Psalm 118:1–22 |
Celebrate God for His Eternal Grace |
v. 1 Opening—the Theme of Psalm 118
vv. 2–4 The Psalmist Exhorts those in the Age of Israel to Recognize God’s Grace
vv. 5–9 It is Better to Trust in Jehovah than in Man
vv. 10–14 God Delivers the Psalmist in National Disaster
vv. 15–18 God Works in the Lives of Believers
vv. 19–21 God has Opened up the Gates of Righteousness
vv. 22–27 Jesus Christ is the Lord God of Israel
v. 28–29 Closing—the Theme of the Psalm
Charts, Short Doctrines and Maps:
Introduction Differing Views on Who Authored Psalm 118 and When
Introduction Arguments which Favor David as the Author of Psalm 118
Introduction Arguments Against David Being the Author of Psalm 118
Introduction Which Arguments are Without Merit?
Introduction Why Do We Speculate at All?
Introduction Three General Interpretations of the NIV Study Bible
Introduction The Repetitions of Psalm 118
Introduction A Few Points on Grace
v. 3 How Psalm 118 Might be Sung
v. 4 The Repetitions found in Psalm 118:1–4
v. 5 Keil and Delitzsch Explain Psalm 118:5?
v. 7 The Proper Interpretation of Psalm 118:7
v. 8 Barnes Explains Psalm 118:8
v. 8 Other Exegetes Comment on Psalm 118:8
v. 8 Parallel Passages to Psalm 118:8
v. 8 Psalm 118:8 is the Middle Verse of the Bible
v. 9 Just what the Hell is he Talking About?
v. 10 The Structure of Psalm 118
v. 12 An Account of a Bee Attack
v. 12 The Iliad Borrows from Scripture?
v. 16 The Right Hand of Jehovah in Relation to the Trinity
v. 19 To What do the Gates of Righteousness Refer?
v. 20 How Should we Translate Psalm 118:20b?
v. 22 What Makes a Psalm (or Any Portion of Scripture) Messianic?
v. 22 Proper Interpretation of Messianic Passages
v. 22 Scofield’s Notes on Messianic Psalms
v. 23 The Messianic Passages
v. 23 Christ is Foreshadowed in the Old Testament
v. 24 How Long is a Day?
v. 25 The Jewish Use of Psalm 118 in Ceremony
v. 27 Lame Commentary on Psalm 118:27
v. 29 God’s Grace in Psalm 118
Doctrines Covered |
Doctrines Alluded To |
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ntroduction: Psalm 118 is a psalm about grace and a psalm about God’s direct dealings with man in this life.
Luther names this as his favorite psalm, adding, [it] had helped him out of troubles out of which neither emperor
nor king, nor any other man on earth, could have helped him.
Although, to the casual reader, this psalm
appears to jump from topic to topic, the key to each stanza is God’s everlasting grace. Now, how can you speak
of grace with mentioning Jesus Christ? Therefore, as we would expect, there will be a portion of this psalm which
is Messianic.
Psalm 118 is one of the many psalms without an inscription. To me, it sounds so Davidic, that I want to called it a psalm of David; unfortunately, we do not know that to be true. No translation of this psalm gives us an inscription with David’s name. This does not mean that David did not write the psalm; but it does mean that we cannot unequivocally call Psalm 118 Davidic.
I write a great deal of the commentary before I ever look at what another commentator has written.
However, concerning authorship, Barnes writes: Of the authorship of this psalm, and the occasion on
which it was composed, nothing can now be ascertained with certainty. The common opinion has been
that it is a psalm of David, and that it was composed when his troubles with Saul ceased, and when he
was recognized as king. Some, however, have referred it to Hezekiah on the occasion of his restoration
from sickness; others to the time of the return from the Babylonian exile; and others to the time of the
Maccabees. It would be useless to examine these opinions, as they are all of them mere conjecture, and
as no certainty can now be arrived at.
For me, it is somewhat comforting to find that I have both
identified the author and placed the psalm where others have done so in the past.
By the way, Barnes goes on to further state that this was a psalm designed to be used in the Temple prior to a sacrifice, based upon v. 27. Certainly, it may have been adapted and used for that purpose; and possibly not. One verse alone does not necessarily determine the final use of a psalm.
Several people weigh in on authorship and the time that the psalm is written, so I might as well organize this into an easy to follow format. |
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Theologian |
Viewpoint |
Albert Barnes |
Most see this psalm as having been written by David shortly after his troubles with Saul had
ceased.
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Adam Clarke |
Clarke also sees this as a psalm of David, although he adds that some place this psalm after
the captivity.
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John Gill |
Gill tells us that this psalm is commonly attributed to David, but after the Ark was brought to
Jerusalem.
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Matthew Henry |
It is probable that David penned this psalm when he had, after many a story, weathered his
point at last, and gained a full possession of the kingdom to which he had been anointed. He
then invites and stirs up his friends to join with him, not only in a cheerful acknowledgment of
God's goodness and a cheerful dependence upon that goodness for the future, but in a
believing expectation of the promised Messiah, of whose kingdom and his exaltation to it his
were typical.
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Keil and Delitzsch |
[A] festival psalm at the dedication of the new Temple...It is without any doubt a post-exilic
song....[this psalm belongs in] the history of the period after the Exile, without any necessity
for our coming down to the Maccabean period.
