Psalm 118 is an astounding prophecy of the victory of Jesus the Messiah over sin and death, to display God’s goodness and rescue his people. The first half of the Psalm was full of echoes of the exodus, when God rescued Israel and brought them through the Red Sea – but instead of Israel in the past, God brings his Messiah through the jaws of death, and the Messiah strikes down God’s great foes: sin and death.
In the second half, we will hear the voices of God’s people opening the gate for their victorious king to enter his temple, and we will hear the voice of the Messiah giving thanks and praise to God his Father.
As you read, keep in mind our two questions:
What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?
15 Shouts of joy and salvation resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD performs with valor!
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted!
The right hand of the LORD performs with valor!”
17 I will not die, but I will live
and proclaim what the LORD has done.
18 The LORD disciplined me severely,
but He has not given me over to death.19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter and give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I will give You thanks, for You have answered me,
and You have become my salvation.
22 The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is from the LORD,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the LORD has made;
we will rejoice and be glad in it.25 O LORD, save us, we pray.
We beseech You, O LORD, cause us to prosper!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;
He has made His light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords
to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give You thanks.
You are my God, and I will exalt You.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
His loving devotion endures forever.
REFLECTIONS
Now think about the two questions:
What things in this Psalm can I relate to?
Is there anything in the Psalm that makes me think of Jesus?
Then pray, seeking to delight in God or to depend on God.