Psalms 118
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This is the first of fifteen Psalms (Psalms 120-134) entitled "A Song of Degrees" (Psa 121:1 --literally, "A song for the degrees"), or ascents. It seems most probable they were designed for the use of the people when going up (compare Kg1 12:27-28) to Jerusalem on the festival occasions (Deu 16:16), three times a year. David appears as the author of four, Solomon of one (Psa 127:1), and the other ten are anonymous, probably composed after the captivity. In this Psalm the writer acknowledges God's mercy, prays for relief from a malicious foe, whose punishment he anticipates, and then repeats his complaint. (Psa 120:1-7) Slander and deceit charged on his foes implies his innocence. tongue--as in Psa 52:2, Psa 52:4.
Open source ↗O give thanks unto the Lord,.... For all his mercies, temporal and spiritual; as all should, who are partakers of them: this should be done always, and for all things, in the name of Christ; it is but reasonable service; for he is good; in himself, and to others: is essentially and diffusively good; the fountain of all goodness, and the author of all good things; because his mercy endureth for ever; in his own heart, and in his covenant; his grace and lovingkindness displayed in Christ; the blessings and promises of it, which are the sure mercies of David: these always remain, notwithstanding the unworthiness of his people; and though he hides his face sometimes from them, and chastises them; see Psa 106:1; the goodness and mercy of God were seen in setting David on the throne; and abundantly more in giving Christ to be the Saviour of his people; for both which thanks should be given, and the kindness acknowledged, by the persons mentioned in the following verses.
Open source ↗The Hodu-cry is addressed first of all and every one; then the whole body of the laity of Israel and the priests, and at last (as it appears) the proselytes (vid., on Psa 115:9-11) who fear the God of revelation, are urgently admonished to echo it back; for "yea, His mercy endureth for ever," is the required hypophon. In Psa 118:5, Israel too then begins as one man to praise the ever-gracious goodness of God. יהּ, the Jod of which might easily become inaudible after קראתי, has an emphatic Dagesh as in Psa 118:18, and המּצר has the orthophonic stroke beside צר (the so-called מקּל), which points to the correct tone-syllable of the word that has Dechמ. (Note: Vid., Baer's Thorath Emeth, p. 7 note, and p. 21, end of note 1.) Instead of ענני it is here pointed ענני, which also occurs in other instances not only with distinctive, but also (though not uniformly) with conjunctive accents. (Note: Hitzig on Pro 8:22 considers the pointing קנני to be occasioned by Dech, and in fact ענני in the passage before us has Tarcha, and in Sa1 28:15 Munach; but in the passage before us, if we read במרחביה as one word according to the Masora, ענני is rather to be accented with Mugrash; and in Sa1 28:15 the reading ענני is found side by side with ענני (e.g., in Bibl. Bomberg. 1521). Nevertheless צרפתני Psa 17:3, and הרני Job 30:19 (according to Kimchi's Michlol, 30a), beside Mercha, show that the pointing beside conjunctive as beside disjunctive accents wavers between a& and a4, although a4 is properly only justified beside disjunctive accents, and צוּני also really only occurs in pause.) The constructions is a pregnant one (as in Psa 22:22; Psa 28:1; Psa 74:7; Sa2 18:19; Ezr 2:62; Ch2 32:1): He answered me by removing me to a free space (Psa 18:20). Both lines end with יהּ; nevertheless the…
Open source ↗It appears here, as often as elsewhere, that David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it. The more our hearts are impressed with a sense of God's goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience. In these verses, I. He celebrates God's mercy in general, and calls upon others to acknowledge it, from their own experience of it (Psa 118:1): O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is not only good in himself, but good to you, and his mercy endures for ever, not only in the everlasting fountain, God himself, but in the never-failing streams of that mercy, which shall run parallel with the longest line of eternity, and in the chosen vessels of mercy, who will be everlasting monuments of it. Israel, and the house of Aaron, and all that fear God, were called upon to trust in God (Psa 115:9-11); here they are called upon to confess that his mercy endures for ever, and so to encourage themselves to trust in him, Psa 118:2-4. Priests and people, Jews and proselytes, must all own God's goodness, and all join in the same thankful song; if they can say no more, let them say this for him, that his mercy endures for ever, that they have had experience of it all their days, and confide in it for good things that shall last for ever. The praises and thanksgivings of all that truly fear the Lord shall be as pleasing to him as those of the house of Israel or the house of Aaron. II. He preserves an account of God's gracious dealings with him in particular, which he communicates to others, that they might thence fetch both songs of praise and supports of faith, and both ways God would have the glory. David had, in his time, waded through…
