1 O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy is unchanging for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy is unchanging for ever.
4 Let all worshippers of the Lord now say, that his mercy is unchanging for ever.
5 I made my prayer to the Lord in my trouble: and the Lord gave me an answer, and put me in a wide place.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will have no fear: what is man able to do to me?
7 The Lord is my great helper: I will see my desire against my haters.
8 It is better to have faith in the Lord than to put one's hope in man.
9 It is better to have faith in the Lord than to put one's hope in rulers.
10 All the nations have come round me; but in the name of the Lord I will have them cut down.
11 They are round me, yes, they are all about me; but in the name of the Lord I will have them cut down.
12 They are round me like bees; but they are put out like a fire among thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will have them cut down.
13 I have been hard pushed by you, so that I might have a fall: but the Lord was my helper.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15 The sound of joy and salvation is in the tents of the upright; the right hand of the Lord does works of power.
16 The right hand of the Lord is lifted up; the right hand of the Lord does works of power.
17 Life and not death will be my part, and I will give out the story of the works of the Lord.
18 The hand of Jah has been hard on me; but he has not given me up to death.
19 Let the doors of righteousness be open to me; I will go in and give praise to the Lord.
20 This is the door of the Lord's house; the workers of righteousness will go in through it.
21 I will give you praise, for you have given me an answer, and have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders put on one side has become the chief stone of the building.
23 This is the Lord's doing; it is a wonder in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord has made; we will be full of joy and delight in it.
25 Send salvation now, O Lord; Lord, send us your blessing.
26 A blessing be on him who comes in the name of the Lord; we give you blessing from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light; let the holy dance be ordered with branches, even up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give you praise; my God, and I will give honour to your name.
29 O give praise to the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy is unchanging for ever.
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.