Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures

118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures! 118:2 Let Israel say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!” 118:3 Let the family of Aaron say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!” 118:4 Let the loyal followers of the Lord say, “Yes, his loyal love endures!” 118:5 In my distress I cried out to the Lord. The Lord answered me and put me in a wide open place. 118:6 The Lord is on my side, I am not afraid! What can people do to me? 118:7 The Lord is on my side as my helper. I look in triumph on those who hate me. 118:8 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in people. 118:9 It is better to take shelter in the Lord than to trust in princes. 118:10 All the nations surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away. 118:11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away. 118:12 They surrounded me like bees. But they disappeared as quickly as a fire among thorns. Indeed, in the name of the Lord I pushed them away. 118:13 “You aggressively attacked me and tried to knock me down, but the Lord helped me. 118:14 The Lord gives me strength and protects me; he has become my deliverer.” 118:15 They celebrate deliverance in the tents of the godly. The Lord’s right hand conquers, 118:16 the Lord’s right hand gives victory, the Lord’s right hand conquers. 118:17 I will not die, but live, and I will proclaim what the Lord has done. 118:18 The Lord severely punished me, but he did not hand me over to death. 118:19 Open for me the gates of the just king’s temple! I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. 118:20 This is the Lord’s gate – the godly enter through it. 118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me, and have become my deliverer. 118:22 The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone. 118:23 This is the Lord’s work. We consider it amazing! 118:24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. We will be happy and rejoice in it. 118:25 Please Lord, deliver! Please Lord, grant us success! 118:26 May the one who comes in the name of the Lord be blessed! We will pronounce blessings on you in the Lord’s temple. 118:27 The Lord is God and he has delivered us. Tie the offering with ropes to the horns of the altar! 118:28 You are my God and I will give you thanks! You are my God and I will praise you! 118:29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and his loyal love endures! Psalm 119 א (Alef)

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Psalm 118 begins and ends with praise. It thanks the Lord because his loyal love lasts forever. The psalm tells how the Lord answered in distress, gave help against enemies, and brought his people to public thanksgiving at the temple.

Psalm 118 is a song of thanksgiving. It calls Israel, the house of Aaron, and all who fear the Lord to praise him because his loyal love endures forever. The singer testifies that in distress he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord answered by bringing him into a safe and spacious place.

The psalm teaches that the Lord is better refuge than people or princes. Human help is limited, but the Lord gives courage, help, and victory. Even when enemies surrounded the singer, the Lord delivered him. The repeated praise makes clear that the victory came from the Lord, not from human strength.

The psalm then moves toward worship at the temple. The one who was rescued comes to give thanks before God. The gates of righteousness are opened, and the worshiper enters with thanksgiving and sacrifice. The psalm ends where it began: with praise to the Lord who is good and whose loyal love endures forever.

• The Lord’s loyal love endures forever.
• It is better to trust the Lord than to trust people or princes.
• The Lord hears distress and gives help.
• Deliverance should lead to thanksgiving and worship.
• God can reverse rejection and give victory.
• The psalm includes temple, altar, and sacrifice language, showing public worship.
• Later Scripture applies the rejected stone and the blessing of the one who comes in the name of the Lord to Christ, but the psalm first speaks as Israel’s thanksgiving song.

• Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good.
• Call on the Lord in distress.
• Do not place final trust in people or princes.
• Rejoice in the Lord’s deliverance.
• Bring thanksgiving to God after rescue.
• Do not flatten this psalm into a promise that every believer will get immediate rescue from every danger.

Psalm 118 belongs to Israel’s worship life under the covenant. It shows the Lord rescuing his people, receiving their thanks, and ruling over their public worship. Its rejected-stone theme also points forward in the Bible to God’s habit of vindicating what people reject, a theme later applied to the Messiah.

When you are in trouble, cry out to the Lord. Do not treat human power as your safest refuge. When God helps you, thank him openly. Let rescue lead you to worship, obedience, and trust in his enduring love.

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