Psalms 118:1-29
1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
3 Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
4 Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
5 I called upon the LORD in distress:a the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.
6 The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
7 The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroyb them.
11 They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroyc them.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
23 This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.
29 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
CXVIII. A Hymn for Festal Procession to Zion. The old tradition that different parts were appropriated to different voices is right in substance, though the statement of the Targum that in Psalms 118:23 single parts should be assigned to the Temple builders, to the sons of Jesse, the tribe of Judah, Samuel, David, is fantastic enough. The Talmud (quoted by Stä rk) takes a more reasonable view. According to it Psalms 118:1 was sung by the pilgrims not yet arrived; Psalms 118:20 by the priests and scribes who welcomed them; Psalms 118:28 by the pilgrims; Psa 118:30 by the whole procession. It is at all events clear that Psalms 118:19 must have been sung before the entrance to the Temple, Psalms 118:27 b at the altar, and that the day which Yahweh has made is the day on which a victory was commemorated. It is another question how far we can distinguish the different singers and the parts they take. Psalms 118:1 may, on plausible grounds, be attributed to different voices. We may also find in the change from singular to plural an indication of change in the singers, but it is impossible to recover the original arrangement in detail.
Psalms 118:1. General introduction. The LXX rightly place the Hallelujah at the beginning of this Ps., not at the end of Psalms 117.
Psalms 118:5. Distress and deliverance.
Psalms 118:13. Read with LXX, Hard was I pushed that I might fall, i.e. pushed till I was on the point of falling.
Psalms 118:17 f. The singer, possibly a solo singer, looks back on all the peril and pain of the campaign and is grateful for his deliverance.
Psalms 118:19. The demand to enter the Temple. The exaltation of the victor.
Psalms 118:20. Render The righteous [and only they] may enter into it.
Psalms 118:22. What formerly appeared worthless has proved itself strong and glorious.
Psalms 118:24. The day of Yahweh's victory may be that of victory over Nicanor in 161 B.C. (1Ma_7:4 ff., p. 607).
Psalms 118:25. Prayer for continued help. Here it is the priests who chant the welcome.
Psalms 118:27 b defies interpretation. RV is contrary to Jewish ritual. So is the explanation which takes the verb in a pregnant sense, Bind the victim [and lead it] to the horns of the altar, for the priest presented the blood at the altar but the animal was not brought there. Another explanation is attractive. Wreathe ye the dance with thick bows even reaching to the horns of the altar. But this primitive use, or supposed primitive use, of the word translated sacrifice is not supported by usage, and is most unlikely in a Ps. admittedly late.