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Spurgeon |
Spurgeon presents,
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Bear in mind that all of this is just speculation, despite the dogmatism of some. |
This naturally leads us to... |
1. This just seems to be a Davidic psalm. 2. Even though David’s name is not affixed to this psalm, this does not mean that he did not author the psalm. 3. Some say that this must be a post-exilic psalm, quoting Ezra 3:10–11. Just because this psalm was probably sung at the building of the new Temple does not mean that it was written during that time. 4. We find half of this first verse quoted in a David psalm, Psalm 52:1. 5. Probably the strongest argument that David wrote this psalm is that we find an unusual word in v. 5: merechâb (בָחר∵מ) [pronounced mere-KHAWBV]. We find this same word used in a very similar fashion in Psalm 18:19 31:8, both Davidic psalms. This is not a completely rare word—it is also found in 2Sam. 22:20 Hosea 4:16 Habak. 1:6—but it only occurs thrice in the psalms, two of those psalms being Davidic. 6. Psalm 118:6 expresses the same sentiment as we find in Psalm 56:4, 9, 11 (a Davidic psalm). However, other writers of Scripture have expressed the same sentiments (Psalm 146:5 Isa. 51:12 Jer. 20:11 Mic. 7:8-10 Heb. 13:6). 7. In vv. 10–12, it is clear that the man speaking is a man of great power in Israel. This, combined with the use of the name Israel in v. 2 (without a reference to Judah) indicates that the nation is not yet divided. This would make the psalm more than likely written during the united kingdom under a monarchy, with the most likely authors being Saul, David or Solomon. We can probably eliminate Saul, as we have no indication that he wrote anything of spiritual value; and we can eliminate Solomon, as Israel enjoyed great peace under his rule (contrary to vv. 10–12). Given the large number of psalms that we know are written by David, this further suggests that David is the author. 8. V. 13 sounds so much like a personal attack, one of great intensity and repetition, and is very reminiscent of Saul’s many assaults upon David. |
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And, of course... |
1. Psalm 118:1 is almost exactly the same as Psalm 106:1 107:1 136:1; and none of these psalms are attributed to David (no author is named for any of those psalms). 2. This psalm was certainly read during the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 3:10–11). |
And, of course... |
1. That Psalm 118:1 is almost exactly the same as Psalm 106:1 107:1 136:1; and none of these psalms name their authors is not a good argument for or against Davidic authorship. 2. That this psalm was read during the rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 3:10–11) does not mean that it was written at that time. 3. Even though we find the Psalm 118:1 repeated in 1Chron. 16:36, it is unclear whether David or Asaph wrote this psalm which is written there (see 1Chron. 16:7). 4. The fact that we find the phrase His grace [is] forever in a Davidic psalm (Psalm 52:1) does not mean that David wrote every psalm with that line in it. 5. Even though it is clear that the verse Psalm 118:1 was commonly used during the time of David (1Chron. 16:36, 41) and shortly thereafter (2Chron. 5:13), this does not mean that David wrote that line; and, even if he wrote that line, it does not mean that he wrote the psalm. 6. Bear in mind, God the Holy Spirit is properly the author of all of the psalms; so we know that this psalm is God-breathed—the fact that we cannot nail down the human author is immaterial, as it is the message, not the man, which is important. |
As you see, there are surprisingly few arguments for or against David writing this psalm, making the very strong opinions of some theologians without merit. The few arguments which favor David as the author are, at best, moderately persuasive. The key here is the last point: it is not the man, but the message. |
There are those who have listened to both R. B. Thieme Jr. and his son teach, and they definitely have different personalities; however, what is more striking is their different teaching styles. Bob is strongly authoritative and he presents every subject with great dogmatism, whereas Bobby sometimes offers an array of possibilities. Some may be confused by this; some may have rejected Bob’s ministry because of his dogmatism and others may not be able to adjust to Bobby because he sometimes seems wishy-washy. The key is, dogmatism is appropriate when we are dealing with a key element in theology. For instance, is Jesus Christ God? Absolutely and unequivocally yes! Can works be a factor in our salvation? Absolutely and unequivocally no! Did David write this psalm? Well, we don’t know for certain. So, about some things, we will speculate; however, whether David wrote this psalm or not is not going to effect any essential doctrine. |
1. Speculation is fun (for some). 2. Speculation tests one’s powers of logic; there is nothing wrong with approaching Scripture logically. 3. Speculation can lead us to an historical perspective which enriches our understanding of a passage. 4. Speculation can sometimes help to implant other doctrinal principles more firmly in our minds. 5. With this particular psalm, our speculation may help to determine when this psalm should be taught. 6. Sometimes, speculation combined with logic can lead to important doctrinal principles. |
Here is what is important: it is always right to use your brain when examining and studying Scripture. You do not go to sleep with your head resting on a Bible, hoping for great theological points to seep into your mind; you do not ask yourself, how do I feel about this passage or that. God gave us a mind and there is nothing in Scripture which indicates that we should shut our brains down after we believe in Jesus Christ. If you ever walk into a church and they suggest that you slip your brain into neutral, then quickly and immediately walk toward the door, walk out and do not look back. You may think I am kidding here, but the first thing charismatic groups will ask you to do when they want you to get the ghost and speak in tongues is to stop thinking so much and open your mouth and make some sounds and let it happen to you. |
According to the NIV Study Bible, there are 3 general interpretations of this psalm: in general, this psalm is a
hymn of thanksgiving for deliverance from enemies.
