Psalms Reading – 4.18.2022
Psalm 118
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say: “His love endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say: “His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say:
“His love endures forever.”
5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.
6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;
in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me.
14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous may enter.
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;
23 the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.
25 Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you.
27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of 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 love endures forever.
This psalm begins and ends by affirming God’s goodness and everlasting love. In a repetitive chorus, the Lord’s love dominates verses 1-4 and, in similar repetition, in verses 5-12, he declares his faith in God’s presence, refuge, and power to defeat the enemy. The last 11 verses picture the worshiper entering the temple courts joining with other joyous worshipers. This psalm has several references in the New Testament that were used of Jesus.
Verse 5 gives us a beautiful image of salvation as being brought into a spacious place. When salvation comes to us in Christ Jesus, we are found in Him and He is in us. This truly is a spacious place for our soul to be at rest, to be contented, and to grow.
The cornerstone is the first stone set in a building project. It is the most important stone because it determines the direction and establishes plumb for the walls. The concept became a rich metaphor in the Old Testament where the Lord replaced arrogant and proud leaders with His appointed leader who would start a new work. In the New Testament, Jesus is that appointed leader who has done the final and perfect work of establishing the building of God, the Body of Christ, to be God’s holy home on earth. As disciple-makers, may we be careful to build upon it in such a way that offers much praise to Jesus and welcomes others in.
Memory Verse: Psalm 119:11, I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Question(s) to Consider: How are you building your life upon Jesus, the cornerstone? In what ways, are you working with the Body of Christ to be a builder of God’s holy people?