#321 - Kyle Thompson // From Death to Life: I Love the LORD - The Daily Blade: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: The Daily Blade

Episode #321 – Kyle Thompson // From Death to Life: I Love the LORD
Hosts: Joby Martin & Kyle Thompson
Release Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Blade is a devotional reflection dedicated by Kyle Thompson to his late uncle Kevin, recently passed. The focus is on Psalm 116—particularly the first nine verses—which Kyle read to his uncle in his final moments. The central theme is how God meets people in sorrow and distress, offering deliverance and a reason for thanksgiving even in the deepest valleys of life.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Context and Psalm Explanation

Kyle Thompson opens by sharing the personal story behind this episode: reading Psalms 23 and 116 to his uncle in the hospital as he approached death.
He highlights why Psalm 116 was chosen following Psalm 23—as a declaration of faith and gratitude after loss.
- Quote [00:20]:
  
  "After I finished reading Psalm 23 to him, I then read Psalm 116. So I chose Psalm 116 because it seemed like the right Psalm to share after someone passes away."

2. Reading and Breakdown of Psalm 116:1–9

Kyle reads verses 1–9 from Psalm 116 aloud, emphasizing the sentimental and devotional tone.
He identifies the Psalm as a clear psalm of thanksgiving, rooted in love for the Lord for hearing pleas and offering rescue.
- Quote [00:57]:
  
  "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."

3. The Reality of Suffering and Despair

Various Bible translations (KJV, CSB) are referenced to deepen understanding of the text’s emotional intensity.
- Quote [01:42]:
  
  "This is sorrow brought on by incredible danger… this does not sound at all like a casual stroll through the valley of the shadow of death."
He connects the Psalmist’s distress to the lived experience of listeners who have felt “deep anguish.”

4. God’s Response in Our Lowest Moments

The discussion emphasizes that deliverance comes not from self-sufficiency or intellect (“when I figured it all out intellectually”), but in moments of utmost humility and need.
- Quote [02:21]:
  
  “Gracious is the Lord and righteous. Our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple. When I was brought low, he saved me.”
Kyle reinforces a key lesson from earlier episodes on Psalm 23:
- Quote [02:56]:
  
  "The point of the Psalm is not that God delivers us from the valley, but that he is in the valley with us."
He urges listeners to see difficult circumstances as opportunities for God’s presence and glory, not just problems to escape.

5. Encouragement to Faith and Assurance of Deliverance

The episode closes with Kyle’s affirmation that putting faith in God allows believers to echo the assurances of Psalm 116:
- Quote [03:37]:
  
  “For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Amen.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On sincere thanksgiving:
- "From the very first words of this psalm, we can tell that this is a psalm of thanksgiving. Again, verse one: I love the Lord." — Kyle Thompson, [00:34]
On the authenticity of suffering:
- "This does not sound at all like a casual stroll through the valley of the shadow of death." — Kyle Thompson, [01:46]
On God’s presence amid hardships:
- "He intends to use those circumstances to bring you low, to show you his glory, to give you a chance to put your faith in him and ultimately so he can save you." — Kyle Thompson, [03:09]

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:20 – 01:15 | Personal tribute and why Psalm 116 was chosen
01:15 – 01:57 | Reading Psalm 116:1–9 and identifying as a psalm of thanksgiving
01:57 – 02:32 | Deepening the experience of distress: translation comparisons and personal reflection
02:32 – 03:10 | Emphasizing God’s saving grace in our lowest moments
03:10 – 03:55 | Assurance of deliverance and walking before the Lord

Tone & Language

Kyle's tone is pastoral, compassionate, and deeply personal. He speaks tenderly about suffering, faith, and hope in the face of death, offering comfort and encouragement to Christian men walking through pain.

This episode serves as both a tribute to a loved one and a devotional encouragement, drawing from the raw reality of grief and directing listeners to genuine, scripturally-rooted faith and assurance.

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Transcript3 lines

[00:01]
A
Welcome to the Daily Blade. The word of God is described as the sword of the Spirit, the primary spiritual weapon in the Christian's armor against the forces of evil. Your hosts are Joby Martin and Kyle Thompson, and they stand ready to equip men for the fight. Let's sharpen up.
[00:20]
B
All right. Good to have you guys back today. This week, I dedicated these episodes to the memory of my late uncle Kevin. He passed away recently, but right before he did, I was able to be with him at the hospital by his bed, where I read a couple of Psalms to him and then told him what he meant to me. And for the last two days, we've dug into the first psalm that I read to him, which is Psalm 23. I picked that psalm because it seemed appropriate for someone that was in the process of leaving this world. But after I finished reading Psalm 23 to him, I then read Psalm 116. So I chose Psalm 116 because it seemed like the right Psalm to share after someone passes away. And when I was reading this to him, it was clear to just about everyone that it would not be long before that happened. I'll read the first nine verses of Psalm 116 now, and then we'll hit the rest of it tomorrow. So the exact author and date in the writing for the psalm isn't known, but the English Standard Version names the psalm. I love the Lord. 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. The snares of death encompassed me. The pangs of Sheol laid hold on me. I suffered distress and anguish. Then I called on the name of the Lord. O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple. When I was brought low, he saved me. Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. For you have delivered my soul from death, from my my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Now, from the very first words of this psalm, we can tell that this is a psalm of thanksgiving. Again, verse one. I love the Lord. And then we see the author elucidate the reason why he loves the Lord and what the Lord does for him. And the reason for the thanksgiving becomes pretty clear early on, because verse three says this. The snares of death encompassed me. The pangs of Sheol laid hold on me. I suffered distress and anguish. So the King James Version actually says it this way. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me. I found trouble and sorrow. And the Christian Standard Version Bible reads this in verse three the ropes of death were wrapped around me, and the torments of Sheol overcame me. I encountered trouble and sorrow. I mean, this is sorrow brought on by incredible danger. Sounds like this does not sound at all like a casual stroll through the valley of the shadow of death. Right? So the writer is expressing deep anguish, like many of you listening today have felt at one time or another. But the writer does not simply lament his circumstances circumstances and remain stagnant. So verse 4 then I called on the name of the Lord. Oh Lord, I pray, deliver my soul. And our God is gracious to save. Right? Verses 5 and 6 again, gracious is the Lord and righteous. Our God is merciful. The Lord preserves the simple. When I was brought low, he saved me. And when I figured it all out intellectually, that's when all that happens, right? Like that's what needs to happen with all of us. We just need to figure it all out with our brains. No, we see from the text we were simple. And does this happen when we, you know, we're experiencing times of joy and plenty? No, the text says when I was brought low. Again, remember what I said when we were discussing Psalm 23? The point of the Psalm is not that God delivers us from the valley, but that he is in the valley with us. Right? And God is not just teleporting you away from your difficult circumstances because he intends to use those circumstances to bring you low, to show you his glory, to give you a chance to put your faith in him and ultimately so he can save you. And if you put your faith in him, you too will be able to say verse 8 and 9 for you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Amen.
[04:05]
A
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Before you go, if you want to help, equip other men for the fight, Share this podcast around and leave us a five star rating and review. Stay sharp.