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Theory |
Commentary, Pro and Con: |
A Davidic king leads the nation in a liturgy of thanksgiving for deliverance and victory after a hard-fought battle with a powerful confederacy of nations. 2Chron. 20:27–28 describes such a situation with Jehoshaphat. |
The problem with this interpretation is a reference to
Israel in v. 2; we would expect to read Judah instead,
as that is the name of the southern kingdom over
which Jehoshaphat ruled (the same criticism could be
applied to any king after the time of Solomon).
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Israel celebrates—probably the Feast of Tabernacles—her deliverance from Egypt and victory over the Canaanites. The speaker, according to the NIV Study Bible, would have to be a Levitical or priestly leader speaking (representatively) on behalf of the people. |
There is good support for this: the mention of Aaron (v. 3) as well as the protrusions (horns) of the altar (v. 27). The problem is, who would the author be? In vv. 10–12, this has to be written by a military leader of Israel—yet we find in v. 18 severe discipline laid upon this same person, almost to the point of death. We know nothing of this sort of experience with Moses, Joshua or Caleb, our only real possible authors from this time period. Furthermore, suggesting that Aaron or another priest wrote this ignores the military leadership indicated by vv. 10–12 and the severe discipline of v. 18—which we are unable to match up with any Levite of that time period. |
The postexilic Jews celebrate deliverance from their enemies, either at the dedication of the second temple (see Ezra 6:16) or at the dedication of the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem (see Neh. 12:37–43). Again, the NIV Study Bible says that the writer is a Levite or a priestly leader. |
All of this would properly take place in Judah, and therefore, the reference to Israel in v. 2 would not fit. Secondly, we do not know of an author from this time period who would have been under the severe discipline of v. 18. And again, a military leader is what we find in vv. 10–12, not a Levite or priestly leader. |
A 4th interpretation, not found in the NIV Study Bible is, this is a Davidic psalm celebrating victories against Israel’s many enemies which surrounded her. |
David fits the bill as the author quite well. He is a military leader, which fits with vv. 10–12. He was severely disciplined, which fits with v. 18. David did lead the united nation known as Israel, which fits with v. 2. And, although we find few references to the family of Aaron during the time of David, he does gather them in 1Chron. 15:4. |
I know that I have kicked the authorship of David around for some time, before we have even begun this psalm, and I think it is clear that, the alternatives to Davidic authorship do not stand up to scrutiny. I have spent about a month so far on this psalm, and have finally convinced myself of its Davidic authorship. |
Everything found in this introduction might make more sense after you have studied the psalm in its entirety. |
As is quite obvious, so far, this psalm is filled with tables. For me, I insert tables for two similar reasons: (1) some information just organizes better if put into a table. It is easier to read, easier to remember, and the points made are more clearly made (as compared to the same points being made within a paragraph of explanation. (2) Tables break up the monotony of paragraph after paragraph of text. In a novel, this may not be as important; however, in works of nonfiction, a table not only helps to organize information, but it draws your attention to that information in a way that simple text would not.
This psalm seems to be able to be easily broken down into 6 sections of uneven length—besides and opening and a closing—and, in many ways, what appear to be almost completely unrelated topics. It is as though one sat down, wrote a few verses; then came back to this psalm a year or two later, and added a half dozen verses, and continued that way over a decade or so. That was at first glance. Upon a more careful read, this psalm appears to be, in some ways, a history of Israel, leading up to the first advent of Jesus Christ, with the continued theme of God’s eternal grace applied in all situations.
I think the psalmist knew that we might have trouble tying everything together; therefore, he begins and closes with
the same lines, exhorting us to praise and celebrate God because He is absolute good and because His grace is
forever. If we keep this in mind, then each section of this psalm will present that common theme, but from a
different point of view or situation. It is as though the psalmist takes us by the hand and says, “In case you don’t
get it, this is what this psalm is all about.” As to its disparate sense, Keil and Delitzsch comment: each verse has
of itself its completed sense, its own scent and hue; one thought is joined to another as branch to branch and flower
to flower.
May I add, the trunk of this plant is grace and God’s dealings in our lives, and each section is an offshoot
of these two things.
This psalm is clearly written in the Age of Israel, as the psalmist calls to Israel, to the house of Aaron and to those who fear/respect God to acknowledge that God’s grace is forever (vv. 2–4). Again, the theme of this psalm is beat into our heads, in case we don’t get it at first.
The psalmist himself has been in a spot of trouble, which is not clearly defined at first. He calls out to God and God hears and answers him. The psalmist finds out firsthand that one may trust God more than one can trust man (vv. 5–9). In v. 10, the problems of the psalmist are defined, and it becomes clear that this psalmist is not just some Joe Schmo selling squash at the local farmer’s market. Nations surround him, which has always been the case for little Israel, and, even though these nations surround him like bees, because of God’s faithfulness and character, the psalmist will cut them off (which would make him probably a king-general, which suggests that this is David) (vv. 11–12). Even though there were times when the psalmist felt he was knocked down, God then became his strength (vv. 13–14).
The psalmist celebrates what God has done. Those who have been justified shout with joy that God’s right hand (His strength—one might even refer here to Jesus Christ) has accomplished His will (vv. 15–16). The psalmist was in a place where it appeared that he might die, but he praises God because he will live. Then he admits that he has been under severe discipline, which he responded to (vv. 17–18).
