to all who call on Him in truth (Psalm 145:18).

When you have felt alone and cried out to God—only to experience His peace, His guidance, or His presence—that is His love at work.

When you have poured out your heart in desperation and later seen His hand in your situation, that is a reminder of His faithfulness.

We can trust and love God because He is faithful to hear and answer, even when we don’t always understand His timing.

 

2. God Lifts

"Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I implore You, deliver my soul!’ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me." (Psalm 116:4-6, NKJV)

Have you ever been brought low?

Low in your spirit?
Low in your strength?
Low in your faith?

The psalmist had. But when he cried out, God lifted him.

Why can we trust that God loves us? Because He is the God who lifts the broken. He does not leave us in despair. He does not abandon us to figure things out on our own. Instead, He meets us in our weakness with His strength.

When you have felt the weight of discouragement but found renewed hope, that is His love lifting you.

When you have struggled with doubt but sensed His presence reminding you of His promises, that is His love lifting you.

When you look back and see how He brought you through what you thought you wouldn’t survive, that is His love lifting you.

We love God because we have experienced His faithfulness in the valleys of life.

 

3. God Liberates

"For You have delivered my soul from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from falling." (Psalm 116:8, NKJV)

God’s love is not just comforting—it’s freeing.

The greatest evidence of God’s love is that He has rescued us—not only from temporary troubles but from sin and death itself. Through Jesus, we are given new life, eternal hope, and freedom from the chains that once bound us.

How do we know God loves us? Because He has already provided the greatest rescue we will ever need.

When you experience His forgiveness and the weight of guilt is lifted, that is His love.

When sorrow turns into joy, and you realize He has carried you through your darkest nights, that is His love.

When He gives you the strength to stand firm in faith despite hardship, that is His love.

We love God because He first loved us—by listening, by lifting, and by liberating. His faithfulness in these moments proves that His love is real, constant, and unchanging.

 

How Do We Express Our Love for the Lord?

Loving God isn’t just something we feel—it’s something we do. The second half of Psalm 116 shows us four ways we can actively express our love for Him.

1. Walk in His Presence

"I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living." (Psalm 116:9, NKJV)

To walk before the Lord means to live with an awareness of His presence in our daily lives.

How does your love for God shape your daily choices? The shows you watch, the words you say, the attitudes you hold—all reflect whether you are walking before Him.

Practical Steps:

  • Invite God into your daily routine. Pray before starting work, reading Scripture at lunch, or worshiping in the car.
  • Live with integrity. Honor God in the way you treat people—even when no one is watching.
  • Ask: “Would this please God?” Let that question guide your decisions.

2. Call on His Name

"I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord." (Psalm 116:13, NKJV)

When we love someone, we communicate with them. Prayer is not just a last resort—it’s a lifestyle.

Practical Steps:

  • Make prayer a habit. Set aside time each day to pray and talk to God.
  • Pray throughout the day. Whisper prayers in the car, at work, or before a conversation.
  • Pray with others. Join a prayer group or pray with your family.

3. Keep Your Commitments to God

"I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people." (Psalm 116:14, NKJV)

Love is more than words—it requires follow-through.

Practical Steps:

  • Follow through on what you’ve promised God. If you’ve committed to serve, give, or obey, be faithful.
  • Commit to spiritual growth. Keep seeking Him in prayer, study, and obedience.
  • Be accountable. Share your commitments with a trusted friend who can encourage you.

4. Offer the Sacrifice of Praise

"I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving." (Psalm 116:17, NKJV)

Praise is more than singing—it’s surrender. It’s choosing gratitude even in hardship.

Practical Steps:

  • Worship in every season. Whether life is easy or hard, choose to thank God.
  • Praise God in private, not just in public. Make worship a personal habit, not just a Sunday routine.
  • Live a life of gratitude. Find small ways to thank God throughout your day.

Conclusion: Say It Again

Love isn’t meant to go unspoken. Just as we need to express love in our human relationships, we need to express love to God.

Maybe today, it’s time to say it again:  “I love You, Lord.”

Whisper it in prayer.
Sing it in worship.
Show it in obedience.

Let’s not let our love grow silent. Let’s boldly declare and demonstrate our love for the Lord—just as the psalmist did.