Psalms 118

1 ¹Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 ²Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

3 ³Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

4 ⁴Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

5 ⁵Out of my distress I ⁶called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me ⁷free.

6 ⁸The LORD is on my side; ⁹I will not fear. What can man do to me?

7 ¹⁰The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall ¹¹look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 ¹²It is better to take refuge in the LORD ¹³than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD ¹⁴than to trust in princes.

10 ¹⁵All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

12 ¹⁶They surrounded me like bees; they went out like ¹⁷a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

13 I was ¹⁸pushed hard,^[a] so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song; ¹⁹he has become my salvation.

15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: ²⁰"The right hand of the LORD ²¹does valiantly,

16 the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD ²²does valiantly!"

17 ²³I shall not die, but I shall live, and ²⁴recount the deeds of the LORD.

18 The LORD has ²⁵disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

19 ²⁶Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD; ²⁷the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that ²⁸you have answered me ²⁹and have become my salvation.

22 ³⁰The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.^[b]

23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!

26 ³¹Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We ³²bless you from the house of the LORD.

27 The LORD is God, and he has made ³³his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to ³⁴the horns of the altar!

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will ³⁵extol you.

29 ³⁶Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalms 118 Commentary

Chapter 118

It is good to trust in the Lord. (1-18) The coming of Christ in his kingdom. (19-29)

Verses 1-18 The account the psalmist here gives of his troubles is very applicable to Christ: many hated him without a cause; nay, the Lord himself chastened him sorely, bruised him, and put him to grief, that by his stripes we might be healed. God is sometimes the strength of his people, when he is not their song; they have spiritual supports, though they want spiritual delights. Whether the believer traces back his comfort to the everlasting goodness and mercy of God, or whether he looks forward to the blessing secured to him, he will find abundant cause for joy and praise. Every answer to our prayers is an evidence that the Lord is on our side; and then we need not fear what man can do unto us; we should conscientiously do our duty to all, and trust in him alone to accept and bless us. Let us seek to live to declare the works of God, and to encourage others to serve him and trust in him. Such were the triumphs of the Son of David, in the assurance that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand.

Verses 19-29 Those who saw Christ's day at so great a distance, saw cause to praise God for the prospect. The prophecy, ver. ( psalms 118:22-23 ) Christ. 1. His humiliation; he is the Stone which the builders refused: they would go on in their building without him. This proved the ruin of those who thus made light of him. Rejecters of Christ are rejected of God. 2. His exaltation; he is the chief Cornerstone in the foundation. He is the chief Top-stone, in whom the building is completed, who must, in all things, have the pre-eminence. Christ's name is Wonderful; and the redemption he wrought out is the most amazing of all God's wondrous works. We will rejoice and be glad in the Lord's day; not only that such a day is appointed, but in the occasion of it, Christ's becoming the Head. Sabbath days ought to be rejoicing days, then they are to us as the days of heaven. Let this Saviour be my Saviour, my Ruler. Let my soul prosper and be in health, in that peace and righteousness which his government brings. Let me have victory over the lusts that war against my soul; and let Divine grace subdue my heart. The duty which the Lord has made, brings light with it, true light. The duty this privilege calls for, is here set forth; the sacrifices we are to offer to God in gratitude for redeeming love, are ourselves; not to be slain upon the altar, but living sacrifices, to be bound to the altar; spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, in which our hearts must be engaged. The psalmist praises God, and calls upon all about him to give thanks to God for the glad tidings of great joy to all people, that there is a Redeemer, even Christ the Lord. In him the covenant of grace is made sure and everlasting.

Cross References

• 1. ver. 29; See Psalms 100:5
• 2. [Ps. 115:9, 10, 11]
• 3. [See ver. 2 above]
• 4. [See ver. 2 above]
• 5. [Jonah 2:1]
• 6. [Psalms 116:4]
• 7. See Psalms 18:19
• 8. Psalms 56:9; Cited Hebrews 13:6
• 9. See Psalms 23:4; Psalms 56:4, 11
• 10. Psalms 54:4
• 11. See Psalms 54:7
• 12. [Psalms 40:4; Psalms 62:8]
• 13. Psalms 146:3
• 14. [See ver. 8 above]
• 15. [Psalms 88:17]
• 16. Deuteronomy 1:44
• 17. [Psalms 58:9]
• 18. [Psalms 140:4]
• 19. See Psalms 27:1
• 20. Exodus 15:6; Luke 1:51
• 21. Psalms 60:12
• 22. [See ver. 15 above]
• 23. [Habakkuk 1:12]
• 24. Psalms 73:28; Psalms 107:22; [Psalms 6:5]
• 25. [Jeremiah 30:11; 2 Corinthians 6:9]
• 26. Isaiah 26:2; [Psalms 24:7, 9]
• 27. Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:14; [Isaiah 35:8]
• 28. Psalms 116:1
• 29. [See ver. 14 above]
• 30. Cited Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17; [Isaiah 28:16]; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:4-7
• 31. Matthew 21:9; Matthew 23:39; Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35; Luke 19:38
• 32. Psalms 129:8
• 33. Psalms 18:28; Psalms 97:11; [Esther 8:16; 1 Peter 2:9]
• 34. See Exodus 27:2
• 35. See Psalms 99:5
• 36. ver. 1

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard
• [b]. Hebrew the head of the corner

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 118

Kimchi says their Rabbins are divided about this psalm. Some understand it of David; others of the Messiah: but, with us Christians, there ought to be no doubt of its belonging to the Messiah; since our Lord has quoted a passage out of it, and applied it to himself, Ps 118:22,23; see Mt 21:42; and so has the Apostle Peter, Ac 4:11. Nor did the Jews of those times object thereunto, which doubtless they would have done, had the psalm respected any other but the Messiah; yea, the common people that attended Christ when he entered into Jerusalem, and the children in the temple, took their "hosanna" from hence, Ps 118:26; see Mt 21:9,15. It is generally thought to be written by David, after he was established in the kingdom, and had brought the ark of the Lord into the city. It concludes the great "Hallel", or hymn sung at the Jewish festivals; particularly at the feasts of tabernacle and the passover.