In vv. 19–21, the psalmist enters in through the gates of righteousness, because he has been justified and God has become his salvation.
Then we come to an incredible place in this psalm where the psalmist begins to speak of the stone, Jesus Christ, which the builders rejected—that that stone has because the chief cornerstone, the essential component to God’s salvation (v. 22). The psalmist calls out to the Lord to deliver him and to give him prosperity (vv. 23–25).
Interestingly enough, Dr. Kennicott places vv. 22–27 with the chorus.
This is an interesting thought which I will
have to ponder. Perhaps if this psalm were sung, this would be sung by the choir, whereas the rest of the psalm
would be sung by a solo performer. It is a thought; but I don’t know whether I agree, or whether it makes a
difference when it comes to interpreting the psalm.
In the final section, the psalmist blesses God for what He has done, that God has enlightened them and this is associated with the animal sacrifice, which, again, is Jesus Christ. Again, gratitude is expressed, and God is exalted in all of this. Vv. 26–28. Then the psalmist closes, exhorting us to give thanks to God, because God is absolute good and because God’s grace lasts forever (v. 29).
What stands out in this psalm is the continual repetitions: |
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Scripture |
Text |
Psalm 118:1–3 |
O give thanks to Jehovah; for He is good; because His mercy endures forever. Let Israel now say that His mercy endures forever. Let the house of Aaron now say that His mercy endures forever. |
Psalm 118:6–7 |
[Because] Yehowah [is] for me, I am not afraid; what can man do to me? Yehowah [is] for me in helping me, that I look upon the one hating me. |
Psalm 118:8–9 |
It is better to trust in Jehovah than to trust in man. It is better to trust in Jehovah than to trust in princes. |
Psalm 118:10–12 |
All the nations surround me, but in the name of Jehovah I will destroy them. They surround me; yea, they surround me, but in the name of Jehovah I will destroy them. They surround me like bees; they are put out like the fire of thorns; for in the name of Jehovah I will cut them off. |
Psalm 118:14, 21 |
Jehovah is my strength and song, and He is my salvation. I will praise You; for You have heard me, and You are my salvation. |
Psalm 118:15–16 |
The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of Jehovah does mighty things. The right hand of Jehovah is lifted up; the right hand of Jehovah does mighty things. |
Psalm 118:1, 29 |
O give thanks to Jehovah; for He is good; because His mercy endures forever. Oh give thanks to Jehovah; for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. |
Because this is a psalm, we should expect some repetition; repetition lends itself to music much more than does a collection of disparate verses. However, I think we find more repetition here than in the average psalm. |
The key which unlocks Psalm 118 is grace; therefore, we should examine... |
1. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. a. Although this is accurate, this is also an anemic definition. b. That God gives us what we do not deserve is grace; but this definition tells us little or nothing about grace. That is, we have no idea where is comes from, or why it is given to us. 2. Grace is all that God is able to do for us based upon the cross. a. God is perfect and His character is perfect. All that can be depended upon depends upon His perfect character and consistency. b. Man is imperfect and inconsistent. What is against the law one day, is not against the law the next. What is considered obvious in the realm of right and wrong one day is questioned the next. There is no one person that you can depend upon in all instances; there is nothing devised by man which can be depended upon in all instances. c. We depend upon God’s perfection for our very existence; therefore, we would not want God to be anything other than perfect. d. Because God is perfect, He cannot have a relationship with imperfection. God cannot have fellowship with those who are in rebellion against Him. God cannot heap eternal rewards upon those who violate His perfect norms and standards again and again. e. It is God’s very perfection and perfect righteousness and perfect dependability which makes it impossible for us to have an eternal relationship with Him. Therefore, it is God’s character, on the one hand, is the only thing in this life upon which we can depend; but, His perfection, is the one thing which prevents us from enjoying a relationship with Him. f. Therefore, we are dependent upon the cross. 3. Why the cross of Jesus Christ is the basis of grace: a. There are three things which stand between us and God. i. First of all, at birth, we have Adam’s imputed sin. Adam, as the federal head of the human race, sinned, and, therefore, he sinned for all of us. When the Declaration of Independence was approved and signed, the people of the United States were officially declared independent from England, the motherland; and most certainly, there were those in the United States who opposed this decision. Apart from joining the other side, this placed all Americans against England. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence acted as federal heads for Americans and plunged us into war against England. Adam, as our federal head, plunged us into war against God. We were all in Adam when he sinned; therefore, his sin was imputed to all of us. God cannot have fellowship with those who are at war with Him. ii. We are all born with an old sin nature. That is, we all have a genetic propensity to sin. We each have our own individual weaknesses, and there are some Christians who manage to parlay their weaknesses into what appear to be a Christian life (e.g., self righteousness); but we all have a propensity to sin. There are dozens of sins in Scripture which we can usually point to and admit that we are tempted to commit those sins. God cannot have fellowship with one, who, by his very nature, is prone to sin. iii. We have all commit personal sins. From the earliest years, when we first have the slightest inkling of right and wrong, have done things which are against God. This is something which we continue to do, every day, each and every day of our lives. God cannot have an eternal relationship with those who do that which is abhorrent to His nature. b. Therefore, God, not man, did something about these problems; God did something about the natural barrier between man and Himself. That is the cross. c. On the cross, as Jesus hung between heaven and hell, God took the punishment which all men deserve for their rebellion against Him and poured this punishment upon Jesus Christ. We would each deserve eternal separation from God in a place of judgment (the Lake of Fire). This is what we