Psalm 118
English Standard Version
His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
118 (A)Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 (B)Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 (C)Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 (D)Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
5 (E)Out of my distress I (F)called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and set me (G)free.
6 (H)The Lord is on my side; (I)I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 (J)The Lord is on my side as my helper;
I shall (K)look in triumph on those who hate me.
8 (L)It is better to take refuge in the Lord
(M)than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
(N)than to trust in princes.
10 (O)All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 (P)They surrounded me like bees;
they went out like (Q)a fire among thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was (R)pushed hard,[a] so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
(S)he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
are in the tents of the righteous:
(T)“The right hand of the Lord (U)does valiantly,
16 the right hand of the Lord exalts,
the right hand of the Lord (V)does valiantly!”
17 (W)I shall not die, but I shall live,
and (X)recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has (Y)disciplined me severely,
but he has not given me over to death.
19 (Z)Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
(AA)the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that (AB)you have answered me
(AC)and have become my salvation.
22 (AD)The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.[b]
23 This is the Lord's doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
O Lord, we pray, give us success!
26 (AE)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We (AF)bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has made (AG)his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to (AH)the horns of the altar!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will (AI)extol you.
29 (AJ)Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
Footnotes
- Psalm 118:13 Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard
- Psalm 118:22 Hebrew the head of the corner
Psalm 118
The Message
118 1-4 Thank God because he’s good,
because his love never quits.
Tell the world, Israel,
“His love never quits.”
And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world,
“His love never quits.”
And you who fear God, join in,
“His love never quits.”
5-16 Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid;
who would dare lay a hand on me?
God’s my strong champion;
I flick off my enemies like flies.
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in people;
Far better to take refuge in God
than trust in celebrities.
Hemmed in by barbarians,
in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Hemmed in and with no way out,
in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt;
Like swarming bees, like wild prairie fire, they hemmed me in;
in God’s name I rubbed their faces in the dirt.
I was right on the cliff-edge, ready to fall,
when God grabbed and held me.
God’s my strength, he’s also my song,
and now he’s my salvation.
Hear the shouts, hear the triumph songs
in the camp of the saved?
“The hand of God has turned the tide!
The hand of God is raised in victory!
The hand of God has turned the tide!”
17-20 I didn’t die. I lived!
And now I’m telling the world what God did.
God tested me, he pushed me hard,
but he didn’t hand me over to Death.
Swing wide the city gates—the righteous gates!
I’ll walk right through and thank God!
This Temple Gate belongs to God,
so the victors can enter and praise.
21-25 Thank you for responding to me;
you’ve truly become my salvation!
The stone the masons discarded as flawed
is now the capstone!
This is God’s work.
We rub our eyes—we can hardly believe it!
This is the very day God acted—
let’s celebrate and be festive!
Salvation now, God. Salvation now!
Oh yes, God—a free and full life!
26-29 Blessed are you who enter in God’s name—
from God’s house we bless you!
God is God,
he has bathed us in light.
Adorn the shrine with garlands,
hang colored banners above the altar!
You’re my God, and I thank you.
O my God, I lift high your praise.
Thank God—he’s so good.
His love never quits!
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson