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

118 Praise the Lord because he is good!
    His faithful love will last forever!
Israel, say it:
    “His faithful love will last forever!”
Aaron’s family,[a] say it:
    “His faithful love will last forever!”
You people worshiping the Lord, say it:
    “His faithful love will last forever!”

I was in trouble, so I called to the Lord for help.
    The Lord answered and made me free.
The Lord is with me, so I will not be afraid.
    No one on earth can do anything to harm me.
The Lord is my helper.
    I will see my enemies defeated.
It is better to trust in the Lord
    than to trust in people.
It is better to trust in the Lord
    than to trust in great leaders.

10 Many enemies surrounded me,
    but with the Lord’s power I defeated them.
11 They surrounded me again and again,
    but I defeated them with the Lord’s power.
12 They surrounded me like a swarm of bees,
    but they were quickly destroyed like a fast-burning bush.
    I defeated them with the Lord’s power.

13 My enemy attacked me and almost destroyed me,
    but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my reason for singing.[b]
    He saved me!
15 You can hear the victory celebration in the homes of those who live right.
    The Lord has shown his great power again!
16 The Lord’s arm is raised in victory.
    The Lord has shown his great power again.

17 I will live and not die,
    and I will tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord punished me,
    but he did not let me die.
19 Gates of goodness, open for me,
    and I will come in and worship the Lord.
20 Those are the Lord’s gates,
    and only good people can go through them.
21 Lord, I thank you for answering my prayer.
    I thank you for saving me.

22 The stone that the builders rejected
    became the cornerstone.
23 The Lord made this happen,
    and we think it is wonderful!
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
    Let us rejoice and be happy today!

25 The people say, “Praise the Lord!
    The Lord saved us![c]
26 Welcome to the one who comes in the name of the Lord.”
    The priests answer, “We welcome you to the Lord’s house!
27 The Lord is God, and he accepts us.
    Tie up the lamb for the sacrifice and carry it to the horns of the altar.”

28 Lord, you are my God, and I thank you.
    My God, I praise you!
29 Praise the Lord because he is good.
    His faithful love will last forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:3 Aaron’s family That is, the priests.
  2. Psalm 118:14 my reason for singing Or “my protection.”
  3. Psalm 118:25 Literally, “Lord, please save us. Lord, please make us successful.” This was a shout of victory to honor a king returning after winning a war.

Psalm 118

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.

Let all Israel repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”
Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
    “His faithful love endures forever.”

In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
    and the Lord answered me and set me free.
The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear.
    What can mere people do to me?
Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
    I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in people.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.

10 Though hostile nations surrounded me,
    I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
11 Yes, they surrounded and attacked me,
    but I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
12 They swarmed around me like bees;
    they blazed against me like a crackling fire.
    But I destroyed them all with the authority of the Lord.
13 My enemies did their best to kill me,
    but the Lord rescued me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has given me victory.
15 Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
16 The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
    The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
17 I will not die; instead, I will live
    to tell what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
    but he did not let me die.

19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
    and I will go in and thank the Lord.
20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,
    and the godly enter there.
21 I thank you for answering my prayer
    and giving me victory!

22 The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing,
    and it is wonderful to see.
24 This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Please, Lord, please save us.
    Please, Lord, please give us success.
26 Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God, shining upon us.
    Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise you!
    You are my God, and I will exalt you!

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.