deserve. Therefore, because God’s justice is perfect, He demands that of us. Jesus Christ stood between God and man and took this punishment upon Himself. i. Jesus Christ did not endure the suffering for the sins of one person. God took all of the punishment due every single person who has ever lived and who will live and poured those sins out on Jesus Christ. ii. God administered judgment for those millions of millions of sins on Jesus Christ. iii. In mathematics, we learn to take the sum of an infinite number of things so that they add up to equal a finite sum. For instance, 0.1 + 0.01 + 0.001 + 0.0001 + ... = 1/9. Even though it is impossible to actually sit down and add these continual series of numbers together individually, as we are adding an infinite number of numbers together, mathematics allows us to add them up in a matter of seconds, as though we have spent an infinite amount of time adding them together. God has the ability to take the sins of billions of people, the punishment which these people deserve, which would last into eternity for each person, and add that punishment together and pour it all upon Jesus Christ for 3 hours of the cross. iv. Because God’s perfect justice was satisfied on the cross, there is no longer anything which stands between us and God in eternity. v. At this point, God gives us the choice of spending eternity with Him or without Him. That is what life is all about. We get to make this choice in life. It is a choice and we all make this choice (apart from those who die to young to have any real concept of God or fellowship with Him). vi. Because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross, we can choose, in time, what will happen to us in eternity. The work of Jesus Christ on the cross removed all barriers between God and us, so once we are separated from our body of sin at death, our choice in life determines our eternal relationship with God—that is, whether we have a relationship or not. d. This is the very essence of grace. The fact that, even though we spend our lives doing that which God has told us is wrong, we are still allowed fellowship with Him—based upon the cross. Because Jesus Christ took upon Himself the punishment for our sins, God’s perfect justice and righteousness are satisfied. In the human realm, if there is a fine assessed against someone by a court, the court could care less who pays that fine—if it gets paid, then the offense of that person is forgiven. When someone is convicted of a crime, whether he committed the crime or not, all investigations of that crime cease, because the crime is being paid for (this is an analogy, so don’t push it; all analogies break down if you push them too far). e. Because Jesus Christ took upon Himself the punishment for our sins, the three things which stood between ourselves and God—Adam’s imputed sin, our old sin nature, and our personal sins—are no longer issues. But, because we have freewill and because God is a gentleman, at that point, we get to choose between eternity with God or eternity without God. God made that choice simple: believe in Jesus Christ, and we have eternal life; reject Jesus Christ, and God’s wrath is upon us for rejection of Him (John 3:16, 18, 36). What we believe in, is a choice. However, that is the topic of a whole other set of points. 4. Because of the cross, God is no longer at enmity with us. Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man (1Tim. 2:5 Heb. 8:6). Jesus Christ mediated peace between God and man (Luke 2:14 John 14:27 16:33 Acts 10:36 Rom. 1:17 5:1 10:15). Peace, by the way, is one of the great words of theology, which is rarely studied and rarely given the time it deserves. The fact that there is peace between God and man is a matter of grace. 5. Because there is nothing theoretically which stands between man and God, God blesses us on the basis of the cross. God has given me great blessing and has shown great faithfulness to me; and I guarantee you that I would never hold myself up at the epitome of what a believer should be. I do not deserve anything which God has given me. I have not earned anything which God has given me. I have received multifarious blessings, and I do not deserve them. This is grace. 6. God’s grace in eternity and in time is available to all men (and women, of course). It begins by believing in Jesus Christ. This is your non-meritorious act of positive volition. If you depend upon what Jesus Christ did for you on the cross; if you are willing to accept that as the basis of your relationship to God, then you will become a recipient of grace in time and in eternity. Bear in mind, the alternative is standing upon your own works and good deeds in order to deserve God’s favor (I don’t know about you, but no way do I present God with my meager set of accomplishments and good deeds and say, “Yep, here I am, God. I am pretty damn good, don’t You think?”). 7. God’s grace in time: a. God allows us to live on this earth after salvation because God has a plan for us. b. Let’s go to the analogy: Team A is going to win a football game, no matter what. God gives us the opportunity to be on Team A, and to run this or that play. Now, we can sit on the bench and watch the game and know we are going to win, and share in that win; or we can play a quarter of the game and enjoy playing the game. That is God’s grace—He gives us the opportunity to participate in His plan or the choice not to. c. There are certain basics in this life. First of all, after salvation, after you believe in Jesus Christ, you are going to sin. You might sin within 1 minute of being saved. This breaks up your relationship with God in time. God has provided a simple and easy way to restore that fellowship: you name your sin to God (1Cor. 11:31 1John 1:9). You might feel good about the sin; you might even want to do it again. You might feel ashamed and despondent. You might not have any emotional reaction to having committed this sin. These things are not issues. You simply acknowledge that sin to God; you simply name that sin to God. Like salvation, this takes a few seconds, it involves no works and no actual effort on your part. There is no penance, there is nothing you must do which is meritorious in order to restore your fellowship with God. You simply name your sin to Him, and God forgives you for that sin and for any other sin that you have committed which you did not realize was a sin (1John 1:9). That is grace. This allows us to function in God’s plan; to play our quarter of the game. d. The second basic in life is Bible doctrine. You must have some idea as to what is going on. God has made it possible for you personally to get all of the good Bible teaching that you need. What you do in life depends upon what you know. You can be in fellowship with God, but not have a clue as to what to do. That is the believer