May the Good Spirit, who taught the psalmist to indite these words help us to feel their inward meaning!
Psalms 118:1. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
Now, do that, dear friends. Before we read another verse let us do that. In your hearts think of the goodness and mercy of God to you-to each one as an individual, and give him thanks now: no murmuring, no coldness of heart. Cast out everything, and give God thanks at this moment. It is the least we can do. It is to our own benefit to be grateful. How can we be holy if we are deficient in that simple matter? « Oh give thanks unto Jehovah, for he is good, because his mercy endureth for ever.»
Psalms 118:2. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
And if there be an elect out of the elect, who live still nearer to God and are doubly consecrated to his service-
Psalms 118:3. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
But let not the praise be confined to these joyous ones. Let the whole church take it up.
Psalms 118:4. Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.
You have tried it: you have proved it. The mercy of God has followed you in all your devious paths. It will follow you even to the end. «His mercy endureth for ever.»
Psalms 118:5. I called upon the LORD in distress:
«I» nothing like coming to particulars and personalities. « I.»
Psalms 118:5-19. The LORD answered me, and set me in a large place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?
«What is man? He is but as the dust before God, and, when God is with us and takes care of us, what can man, that is as a moth, do to God's preserved ones?
Psalms 118:7-19. The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
Now he goes on to detail his experience of trouble and of deliverance.
Psalms 118:10. All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.
David was a warrior. His business was to fight; and he was attacked on every side by all sorts of people. He was shut in, and the Lord was with him; and he broke his way through.
Psalms 118:11-12. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
Thorns crackle and blaze, and then it is all over with them. So it shall be with the adversaries of the believer. « They are quenched as the fire of thorns, for in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.»
Psalms 118:12-13. For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall:
« Thou «: the same great and leading name.
Psalms 118:13-14. But the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
What a poet this man is. Thanksgiving is the tone of a true poet. When a man's heart gets warm, and he begins to adore his God for his boundless mercy, the strain cannot grovel. Gratitude lends its wings better than the fabled Pegasus, and up the mind rises in a majesty of glory. «Jehovah is my strength and song, and he has become my salvation.»
Psalms 118:15-16. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacle of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
He drops into triplets. This is no accident. We meet with these triplets often in the Old Testament. Why three? Why not four? Ah, you know, who can sing, « Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be, world without end.»
Psalms 118:17-18. I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. The LORD hath chastened me sore:
You notice David's rendering of the 13 th verse. To the enemy he says, « Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall.» When he thinks it over he says, «The chastening hand of God is in this, even in my enemy's wicked and malicious attacks. And so he reads it over again, « The Lord hath chastened me sore, but he hath not given me over unto death.» The Roman magistrates had a bundle of rods with an axe tied up in the middle. The children felt the rod, but not the axe. « Thou hast chastened me sore, but thou hast not given me over unto death.»
Psalms 118:18-21. But he hath not given me over unto death. Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD: this gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter. I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.
Another grand verse. Answers to prayer are the notes of our music. If God has heard thee pray, take care that he hear thee praise. Mercies for which we are not thankful will curdle into curses. Take care that thou praise God when he fills thee with his good things, ay, and praise him if he does not.
Bless a taking God as well as a giving God. Is he not equally God whatever he does? Now David sings of himself, but the Spirit of God inspired him to sing of the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of David.
Psalms 118:22-23. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Jewish rulers would not have Christ. They cast him aside as a stone which would not fit their wall, especially because he was a corner stone. They wanted to stand as a lone solitary wall. They did not want to have the corner turned even for the Samaritan-much less for the poor Gentile. But you and I must bless God that, whilst Christ is laid upon the wall of the Jew as a corner stone, he turns a corner for us poor Gentiles that we may be built into the same temple of God. He has become the head stone of the corner.
Psalms 118:24. This is the day which the LORD hath made;
This Sabbath day-this gospel day-«the day that Jehovah hath made.»
Psalms 118:24. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Now, heavy hearts, try and rise to that. This is not the day of doom: this is not the day of curses. It is the day of mercy and of love. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Hosanna. Let us cry Hosanna.
Psalms 118:25-26. Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD:
And again Hosannah.
Psalms 118:26-27. We have blessed you out of the house of the LORD. God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light:
Blessed be his name. We were in the dark before, but he has brought light to our spirit. The light of knowledge, the light of joy, the light of delight, he has brought to us.
Psalms 118:27. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Do that, beloved. Give yourself up to Christ again. Bind yourselves again.
«Tis done; the great transaction's done.
I am my Lord's, and he is mine.
High heaven that heard the solemn vow
That vow renewed this day shall hear.»
Present it to your God. « Bind the sacrifice with cords, even with cords unto the horns of the altar.»
Psalms 118:28-29. Thou art my God, and I will praise them: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.