Praise to God for His Everlasting Mercy

118 Oh, (A)give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
(B)For His mercy endures forever.

(C)Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”

(D)I called on the Lord in distress;
The Lord answered me and (E)set me in a broad place.
(F)The Lord is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
(G)The Lord is for me among those who help me;
Therefore (H)I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
(I)It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in man.
(J)It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.

10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
11 They (K)surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me (L)like bees;
They were quenched (M)like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the Lord I will [a]destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the Lord helped me.
14 (N)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.

15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16 (O)The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17 (P)I shall not die, but live,
And (Q)declare the works of the Lord.
18 The Lord has (R)chastened[b] me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.

19 (S)Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the Lord.
20 (T)This is the gate of the Lord,
(U)Through which the righteous shall enter.

21 I will praise You,
For You have (V)answered me,
And have become my salvation.

22 (W)The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 [c]This was the Lord’s doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save now, I pray, O Lord;
O Lord, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 (X)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 God is the Lord,
And He has given us (Y)light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
(Z)You are my God, I will exalt You.

29 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:12 cut them off
  2. Psalm 118:18 disciplined
  3. Psalm 118:23 Lit. This is from the Lord

Thanksgiving for the Lords Saving Goodness.

118 (A)Give thanks to the Lord, for (B)He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting.
Let (C)Israel say,
“His mercy is everlasting.”
Oh let the (D)house of Aaron say,
“His mercy is everlasting.”
Let those (E)who [a]fear the Lord say,
“His mercy is everlasting.”

From my (F)distress I called upon [b]the Lord;
[c]The Lord answered me and (G)put me in an open space.
The Lord is (H)for me; I will (I)not fear;
(J)What can man do to me?
The Lord is for me (K)among those who help me;
Therefore I will (L)look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
It is (M)better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in people.
It is (N)better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in noblemen.

10 All nations (O)surrounded me;
In the name of the Lord I will certainly (P)fend them off.
11 They (Q)surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me;
In the name of the Lord I will certainly fend them off.
12 They surrounded me (R)like bees;
They were extinguished like a (S)fire of thorn bushes;
In the name of the Lord I will certainly fend them off.
13 You (T)pushed me violently so that I [d]was falling,
But the Lord (U)helped me.
14 [e](V)The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become (W)my salvation.

15 The sound of (X)joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous;
The (Y)right hand of the Lord performs valiantly.
16 The (Z)right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord performs valiantly.
17 I (AA)will not die, but live,
And (AB)tell of the works of [f]the Lord.
18 [g]The Lord has (AC)disciplined me severely,
But He has (AD)not turned me over to death.

19 (AE)Open the gates of righteousness to me;
I will enter through them, I will give thanks to [h]the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
The (AF)righteous will enter through it.
21 I will give thanks to You, for You have (AG)answered me,
And You have (AH)become my salvation.

22 A (AI)stone which the builders rejected
Has become the [i]chief cornerstone.
23 This came about from the Lord;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the Lord has made;
Let’s (AJ)rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, O Lord, (AK)do save us;
Please, O Lord, do send (AL)prosperity!
26 (AM)Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have (AN)blessed you from the house of the Lord.
27 (AO)The Lord is God, and He has given us (AP)light;
Bind the festival sacrifice [j]to the (AQ)horns of the altar with cords.
28 (AR)You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
You are my God, (AS)I exalt You.
29 (AT)Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His mercy is everlasting.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:4 Or revere
  2. Psalm 118:5 Heb Yah
  3. Psalm 118:5 Heb Yah
  4. Psalm 118:13 Or fell
  5. Psalm 118:14 Heb Yah
  6. Psalm 118:17 Heb Yah
  7. Psalm 118:18 Heb Yah
  8. Psalm 118:19 Heb Yah
  9. Psalm 118:22 Lit head of the corner
  10. Psalm 118:27 Lit unto

Thanksgiving for the Lord’s Saving Goodness.

