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Psalms 118

Chapter Text

Give Thanks to the LORD

The Stone the Builders Rejected

Summary

Psalm 118 is the triumphant conclusion of the Egyptian Hallel, celebrating deliverance with the refrain that the Lord's mercy endures forever. The psalmist was pushed to the point of falling, surrounded by enemies like bees, yet in the name of the Lord he destroyed them.

The stone which the builders refused has become the head of the corner, and this is the Lord's doing, marvelous in our eyes. The psalm calls to open the gates of righteousness and concludes with the cry: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Meaning

This psalm is saturated with Messianic significance. Jesus applied the stone rejected by the builders to Himself, and the crowds quoted blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

The psalm's theology of reversal, where the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone, is foundational to New Testament Christology. What human wisdom discards, God makes the foundation of His eternal purposes.

The declaration this is the day which the Lord hath made teaches that divine deliverance creates occasions for worship. Every day of God's salvation is a cause for rejoicing and gladness, regardless of the circumstances that surrounded it.

Background

This psalm concludes the Egyptian Hallel and was the last psalm sung by Jesus and His disciples at the Last Supper before they went out to the Mount of Olives. It is quoted repeatedly in the New Testament.

The psalm may have originated as a royal thanksgiving for military victory, but its Messianic application in the New Testament reveals its ultimate prophetic purpose. The stone imagery is central to apostolic preaching in Acts 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:7.

Chapter Outline

  1. vv. 1-4Call to thanksgiving for enduring mercy
  2. vv. 5-9The LORD is better than human help
  3. vv. 10-14Surrounded but delivered in his name
  4. vv. 15-18Songs of victory in the righteous tents
  5. vv. 19-21Entering the gates of righteousness
  6. vv. 22-26The rejected stone and the coming one
  7. vv. 27-29Sacrifice, praise, and closing thanksgiving

Key Verses

“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”— 118:8

Often cited as the literal center of the Bible, this verse distills the psalter's core wisdom: human confidence is fragile, but trust in the LORD is secure. It stands as a proverbial summary of biblical faith.

“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”— 118:22

One of the most frequently quoted Old Testament verses in the New Testament, applied directly to Christ by Jesus himself (Matt. 21:42), Peter (Acts 4:11), and the epistles (1 Pet. 2:7). It encapsulates the gospel pattern of rejection and exaltation.

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”— 118:24

A beloved verse of praise traditionally read at Passover and Easter, celebrating the day of God's saving deliverance. It calls believers to receive each day as a divine gift worthy of joy.

“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.”— 118:26

Cried out by the crowds at Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 21:9), this verse became an explicit messianic acclamation. Jesus also cites it as the condition of Jerusalem's future restoration (Matt. 23:39).

People & Places

People

  • Israel — The covenant people of God, summoned to confess his enduring mercy.
  • House of Aaron — The priestly line descended from Aaron, called to lead in praise.

Places

  • House of the LORD — The temple in Jerusalem, from which priestly blessing is pronounced.
  • Gates of righteousness — The temple gates through which the righteous enter to worship and give thanks.

Prophecy & Fulfillment

Psalm 118 is among the most messianically charged psalms in Scripture. Verse 22's rejected stone becoming the chief cornerstone is applied to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection by Jesus (Matt. 21:42), Peter (Acts 4:11; 1 Pet. 2:7), and Paul (Eph. 2:20). Verse 26's 'Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD' was sung at the triumphal entry (Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:9), and the Hebrew 'Save now' (v. 25) becomes the cry 'Hosanna.' The psalm thus prefigures both the rejection and the glorification of the Messiah.

Devotional

Psalm 118 invites us into a settled confidence: the LORD is good, his mercy endures, and he is on our side. When pressed and surrounded, the psalmist does not deny the trouble but reframes it — distress becomes the doorway into a 'large place' of deliverance.

The rhythm of trust here is practical. Choose the LORD over human assurances. Let chastening shape rather than crush you. Walk through each day as a gift God himself has made, receiving it with gladness rather than dread. Even rejection, as the cornerstone reminds us, can become the foundation of something greater.

Literary Style

Hebrew liturgical poetry, likely a processional thanksgiving psalm sung antiphonally between worshipers, priests, and congregation as pilgrims approached the temple. It features synonymous and climactic parallelism, refrain ('his mercy endureth for ever'), inclusio framing verses 1 and 29, and vivid simile ('like bees').