who has no doctrine. That sort of believer often imitates other Christians he admires; or he does his very best to not sin; or he does what he believes to be nice and good things. At best, what this kind of a believer does is neutral. Not good, not bad; simply neutral, with no eternal repercussions. With doctrine, you have some initial training; you have an idea as to what you can do. Let’s go back to the analogy of the football game. Without doctrine, if you are sent out on the field, you have no idea what to do. At best, you can stand there in the middle of the field and watch what everyone else does, or you can imitate those on your team, who may or may not be executing the correct game plan. However, the more you know about football, the more you are able to participate. The more you have trained, the more help you are to your team. So it is in time with God’s plan for your life. The more you know about God’s plan and God’s purpose, the more of a contribution you can make. Now, don’t misunderstand me. You can get saved and never get back into fellowship after that first sin. You can never learn an iota of God’s Word. This will not affect your eternal salvation. It simply affects your life in time; and your life in time is merely a drop in the bucket when it comes to eternity. In any case, it is God’s grace which allows you the opportunity to get Bible doctrine; and it is God’s grace which allows you to participate in the game. It is your choice as to what you will do in time. e. A third basic is the application of doctrine. You learn God’s Word, so now you get to apply God’s Word. This can be extremely simple: naming your sins to God is an application of doctrine. Dropping a dollar (or whatever) in the collection plate can be an application of doctrine. When someone unleashes a verbal tirade against you, and you maintain your composure and choose not to respond in kind; that can be an application of doctrine. When someone gossips about you and maligns you behind you don’t respond with thoughts of bitterness or hatred; you don’t run around and find everyone they speak to, and give your side of the story. This can be an application of doctrine. f. A fourth basic is training. God trains you in life. We face testing, so that we can strengthen our faith in Him. For anyone who has trained in any sport, this is easy to understand. The first time you run a mile, you might run and walk that distance and do it in 10 minutes (or, who knows, maybe 30 minutes). However, as you train more and more, you might bring it down to 8 minutes, and then to 6. It takes training, doing the same thing over and over, in order to get better. God gives us the opportunity to train in this life. We will find our faith tested again and again. God starts out simple and progressively increases the pressure. The idea is, we get better and better at it. We get to learn how to apply our faith. We get to learn how to apply principles of doctrine. All of this glorifies God and all of this is His grace. Again, we get to participate if we so choose. g. God has also given us basic problem solving devices. I will cover these at another time, but they are taught at Berachah as being the faith-rest technique, personal and impersonal love, etc. Again, the opportunity to use these problem solving devices is God’s grace. 8. Grace in eternity: a. No matter what kind of a life you lead here as a believer; no matter how lame it is—even if you spend your entire Christian life out of fellowship—God will provide for you in eternity and you will live in perfect blessing and prosperity in eternity. That is grace. It is completely undeserved. b. Even though an eternal relationship with God is promised to all of us in eternity, something which in itself is beyond our imagination, God gives even more to other believers. That is, going back to the analogy of the football team: we all share in the glory of winning; however, some of us will be in the victory parade; some of us will get to ride in convertibles in this parade; and some of us will be carried on the shoulders of our teammates in victory. That is, God gives even greater grace to the humble (grace-oriented). 9. As this psalm says, God’s grace is everlasting; it endures forever. It is an essential part of God’s character, just as justice and righteousness. 10. To sum up, grace is all that God is able to do for us on the basis of the cross. We are, by our very nature and our actions, at enmity with God—and Jesus Christ is able to establish peace between God and us and to give us an eternal relationship with God, even though we have not earned or deserved that relationship. |
Opening—the Theme of Psalm 118
Slavishly literal: |
|
Moderately literal: |
Give thanks to Yehowah for [He is] good; for to perpetuity [is] His grace. |
Psalm 118:1 |
Give thanks to Yehowah because [He is] good; [and] because His grace [is] forever. |
Give thanks to Jehovah, for He is good; His grace endures forever. |
||
Here is how others have handled this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic Text Give thanks to Yehowah
for [He is] good;
for to perpetuity [is] His grace.
Peshitta O, give thanks to the Lord; for He is good and His mercy endures forever.
Septuagint Alleluia. Give thanks to the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endures forever. [This is Psalm 117 in the Septuagint].
Significant differences: None.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV Tell the LORD how thankful you are, because he is kind and always merciful.
The Message Thank GOD because he's good, because his love never quits.
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ Give thanks to the LORD because he is good, because his mercy endures forever.
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
HCSB Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
Young’s Updated LT Give thanks to Jehovah, For [He is] good, for to the age is His kindness.
What is the gist of this verse? The opening and closing lines of this psalm invoke us to give thanks to Jehovah God for two reasons: He is good and His grace lasts forever.
Psalm 118:1a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
yâdâh (הָדָי) [pronounced yaw-AWH] |
give thanks, praise, celebrate; confess |
2nd person masculine plural, Hiphil imperative |
Strong’s #3034 BDB #392 |
lâmed (ל) [pronounced le] |
to, for, towards, in regards to |
directional/relational preposition |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
YHWH (הוהי) [pronunciation is possibly yhoh-WAH] |
transliterated variously as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah |
proper noun |
Strong’s #3068 BDB #217 |
Translation: Give thanks to Yehowah... The psalm begins like a prayer; the writer begins his prayer by thanking Jehovah, the God of Israel, which is the most reasonable beginning for any prayer.
