Psalm 118 is one of the most powerful and celebrated songs of gratitude and trust in the Scriptures. It lies at the heart of the collection known as the Hallel, recited by Jews on festive occasions, and is quoted in the New Testament as a messianic foreshadowing. Its main message is clear: the Lord’s faithfulness endures forever, and He is worthy of all praise.
Throughout this article, we will explore Psalm 118 in depth, reflecting on its structure, spiritual meanings, historical context, and personal application. This study will be divided into topics to facilitate reading and understanding.
Psalm 118 Complete
¹ Praise the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.
² Let Israel now say: His steadfast love endures forever.
³ Let the house of Aaron now say: His steadfast love endures forever.
⁴ Let all who fear the Lord now say: His steadfast love endures forever.
⁵ Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a spacious place.
⁶ The Lord is with me; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
⁷ The Lord is with me among those who help me; therefore I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
⁸ It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.
⁹ It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.
¹⁰ All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.
¹¹ They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.
¹² They swarmed around me like bees; they were extinguished like burning thorns. In the name of the Lord I cut them off.
¹³ I was pushed hard, that I might fall, but the Lord helped me.
¹⁴ The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.
¹⁵ Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: the right hand of the Lord does mighty things.
¹⁶ The right hand of the Lord is lifted high; the right hand of the Lord does mighty things.
¹⁷ I shall not die, but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done.
¹⁸ The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.
¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.
²¹ I will give You thanks, for You answered me and have become my salvation.
²² The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
²³ The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
²⁵ Save us, we pray, O Lord; O Lord, grant us success.
²⁶ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless You from the house of the Lord.
²⁷ The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar.
²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, and I will exalt You.
²⁹ Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 118 Explained Verse by Verse
Psalm 118:1
“Praise the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.”
The opening verse summons worship, highlighting two essential truths: God’s goodness and His eternal mercy. The word “steadfast love” points to God’s covenant loyalty that never fails.
Psalm 118:2
“Let Israel now say: His steadfast love endures forever.”
The entire nation is called to acknowledge divine faithfulness. The psalmist underscores that Israel’s experience with God is marked by His constant love.
Psalm 118:3
“Let the house of Aaron now say: His steadfast love endures forever.”
The priests, descendants of Aaron, must also proclaim God’s mercy, showing that both religious leaders and common people are recipients of the Lord’s goodness.
Psalm 118:4
“Let all who fear the Lord now say: His steadfast love endures forever.”
The invitation extends to everyone who fears God—Jew or Gentile—revealing the universal reach of divine love.
Psalm 118:5
“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a spacious place.”
The psalmist testifies that, in distress, he cried to the Lord and was heard. A “spacious place” symbolizes freedom and relief after oppression.
Psalm 118:6
“The Lord is with me; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
The presence of God eliminates human fear. This statement expresses courage rooted in divine companionship.
Psalm 118:7
“The Lord is with me among those who help me; therefore I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.”
God not only is present but also works through allies to uphold the psalmist before enemies. Divine justice is expected with confidence.
Psalm 118:8
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”
This verse states an eternal truth: trusting the Lord surpasses relying on any person.
Psalm 118:9
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”
Not even rulers compare with the Lord in terms of security and faithfulness.
Psalm 118:10
“All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.”
The psalmist describes an external threat yet declares victory through divine authority.
Psalm 118:11
“They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; but in the name of the Lord I cut them off.”
The repetition underscores the severity of the situation, yet also renewed trust in the Lord’s name as a weapon of victory.
Psalm 118:12
“They swarmed around me like bees; they were extinguished like burning thorns. In the name of the Lord I cut them off.”
The attack is intense, like a swarm of bees, but the enemies vanish quickly, like a fleeting fire. Victory remains the Lord’s.
Psalm 118:13
“I was pushed hard, that I might fall, but the Lord helped me.”
Despite a violent push from opposition, the psalmist affirms that divine help kept him standing.
Psalm 118:14
“The Lord is my strength and my song, and He has become my salvation.”
This verse echoes Exodus 15:2. The psalmist recognizes that all strength, praise, and deliverance come from God.
Psalm 118:15
“Shouts of joy and salvation resound in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord does mighty things.”
God’s people celebrate in their homes the Lord’s powerful deeds—especially His strong arm, a symbol of divine action.
Psalm 118:16
“The right hand of the Lord is lifted high; the right hand of the Lord does mighty things.”
A poetic repetition that underscores God’s sovereignty in acting on behalf of His own.
Psalm 118:17
“I shall not die, but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done.”
A cry of hope and mission: the psalmist lives to testify to God’s works.
Psalm 118:18
“The Lord has chastened me severely, but He has not given me over to death.”
Acknowledgment of divine discipline, coupled with gratitude for preservation.
Psalm 118:19
“Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.”
The “gates of righteousness” symbolize access to God’s presence. The psalmist longs to enter and offer praise.
Psalm 118:20
“This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.”
Affirms that entry is reserved for those who live uprightly.
Psalm 118:21
“I will give You thanks, for You answered me and have become my salvation.”
Once more, God’s response prompts worship and testimony.
Psalm 118:22
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”
A prophetic verse about the Messiah—rejected yet exalted by God as the foundation of faith.