118 O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.

Oh let Israel say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”

Oh let the house of Aaron say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”

Oh let those who [reverently] fear the Lord, say,
“His lovingkindness endures forever.”


Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
The Lord answered me and set me free.

The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can [mere] man do to me?(A)

The Lord is on my side, He is among those who help me;
Therefore I will look [in triumph] on those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in man.

It is better to take refuge in the Lord
Than to trust in princes.

10 
All nations encompassed me;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.
11 
They encompassed me, yes, they surrounded me [on every side];
In the name of the Lord I will cut them off.
12 
They swarmed around me like bees;
They flare up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns;
In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off.(B)
13 
You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling,
But the Lord helped me.
14 
The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.

15 
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous:
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
16 
The right hand of the Lord is exalted;
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
17 
I will not die, but live,
And declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.
18 
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.(C)

19 
Open to me the [temple] gates of righteousness;
I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord.
20 
This is the gate of the Lord;
The righteous will enter through it.(D)
21 
I will give thanks to You, for You have heard and answered me;
And You have become my salvation [my Rescuer, my Savior].

22 
The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the [a]chief corner stone.
23 
This is from the Lord and is His doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.(E)
24 
This [day in which God has saved me] is the day which the Lord has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 
O Lord, save now, we beseech You;
O Lord, we beseech You, send now prosperity and give us success!
26 
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord;
We have blessed you from the house of the Lord [you who come into His sanctuary under His guardianship].(F)
27 
The Lord is God, and He has given us light [illuminating us with His grace and freedom and joy].
Bind the festival sacrifices with [b]cords to the horns of the altar.
28 
You are my God, and I give thanks to You;
[You are] my God, I extol You.
29 
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness endures forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:22 This refers either to the prominent stone at the top of a corner tower, or perhaps more likely to the stone at the foundation of a corner, the first stone laid for a structure (cf Eph 2:20). The special significance of the latter is that the shape of its sides determined how the walls were laid out. The verse refers prophetically to Jesus the Messiah (see Matt 21:42 etc.), but the ancient rabbis interpreted it as a reference to David, who started as a humble shepherd, not the background one would expect for a king. Some prophetic passages refer to an event in the past that is a precursor or foreshadowing of the future prophetic event.
  2. Psalm 118:27 Lit branches. In Jewish tradition this is interpreted as a ritual for the Feast of Booths. The term “festival” is understood as a reference to the lulav, several branches bound together and later placed against the altar so that they reach to the top of the horns and bend over the altar.

Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.(C)

Let Israel say:(D)
    “His love endures forever.”(E)
Let the house of Aaron say:(F)
    “His love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord(G) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

When hard pressed,(H) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.(I)
The Lord is with me;(J) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?(K)
The Lord is with me; he is my helper.(L)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.(M)

It is better to take refuge in the Lord(N)
    than to trust in humans.(O)
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.(P)
10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(Q)
11 They surrounded me(R) on every side,(S)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,(T)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;(U)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(V)
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.(W)
14 The Lord is my strength(X) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(Y)

15 Shouts of joy(Z) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand(AA) has done mighty things!(AB)
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die(AC) but live,
    and will proclaim(AD) what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened(AE) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.(AF)
19 Open for me the gates(AG) of the righteous;
    I will enter(AH) and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord(AI)
    through which the righteous may enter.(AJ)
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;(AK)
    you have become my salvation.(AL)

22 The stone(AM) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(AN)
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous(AO) in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.(AP)

25 Lord, save us!(AQ)
    Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes(AR) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b](AS)
27 The Lord is God,(AT)
    and he has made his light shine(AU) on us.
With boughs in hand,(AV) join in the festal procession
    up[c] to the horns of the altar.(AW)

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God,(AX) and I will exalt(AY) you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:14 Or song
  2. Psalm 118:26 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. Psalm 118:27 Or Bind the festal sacrifice with ropes / and take it