Psalm 118:1b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
kîy (י̣) [pronounced kee] |
for, that, because; when, at that time, which, what time |
conjunction; preposition |
Strong's #3588 BDB #471 |
ţôwb (בט) [pronounced tohbv] |
pleasant, pleasing, agreeable, good, better; approved |
masculine singular adjective which acts like a substantive |
Strong’s #2896 BDB #373 |
Translation: ...because [He is] good;... There are actually only two words here; however, attributing good to Jehovah God is the most reasonable interpretation here. The idea is, God’s plan and purposes are for absolute good, something which is difficult for our finite minds to comprehend, given what we find in this world. However, in the light of eternity, it will become clear to us that God is good, and are His purposes, motives, and plan.
Psalm 118:1c |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
kîy (י̣) [pronounced kee] |
for, that, because; when, at that time, which, what time |
conjunction; preposition |
Strong's #3588 BDB #471 |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
preposition |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
׳ôwlâm (םָלע) [pronounced ģo-LAWM] |
long duration, forever, perpetuity, antiquity, futurity |
masculine singular noun |
Strong’s #5769 BDB #761 |
׳ôwlâm together with the lâmed preposition mean forever |
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cheçed (ד∵ס∵ח) [pronounced KHEH-sed] |
grace, benevolence, mercy, kindness |
masculine singular noun with the 3rd person masculine singular suffix |
Strong's #2617 BDB #338 |
Translation: ...[and] because His grace [is] forever. This verse frames the psalm; it is the first and final verse; God’s grace is eternal; it is a part of His nature forever. We only His grace as sinners. It is impossible to even begin to fathom what His grace will mean to us when we are completely cleansed. However, this psalm tells us that His grace is forever. That would indicate that we be beneficiaries of that grace forever as well.
This psalm may be closely associated with Psalm 136: in the first half of the first 3 verses of Psalm 136, we are told, in various ways, to give thanks to God. In the second half of every verse of Psalm 136, we are told that God’s grace is eternal. Psalm 136:1 = Psalm 118:1 = Psalm 118:29; and the second half of every verse in Psalm 136 exactly matches the second half of Psalm 118:1, 29. Both psalms may be associated with Ezra 3:10–11, as it is clear that either or both of these psalms were sung at this time. Apart from the similarity of theme, these psalms diverge greatly in subject matter. Psalm 136 is an historical perspective beginning with God’s creation of the earth and taken to the Jews’ trek through the desert toward the Land of Promise. Psalm 118 is a more personal psalm, written by one man, concerning his own experiences (although he takes the subject matter beyond his direct experience).
I should also mention that, Psalm 118:1 is almost identical to Psalm 106:1 107:1 136:1, 26 1Chron. 16:34, 41 2Chron. 5:13 7:3, 6 20:21 Jer. 33:11 and part of it may be found in Psalm 52:1 136:2–25 138:8. That we should be thankful to God on the basis of His grace, which lasts forever, is certainly a sentiment worth repeating throughout Scripture. I’ve spoken earlier that this could perhaps be a Davidic psalm—well, none of the psalms named have David’s name attached to them.
We have a better understanding of God’s grace today than David did; however, even from our perspective, it is not by any means a complete and full understanding. However, we see God’s grace in salvation. To God, we are completely unlovable. Take the human being from this earth, living or dead, whom you see as the worst, most absolute hateful human you can imagine. Some may choose a recent serial killer-rapists; others may choose Hitler—and repulsive as we find that person, God finds us even more repulsive. As far apart from that person we have chosen as our moral opposite, God finds us even further away from His perfect character. And yet, even with all of this, God took on the form of a man, suffered every indignity possible as a man, never sinned, never even had a mental attitude sin, and, not only did He endure all of this, but then He took upon Himself the punishment that we deserve for the sins that we have committed. Everyone of us deserves eternal damnation—eternal separation from God—it is in our nature to be against God; it is a part of our daily choice to be against God. And yet, while we were sinners, Christ died for us. I don’t think there is a person alive who even has a clue as to how far we are from God and how undeserving we are. On the other hand, this world is filled with millions of people who see themselves as standing at the gates of heaven, and God looking them over and saying, “Oh, yeah; Charlie Brown—you’re alright; come on in and let’s hang!” Do you see how blissfully arrogant that is? And yet, even with us being filled with such arrogance, Christ died for us. That’s grace; and that is only grace with regards to salvation—that is but the tip of the iceberg.
The Psalmist Exhorts those in the Age of Israel to Recognize God's Grace
Says, I pray, Israel, that, “For to perpetuity His grace.” |
Psalm 118:2 |
Let Israel proclaim, “His grace [is] forever.” |
Let Israel also proclaim, “His grace is forever.” |
||
Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic Text Says, I pray, Israel, that,
“For to perpetuity His grace.”
Septuagint Let now the house of Israel say, that He is good: for his mercy endures for ever.
Significant differences: In the LXX, in both the 2nd through 4th verses, that God is good is repeated; however, we do not find this in the MT or the Peshitta. Interestingly enough, in the Latin, we find this addition in v. 2 but not in v. 3 or v. 4.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV Let Israel shout, "God is always merciful!"
The Message Tell the world, Israel, "His love never quits."
