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A Prayer of Thanks for Victory

118 (A)Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good,
    and his love is eternal.
Let the people of Israel say,
    “His love is eternal.”
Let the priests of God say,
    “His love is eternal.”
Let all who worship him say,
    “His love is eternal.”

In my distress I called to the Lord;
    he answered me and set me free.
(B)The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid;
    what can anyone do to me?
It is the Lord who helps me,
    and I will see my enemies defeated.
It is better to trust in the Lord
    than to depend on people.
It is better to trust in the Lord
    than to depend on human leaders.

10 Many enemies were around me;
    but I destroyed them by the power of the Lord!
11 They were around me on every side;
    but I destroyed them by the power of the Lord!
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
    but they burned out as quickly as a brush fire;
    by the power of the Lord I destroyed them.
13 I was fiercely attacked and was being defeated,
    but the Lord helped me.
14 (C)The Lord makes me powerful and strong;
    he has saved me.

15 Listen to the glad shouts of victory in the tents of God's people:
    “The Lord's mighty power has done it!
16     His power has brought us victory—
    his mighty power in battle!”

17 I will not die; instead, I will live
    and proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 He has punished me severely,
    but he has not let me die.

19 Open to me the gates of the Temple;
    I will go in and give thanks to the Lord!

20 This is the gate of the Lord;
    only the righteous can come in.

21 I praise you, Lord, because you heard me,
    because you have given me victory.

22 (D)The stone which the builders rejected as worthless
    turned out to be the most important of all.
23 This was done by the Lord;
    what a wonderful sight it is!
24 This is the day of the Lord's victory;
    let us be happy, let us celebrate!
25 (E)Save us, Lord, save us!
    Give us success, O Lord!

26 (F)May God bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
    From the Temple of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God; he has been good to us.
With branches in your hands, start the festival
    and march around the altar.

28 You are my God, and I give you thanks;
    I will proclaim your greatness.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, because he is good,
    and his love is eternal.

Psalm 118

A Song of Victory

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever!(A)

Let Israel say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”(B)
Let the house of Aaron say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
Let those who fear the Lord say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”

Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
    the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.(C)
With the Lord on my side I do not fear.
    What can mortals do to me?(D)
The Lord is on my side to help me;
    I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.(E)
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to put confidence in mortals.(F)
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to put confidence in princes.(G)

10 All nations surrounded me;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!(H)
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 They surrounded me like bees;
    they blazed[a] like a fire of thorns;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was pushed hard,[b] so that I was falling,
    but the Lord helped me.(I)
14 The Lord is my strength and my might;
    he has become my salvation.(J)

15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;(K)
16     the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
    the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”(L)
17 I shall not die, but I shall live
    and recount the deeds of the Lord.(M)
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
    but he did not give me over to death.(N)

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the Lord.(O)

20 This is the gate of the Lord;
    the righteous shall enter through it.(P)

21 I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.(Q)
22 The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the chief cornerstone.(R)
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.[c]
25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
    O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.[d]
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.(S)
27 The Lord is God,
    and he has given us light.
Bind the festal procession with branches,
    up to the horns of the altar.[e](T)

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.(U)

29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever.(V)

Footnotes

  1. 118.12 Gk: Heb were extinguished
  2. 118.13 Gk Syr Jerome: Heb You pushed me hard
  3. 118.24 Or in him
  4. 118.26 Or Blessed in the name of the Lord is the one who comes
  5. 118.27 Meaning of Heb uncertain

118 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
Now let Isra’el say,
“His grace continues forever.”
Now let the house of Aharon say,
“His grace continues forever.”
Now let those who fear Adonai say,
“His grace continues forever.”

From my being hemmed in I called on Yah;
he answered and gave me more room.
With Adonai on my side, I fear nothing —
what can human beings do to me?
With Adonai on my side as my help,
I will look with triumph at those who hate me.

It is better to take refuge in Adonai
than to trust in human beings;
better to take refuge in Adonai
than to put one’s trust in princes.

10 The nations all surrounded me;
in the name of Adonai I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side
in the name of Adonai I cut them down.
12 They surrounded me like bees
but were extinguished [as quickly] as a fire in thorns;
in the name of Adonai I cut them down.

13 You pushed me hard to make me fall,
but Adonai helped me.
14 Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.

15 The sound of rejoicing and victory
is heard in the tents of the righteous:
Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!
16 Adonai’s right hand is raised in triumph!
Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!”

17 I will not die; no, I will live
and proclaim the great deeds of Yah!
18 Yah disciplined me severely,
but did not hand me over to death.

19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter them and thank Yah.
20 This is the gate of Adonai;
the righteous can enter it.
21 I am thanking you because you answered me;
you became my salvation.

22 The very rock that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone!
23 This has come from Adonai,
and in our eyes it is amazing.
24 This is the day Adonai has made,
a day for us to rejoice and be glad.

25 Please, Adonai! Save us!
Please, Adonai! Rescue us!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Adonai.
We bless you from the house of Adonai.

27 Adonai is God, and he gives us light.
Join in the pilgrim festival with branches
all the way to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I thank you.
You are my God; I exalt you.
29 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.

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!