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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

Praise to God for His Loyal Love

118 Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his loyal love is forever.
Let Israel say,
“His loyal love is forever.”
Let the house of Aaron say,
“His loyal love is forever.”
Let those who fear Yahweh say,
“His loyal love is forever.”
Out of my distress I called to Yah.[a]
Yah answered me, setting me in a broad place.
Yahweh is for me; I do not fear.
What can mere humans[b] do to me?
Yahweh is for me as my helper,
and so I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
It is better to take refuge in Yahweh
than to trust in humans.[c]
It is better to take refuge in Yahweh
than to trust princes.
10 All nations surrounded me.
In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
11 They surrounded me; yes, they surrounded me.
In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
they were extinguished like a fire of thorns.
In the name of Yahweh I opposed them indeed.
13 You pushed me hard[d] to make me fall,
but Yahweh helped me.
14 Yah[e] is my strength and my song,[f]
and he has become my salvation.[g]
15 The sound of rejoicing and salvation[h]
is in the tents of the righteous;
the right hand of Yahweh has done valiantly.
16 The right hand of Yahweh has exalted;
the right hand of Yahweh has done valiantly.
17 I will not die but live,
and tell of the works of Yah.[i]
18 Yah has disciplined me severely,
but he did not consign[j] me to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to Yah.[k]
20 This is the gate of Yahweh,
through which the righteous will enter.
21 I will give thanks to you for you have answered me,
and you have become my salvation.[l]
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is from Yahweh;
it is wonderful in our eyes.
24 This is the day Yahweh has worked;[m]
let us rejoice and be glad in him.[n]
25 O Yahweh, please save;
O Yahweh, please grant success.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh.
We bless you[o] from the house[p] of Yahweh.
27 Yahweh is God, and he has given us light.[q]
Bind the festal sacrifice[r] with cords[s]
to the horns[t] of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.
You are my God; I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his loyal love is forever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 118:5 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  2. Psalm 118:6 Or “humankind”
  3. Psalm 118:8 Or “humankind”
  4. Psalm 118:13 Hebrew intensive “pushing, you pushed me”
  5. Psalm 118:14 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  6. Psalm 118:14 Or “my might”
  7. Psalm 118:14 Or “victory”
  8. Psalm 118:15 Or “victory”
  9. Psalm 118:17 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  10. Psalm 118:18 Hebrew “give”
  11. Psalm 118:19 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  12. Psalm 118:21 Or “victory”
  13. Psalm 118:24 Or “made”
  14. Psalm 118:24 Or “in it”
  15. Psalm 118:26 Hebrew plural
  16. Psalm 118:26 Or “temple”
  17. Psalm 118:27 Or “made his light to shine upon to us”
  18. Psalm 118:27 Or “festal procession”
  19. Psalm 118:27 Or “branches”
  20. Psalm 118:27 Or “and lead up to the horns”