Psalm 118 Study Notes

118:1-29 This psalm describes the triumphal entry of the king in terms of humiliation and glory.

118:1 His faithful love endures forever, a standard liturgical formula, recurs in vv. 2-4 (cp. 100:5; 105:1; 106:1; 136).

118:2 Compare this verse with 115:9-11.

118:3 House of Aaron refers to priests—descendants of the first high priest (135:19; Nm 26:59-60).

118:4 The obligation of all believers is to fear the Lord (see 22:23,25; 34:7; 112:1; 145:19).

118:5 Distress (Hb metsar) is a rare term (116:3; Lm 1:3) from a related word that suggests confinement or restriction. The Lord’s remedy is a spacious place.

118:6 On what can a mere mortal do to me, cp. 23:4; 56:4,11.

118:7 The term helper applies to Eve in Gn 2:18 and frequently describes God and his actions on behalf of people (Ex 18:4; Dt 33:7,29; 1Sm 7:12; Ps 20:2; 115:9-11; 121:2; 124:8; Is 41:10-13). To look in triumph is to overcome, as if in war.

118:8-9 The proverbial expressions in these verses are introduced by better. This formulaic wisdom saying occurs several times in Proverbs (Pr 15:16-17; 16:32; 19:1,22), while the concept of taking refuge in the Lord also enjoys wider usage (61:4; 64:10; 71:1; 141:8; 143:9; 144:2; Dt 32:37; 2Sm 22:3,31; Is 14:32; 57:13). Nobles were those who distributed wealth willingly (see note at 146:3). People should prefer God over common men as well as over those in authority and power.

118:10-12 To act in the name of the Lord could mean the king served as the Lord’s regent and acted on his behalf, or that the king fought the nations while relying on the strength of the Lord (v. 14).

118:13 Here the psalmist probably addressed the nations, who had pushed him when he was surrounded (vv. 10-12).

118:14 On my strength and my salvation, compare Ex 15:2; Is 12:2.

118:15-16 The Lord’s right hand executes judgment, renders justice, and accomplishes salvation (see note at 16:8). Performs valiantly has a military tone. The raising of the Lord’s right hand depicts judgment (89:13; 102:13).

118:17-18 The king acknowledged the discipline of the Lord. The king’s current circumstances reflected the Lord’s rebuke, but his life would be spared.

118:19-21 The plural form of gates refers to the Eastern Gate of the temple, a gate with two sections (24:7-10). On enter and give thanks, compare 96:8.

118:22 The cornerstone bears the weight of a building and serves as the standard for orienting and leveling the rest of the structure. The rejected king has been restored to a place of prominence. The imagery of a cornerstone representing the character of the Lord (Zch 4:7) is further developed in the NT (Mt 21:42; Ac 4:11; Eph 2:20-21; 1Pt 2:4-8).

118:23-24 The day spoken of here is a feast day.

118:25-29 The last section of the psalm consists of a series of praises to the Lord motivated by the desire of the psalmist for rescue. The Hebrew word na’, a particle of entreaty, occurs twice in this verse, emphasizing the desperate pleas of the psalmist. This was part of the expression “Hosanna” (please save) in the triumphal entry (Mt 21:9), where the crowd alluded to vv. 25-26 of this psalm. The phrase bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar is unusual since there is no evidence that a sacrifice was ever tied to the altar. However, this concept was fulfilled when Christ was nailed to the cross.