Psalms 118:19-29

19 ¹Open 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; ²the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that ³you have answered me ⁴and have become my salvation.

22 ⁵The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. ^[a]

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 ⁶Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We ⁷bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 The Lord is God, and he has made ⁸his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to ⁹the horns of the altar!

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will ¹⁰extol you.

29 ¹¹Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalms 118:19-29 Meaning and Commentary

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.

Cross References

• 1. 118:19 Isa. 26:2; [Ps. 24:7, 9]
• 2. 118:20 Rev. 21:27; 22:14; [Isa. 35:8]
• 3. 118:21 Ps. 116:1
• 4. 118:21 [See ver. 14 above]
• 5. 118:22 Cited Matt. 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17; [Isa. 28:16]; Acts 4:11; Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:4-7
• 6. 118:26 Matt. 21:9; 23:39; Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35; 19:38
• 7. 118:26 Ps. 129:8
• 8. 118:27 Ps. 18:28; 97:11; [Esth. 8:16; 1 Pet. 2:9]
• 9. 118:27 See Ex. 27:2
• 10. 118:28 See Ps. 99:5
• 11. 118:29 ver. 1

Footnotes

• [a] 118:22 Hebrew 'the head of the corner'