Psalm 118 Mar. 8  1Give thanks to Yahweh for He is good, for His grace endures forever. 2Let Israel now say that His grace endures forever. 3Let the house of Aaron now say that His grace endures forever. 4Now let those who fear Yahweh say that His grace endures forever. 5Out of my distress, I called on Yah; Yah answered me with freedom. 6Yahweh is on my side, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me? 7Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me. 8It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in man. 9It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes. 10All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of Yahweh, I cut them off. 11They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the name of Yahweh I indeed cut them off. 12They surrounded me like bees but they are quenched like the burning thorns. In the name of Yahweh I cut them off. 13You pushed me back hard to make me fall, but Yahweh helped me. 14Yah is my strength and song, He has become my salvation. 15The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly. 16The right hand of Yahweh is exalted! The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly! 17I will not die, but live, and declare Yah’s works. 18Yah has punished me severely, but He has not given me over to death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will enter into them. I will give thanks to Yah. 20This is the gate of Yahweh; the righteous will enter into it. 21I will give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and have become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner. 23This is Yahweh’s doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. 24This is the day that Yahweh has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it! 25Save us now, we beg You, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg You, send prosperity now. 26Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed you out of the house of Yahweh. 27Yahweh is God, and He has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar. 28You are my God, and I will give thanks to You; You are my God, I will exalt You. 29Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good, for His grace endures forever.    

Commentary

118:22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner- Quoted by Jesus about Himself in Mt. 21:42. The Jews were the “builders” (Acts 4:11) who rejected Christ by crucifying Him, but He resurrected to become the corner stone of the new spiritual temple which is being built (Eph. 2:20; 1 Pet. 2:6,7). Non-Christian religions cannot be the way to God because the foundation and critical point of our spiritual building can only be the resurrected Christ.
118:25 Save us now- ‘Hosanna’ is the Greek word for ‘Save now!’. This and :26 “Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yahweh!” were quoted by the crowds in Mt. 21:9. They perceived Jesus as Messiah in the terms of this Psalm, but that same crowd were screaming “Crucify Him!” just days later. This is how fickle our nature is.