Psalms 118

From Distress to Doxology

8 passages

Overview

Psalm 118 leads the whole people of God — Israel, the house of Aaron, and all who fear the Lord — from a cry of distress through divine deliverance, victory over encircling nations, the chastening and rescue of the psalmist, entry through the Temple gates, the rejection and exaltation of the cornerstone, and the Hosanna acclamation of pilgrims, before closing in a personal and communal doxology that restates the psalm's opening refrain; the Catholic tradition reads this entire arc as a prophetic and liturgical foreshadowing of Christ's passion, resurrection, triumphal entry, and abiding presence in the Eucharist.

Passages

1–4Opening Call to Communal Thanksgiving 5–9The Refuge of the Lord: Trust Over Human Power 10–14Surrounded by Nations: Victory Through Yahweh's Name 15–18Songs of Victory and the Discipline of the Lord 19–21Entry Through the Gates of Righteousness 22–24The Rejected Stone Made the Cornerstone 25–27The Hosanna Acclamation and Processional Blessing 28–29My God and Our God: The Doxology That Closes the Great Hallel

Study Resources

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Psalms 118

¹Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

²Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

³Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever.

⁴Now let those who fear Yahweh say that his loving kindness endures forever.

⁵Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.

⁶Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

⁷Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

⁸It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in man.

⁹It is better to take refuge in Yahweh, than to put confidence in princes.

¹⁰All the nations surrounded me, but in Yahweh’s name I cut them off.

¹¹They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In Yahweh’s name I indeed cut them off.

¹²They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.

¹³You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me.

¹⁴Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation.

¹⁵The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. “The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly.

¹⁶The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly!”

¹⁷I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works.

¹⁸Yah has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

¹⁹Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah.

²⁰This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it.

²¹I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.

²²The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

²³This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.

²⁴This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!

²⁵Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.

²⁶Blessed is he who comes in Yahweh’s name! We have blessed you out of Yahweh’s house.

²⁷Yahweh is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar.

²⁸You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you.

²⁹Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

Psalms 117 Psalms 119