Psalms 118:1-18

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.

Read Chapter Compare

Images for Psalms 118:1-18

Psalms 118:1-18 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.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 25

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]

Footnotes 1

[a]. Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.