HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER

Passage: Psalms 118:1-29

Key verse: 118:29

NIV

Psalm 118

1 Give thanks to the Lord,(A) for he is good;(B)
    his love endures forever.(C)

2 Let Israel say:(D)
    “His love endures forever.”(E)
3 Let the house of Aaron say:(F)
    “His love endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord(G) say:
    “His love endures forever.”

5 When hard pressed,(H) I cried to the Lord;
    he brought me into a spacious place.(I)
6 The Lord is with me;(J) I will not be afraid.
    What can mere mortals do to me?(K)
7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper.(L)
    I look in triumph on my enemies.(M)

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord(N)
    than to trust in humans.(O)
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    than to trust in princes.(P)
10 All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(Q)
11 They surrounded me(R) on every side,(S)
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,(T)
    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;(U)
    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.(V)
13 I was pushed back and about to fall,
    but the Lord helped me.(W)
14 The Lord is my strength(X) and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.(Y)

15 Shouts of joy(Z) and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand(AA) has done mighty things!(AB)
16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”
17 I will not die(AC) but live,
    and will proclaim(AD) what the Lord has done.
18 The Lord has chastened(AE) me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.(AF)
19 Open for me the gates(AG) of the righteous;
    I will enter(AH) and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord(AI)
    through which the righteous may enter.(AJ)
21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;(AK)
    you have become my salvation.(AL)

22 The stone(AM) the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;(AN)
23 the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous(AO) in our eyes.
24 The Lord has done it this very day;
    let us rejoice today and be glad.(AP)

25 Lord, save us!(AQ)
    Lord, grant us success!

26 Blessed is he who comes(AR) in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.[b](AS)
27 The Lord is God,(AT)
    and he has made his light shine(AU) on us.
With boughs in hand,(AV) join in the festal procession
    up[c] to the horns of the altar.(AW)

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;
    you are my God,(AX) and I will exalt(AY) you.

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 118:14 Or song
  2. Psalm 118:26 The Hebrew is plural.
  3. Psalm 118:27 Or Bind the festal sacrifice with ropes / and take it
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

118 (A)Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

2 (B)Let Israel say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3 (C)Let the house of Aaron say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4 (D)Let those who fear the Lord say,
    “His steadfast love endures forever.”

5 (E)Out of my distress I (F)called on the Lord;
    the Lord answered me and set me (G)free.
6 (H)The Lord is on my side; (I)I will not fear.
    What can man do to me?
7 (J)The Lord is on my side as my helper;
    I shall (K)look in triumph on those who hate me.

8 (L)It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    (M)than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord
    (N)than to trust in princes.

10 (O)All nations surrounded me;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12 (P)They surrounded me like bees;
    they went out like (Q)a fire among thorns;
    in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13 I was (R)pushed hard,[a] so that I was falling,
    but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my song;
    (S)he has become my salvation.
15 Glad songs of salvation
    are in the tents of the righteous:
(T)“The right hand of the Lord (U)does valiantly,
16     the right hand of the Lord exalts,
    the right hand of the Lord (V)does valiantly!”

17 (W)I shall not die, but I shall live,
    and (X)recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has (Y)disciplined me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.

19 (Z)Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
    (AA)the righteous shall enter through it.
21 I thank you that (AB)you have answered me
    (AC)and have become my salvation.
22 (AD)The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.[b]
23 This is the Lord's doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we pray, O Lord!
    O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26 (AE)Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
    We (AF)bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
    and he has made (AG)his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
    up to (AH)the horns of the altar!

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will (AI)extol you.
29 (AJ)Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 118:13 Hebrew You (that is, the enemy) pushed me hard
  2. Psalm 118:22 Hebrew the head of the corner
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

First, he has become my salvation (1-16). The Psalmist expressed God's unfailing love to Israel and all who fear the Lord. Where did he receive such confidence in God's love? He went through the times of being hard pressed and severely threatened by his enemies. There he took refuge in the Lord. When he did, God revealed himself, saving him and the nation. The Lord proved himself to be their strength and defense, their salvation. His right hand was lifted high. Second, you are my God, and I will praise you (17-29). In these verses we see the Psalmist's very personal spiritual struggle when his nation was threatened. He accepted it as God's chastening, which at the same time was the gate through which he could enter into God's righteousness. It is a foreshadowing of the refuge that Jesus provides for his people. He is at the same time the crucified and our eternal salvation. It is beyond what we can see with our eyes, yet it is the very place where God is revealed to all nations. For this we bless and praise God. In this way his enduring love is revealed.

Prayer: Lord, help me to take refuge in you, that I may know your enduring love.

One Word: Thank God for his enduring love