Psalm 118:23
“The Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
The transformation of the rejected stone into the chief one is seen as the Lord’s miracle, worthy of wonder.
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Every day is a divine gift, and this— the day of salvation—deserves celebration.
Psalm 118:25
“Save us, we pray, O Lord; O Lord, grant us success.”
A plea for deliverance and prosperity, often used in liturgical contexts.
Psalm 118:26
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; we bless You from the house of the Lord.”
Quoted during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, expressing welcome to God’s sent One.
Psalm 118:27
“The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us; bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar.”
Light symbolizes revelation and salvation; the sacrifice represents gratitude and total surrender to God.
Psalm 118:28
“You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, and I will exalt You.”
A personal declaration of faith, repeated for emphasis on the psalmist’s devotion.
Psalm 118:29
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.”
The psalm ends as it began: with praise for God’s eternal goodness. It is a circle of gratitude.
The Literary Structure of Psalm 118
Psalm 118 possesses a poetic structure that favors repetition, emphasizing God’s eternal faithfulness. The repeated phrase “His steadfast love endures forever” functions as a liturgical refrain and reinforces the central message.
Antiphonal Form
Psalm 118 was likely sung responsively between leader and congregation, especially during temple celebrations. This practice reinforced fellowship between the faithful and God through communal repetition of divine truth.
Main Divisions
- Opening invitation to worship (verses 1–4)
- Personal testimony of deliverance (verses 5–18)
- Triumphal entry into the temple (verses 19–27)
- Final plea and renewed exaltation (verses 28–29)
The Historical Context of Psalm 118
The historical background of Psalm 118 is not explicit, but many scholars believe it was composed for national thanksgiving occasions, such as after military victories or upon returning from exile. Its language is both personal and collective, showing that gratitude to the Lord transcends time and circumstance.
Connection with the Feast of Tabernacles
There are indications that Psalm 118 was recited during the Feast of Tabernacles, a time of rejoicing for God’s care of the people in the wilderness. This explains the mention of “tents of the righteous” and the “cords of the sacrifice,” symbols linked to worship.
The Use of Psalm 118 in the New Testament
“The Stone the Builders Rejected”
One of the best-known verses of Psalm 118 is quoted by Jesus and the apostles:
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” (verse 22)
This image points to the Messiah rejected by religious leaders but exalted by God as the foundation of faith. Its use in the Christian context reveals the psalm’s prophetic depth and spiritual relevance.
Acclaimed at the Triumphal Entry
When Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey, the crowd shouted:
“Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (verse 26)
These words come directly from Psalm 118 and show how the people recognized the coming of the Anointed One as the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Spiritual Themes in Psalm 118
Trust Amid Adversity
The psalmist declares that he called on the Lord in distress, and God responded with freedom and deliverance. This encourages readers to trust God even in the most difficult moments.
Rejecting Human Supports
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” This powerful statement, repeated twice in the psalm, highlights the frailty of human solutions compared with the security that comes from above.
Victory from God
The psalmist acknowledges that his victories are not the result of personal strength but of divine intervention. This recognition fosters humility and gratitude in the hearts of those who walk by faith.
Most Memorable Verses of Psalm 118
Psalm 118:1
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.”
This verse is the opening invitation to worship, repeated at the end as well. It closes the psalm on the same note of gratitude with which it began.
Psalm 118:6
“The Lord is with me; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
This reveals the courage birthed from faith. God’s presence dispels fear.
Psalm 118:17
“I shall not die, but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done.”
One of the most quoted verses in prayers and songs, expressing hope, life, and purpose.
Psalm 118:24
“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Celebrating today as God’s gift is a hallmark of mature faith.
Practical Applications of Psalm 118
For Devotional Life
Psalm 118 is excellent for times of prayer, especially on days of gratitude or when seeking courage. Reading it aloud reaffirms trust in God.
In Community Celebrations
Because it is responsive and full of refrains, this psalm suits worship services, family gatherings, and religious festivals. It unites the community in a single spirit of praise.
As a Teaching Tool
Teachers and religious leaders can use Psalm 118 to teach about divine faithfulness, perseverance, humility, and the recognition of God’s deeds in personal and collective history.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Psalm 118
What is the central meaning of Psalm 118?
The focus is on gratitude and trust in the Lord’s eternal faithfulness. The psalm celebrates the salvation and victory God grants.
Why is Psalm 118 used in Jesus’ triumphal entry?
Because it prophesies the coming of the Messiah, being cited directly by the crowd in Jerusalem, acknowledging Jesus as God’s envoy.
What is the most quoted verse of Psalm 118?
Verse 22 — “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” — is the most frequently cited in the New Testament.
How can Psalm 118 be applied daily?
It can strengthen faith in uncertain times, encourage gratitude even amid hardship, and remind us of God’s power in every situation.
Can Psalm 118 still be prayed today?
Absolutely! Its message is timeless and continues to strengthen those who read and recite it in faith.
Conclusion
Psalm 118 is more than an ancient song. It is a witness of victory, a confession of trust, and a proclamation of praise. With its poetic and powerful language, it invites us to declare that the Lord is good and that His mercy endures forever.
As we meditate on its words, we find encouragement, direction, and renewed conviction that the God who acted in the past still acts today.
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