1 Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, For his loving kindness endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say That his loving kindness endures forever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say That his loving kindness endures forever.
4 Now let those who fear Yahweh say That his loving kindness endures forever.
5 Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.
6 Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
7 Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, Than to put confidence in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me, But in the name of Yahweh, I cut them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh I indeed cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In the name of Yahweh I cut them off.
13 You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, But Yahweh helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. "The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.
16 The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!"
17 I will not die, but live, And declare Yah's works.
18 Yah has punished me severely, But he has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.
20 This is the gate of Yahweh; The righteous will enter into it.
21 I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, And have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23 This is Yahweh's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
25 Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh; Yahweh, we beg you, now send prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh.
27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.
29 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, For his loving kindness endures forever.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 118
Commentary on Psalms 118 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 118
Ps 118:1-29. After invoking others to unite in praise, the writer celebrates God's protecting and delivering care towards him, and then represents himself and the people of God as entering the sanctuary and uniting in solemn praise, with prayer for a continued blessing. Whether composed by David on his accession to power, or by some later writer in memory of the restoration from Babylon, its tone is joyful and trusting, and, in describing the fortune and destiny of the Jewish Church and its visible head, it is typically prophetical of the Christian Church and her greater and invisible Head.
1-4. The trine repetitions are emphatic (compare Ps 118:10-12, 15, 16; 115:12, 13).
Let … say—Oh! that Israel may say.
now—as in Ps 115:2; so in Ps 118:3, 4. After "now say" supply "give thanks."
that his mercy—or, "for His mercy."
5. distress—literally, "straits," to which "large place" corresponds, as in Ps 4:1; 31:8.
6, 7. Men are helpless to hurt him, if God be with him (Ps 56:9), and, if enemies, they will be vanquished (Ps 54:7).
8, 9. Even the most powerful men are less to be trusted than God.
10-12. Though as numerous and irritating as bees [Ps 118:12], by God's help his enemies would be destroyed.
12. as the fire of thorns—suddenly.
in the name, &c.—by the power (Ps 20:5; 124:8).
13-16. The enemy is triumphantly addressed as if present.
15. rejoicing and salvation—the latter as cause of the former.
16. right hand … is exalted—His power greatly exerted.
17, 18. He would live, because confident his life would be for God's glory.
19-21. Whether an actual or figurative entrance into God's house be meant, the purpose of solemn praise is intimated, in which only the righteous would or could engage.
22, 23. These words are applied by Christ (Mt 21:42) to Himself, as the foundation of the Church (compare Ac 4:11; Eph 2:20; 1Pe 2:4, 7). It may here denote God's wondrous exaltation to power and influence of him whom the rulers of the nation despised. Whether (see on Ps 118:1) David or Zerubbabel (compare Hag 2:2; Zec 4:7-10) be primarily meant, there is here typically represented God's more wonderful doings in exalting Christ, crucified as an impostor, to be the Prince and Saviour and Head of His Church.
24. This is the day—or period distinguished by God's favor of all others.
25. Save now—Hebrew, "Hosanna" (compare Ps 115:2, &c., as to now) a form of prayer (Ps 20:9), since, in our use, of praise.
26. he that cometh … Lord—As above intimated, this may be applied to the visible head of the Jewish Church entering the sanctuary, as leading the procession; typically it belongs to Him of whom the phrase became an epithet (Mal 3:1; Mt 21:9).
27-29. showed us light—or favor (Ps 27:1; 97:11). With the sacrificial victim brought bound to the altar is united the more spiritual offering of praise (Ps 50:14, 23), expressed in the terms with which the Psalm opened.