Open source ↗Ps 118 With an exultant testimony, the psalmist gives thanks for the Lord’s goodness and encourages others to trust in his faithful love (118:1-4, 29). This poem is the last of the Egyptian Hallel (Pss 113–118).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
יָדָה (yâdâh, H3034) — physically, to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or…
Open source ↗יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisrâʼêl, H3478) — Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or…
Open source ↗בַּיִת (bayith, H1004) — a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.) אַהֲרוֹן (ʼAhărôwn, H175) — Aharon, the brother of Moses אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or…
Open source ↗יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3373) — fearing; morally, reverent יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) חֵסֵד (chêçêd, H2617) — kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or… עוֹלָם (ʻôwlâm, H5769) — properly, concealed, i.e. the vanishing point; generally, time out of mind (past or…
Open source ↗קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… יָהּ (Yâhh, H3050) — Jah, the sacred name מֵצַר (mêtsar, H4712) — something tight, i.e. (figuratively) trouble עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… מֶרְחָב (merchâb, H4800) — enlargement, either literally (an open space, usually in a good sense), or figuratively…
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God יָרֵא (yârêʼ, H3372) — to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to frighten עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
Open source ↗יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God עָזַר (ʻâzar, H5826) — to surround, i.e. protect or aid רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… שָׂנֵא (sânêʼ, H8130) — to hate (personally)
Open source ↗טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… חָסָה (châçâh, H2620) — to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide in יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God בָּטַח (bâṭach, H982) — figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)
Open source ↗טוֹב (ṭôwb, H2896) — good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the… חָסָה (châçâh, H2620) — to flee for protection; figuratively, to confide in יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God בָּטַח (bâṭach, H982) — figuratively, to trust, be confident or sure נָדִיב (nâdîyb, H5081) — properly, voluntary, i.e. generous; hence, magnanimous; as noun, a grandee (sometimes a…
Open source ↗גּוֹי (gôwy, H1471) — a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight… סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מוּל (mûwl, H4135) — to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by…
Open source ↗סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מוּל (mûwl, H4135) — to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by…
Open source ↗סָבַב (çâbab, H5437) — to revolve, surround, or border; used in various applications, literally and figuratively דְּבוֹרָה (dᵉbôwrâh, H1682) — the bee (from its systematic instincts) דָּעַךְ (dâʻak, H1846) — to be extinguished; figuratively, to expire or be dried up אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) קוֹץ (qôwts, H6975) — a thorn שֵׁם (shêm, H8034) — an appellation, as amark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority,… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God מוּל (mûwl, H4135) — to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by…
Open source ↗דָּחָה (dâchâh, H1760) — to push down נָפַל (nâphal, H5307) — to fall, in a great variety of applications (intransitive or causative, literal or… יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God עָזַר (ʻâzar, H5826) — to surround, i.e. protect or aid
Open source ↗יָהּ (Yâhh, H3050) — Jah, the sacred name עֹז (ʻôz, H5797) — strength in various applications (force, security, majesty, praise) זִמְרָת (zimrâth, H2176) — instrumental music; by implication, praise יְשׁוּעָה (yᵉshûwʻâh, H3444) — something saved, i.e. (abstractly) deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
Hallelujah! Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of the bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those bringing thank offerings into the house of the LORD, saying: ‘Give thanks to the LORD of Hosts, for the LORD is good; His loving devotion endures forever.’ For I will restore the land from captivity as in former times, says the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His loving devotion endures forever.
“Give thanks to the LORD; call upon His name; make known His deeds among the nations.
But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.
For the LORD is good, and His loving devotion endures forever; His faithfulness continues to all generations.