NLT Let the congregation of Israel repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ Israel should say, "His mercy endures forever."
JPS (Tanakh) Let Israel declare,
“His steadfast love is eternal.”
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
HCSB Let Israel say, "His faithful love endures forever."
MKJV Let Israel now say that His mercy endures forever.
Young's Literal Translation I pray you, let Israel say, That, to the age is His kindness.
What is the gist of this verse? The psalmist calls for Israel to say that God’s grace lasts forever.
Psalm 118:2a |
|||
Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
âmar (ר ַמ ָא) [pronounced aw-MAHR] |
to say, to speak, to utter; to say [to oneself], to think |
3rd person masculine singular, Qal imperfect |
Strong’s #559 BDB #55 |
nâ (אָנ) [pronounced naw] |
please, I pray you, I respectfully implore (ask, or request of) you, I urge you |
particle of entreaty |
Strong's #4994 BDB #609 |
Nâ is used to express a wish (Job 32:21: “Oh, that I may not respect any man’s person”); to incite or to urge (Jer. 5:24); it is depreciatory when affixed to the 2nd person with a particle of negation (do not, I implore you—see Gen. 33:10 19:18); with the it expresses a wish or request (Psalm 124 129:1 SOS 7:9), a challenge (Jer. 17:15), asking leave (Gen. 18:4), and depreciation with a negation (Gen. 18:32). In many of these examples, we would express this with the addition of the word let. |
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Yiserâêl (לֵאָר ׃̣י) [pronounced yis-raw-ALE] |
transliterated Israel |
masculine proper noun |
Strong’s #3478 BDB #975 |
kîy (י̣) [pronounced kee] |
for, that, because; when, at that time, which, what time |
conjunction; preposition |
Strong's #3588 BDB #471 |
Translation: Let Israel proclaim,... The nation Israel is to proclaim the same thing as we find in the previous verse. It is important to recognize that Israel is a part of this psalm. We need to bear that in mind when we get down to v. 22 when we speak of the stone which the builder’s rejected.
Psalm 118:2b |
|||
Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
preposition |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
׳ôwlâm (םָלע) [pronounced ģo-LAWM] |
long duration, forever, perpetuity, antiquity, futurity |
masculine singular noun |
Strong’s #5769 BDB #761 |
׳ôwlâm together with the lâmed preposition mean forever |
|||
cheçed (ד∵ס∵ח) [pronounced KHEH-sed] |
grace, benevolence, mercy, kindness |
masculine singular noun with the 3rd person masculine singular suffix |
Strong's #2617 BDB #338 |
Translation: ...“His grace [is] forever.” Israel is to proclaim that God’s grace is forever. God’s character is immutable; so there are things about God upon which we can depend, and one of those things is His grace. The fact that Israel is told to proclaim this should speak to Jews everywhere. If God the Holy Spirit calls upon Israel to proclaim that His grace is forever, then there must be something to that. That is, God is not going to abandon Israel and God is not going to abandon the Jew, even though that seems to be the case to some people.
Now, there is a lot of legalism associated with the Jew and God. The Jews have abandoned God; they have turned their back on Him. When Jesus came, they were instrumental in that day to his illegal trials and execution. So, of course, many say that we Christians are the true Jews. God ripped out all the Jewish branches, grafted in Christian branches, and that is the way it is. So, maybe this verse should read, Let Israel proclaim, “His grace is for a pretty long time!” Or, perhaps it should read, Let Israel proclaim, “His grace is forever, as long as you don’t screw up too badly.” But that is not how this verse reads; instead, it reads: Let Israel proclaim, “His grace is forever!” Do you understand? Are you so arrogant as to think, “I’m pretty hot stuff; God likes me; too bad about those Jews, with their failures and everything.” One of the reasons that we study David and Saul is we get a better understanding of their failures and how their failures impact their individual lives. David failed on several occasions, and still, he is known as a man after God’s own heart. Saul seemed to fail as well, and Saul was taken out by the sin unto death. Here is God grace: Samuel, from the Abraham’s bosom, tells Saul, “Tomorrow, you and your sons will be with me.” That is grace. God is not done with the Jew. The Jews have not fallen so far as to be out of the reach of God’s grace. Let Israel proclaim, “God’s grace is forever!” This is meaningful. The Jews were God’s people and they will be God’s people. Why do you think there are Jews today? There are no Philistines; no Amalekites, no real Romans even. But Jews? In every country. God is not done with His people. God’s grace is forever. In the book of the last days, in the book of Revelation, why do you think God is calling 12,000 out of this Jewish tribe, and 12,000 out of that Jewish tribe? Now maybe you are too damn perfect and you don’t grasp the need for God’s grace. I have do not have these illusions about myself. At the first and at the last, I will have to stand on God’s grace. When it comes to my salvation and my being face to face with Jesus Christ at death, that is completely based upon God’s grace. No matter what I do from hereon in, whether I act like a great Christian or act like a degenerate unbeliever, I depend upon God’s grace, and I will until the day I die.
Now, has Israel screwed up? Most assuredly. Has Israel turned away from God? Absolutely. Is Israel blind to her own sin? Of course. But, let Israel proclaim, “God’s grace is forever!” God is not done with Israel. We are not the new Israel. We are a different entity. Now, we picked up where Israel should have left off; but this was all in the power of God the Holy Spirit, as we model ourselves after Jesus Christ, who pioneered the Christian walk. And so that you are not confused, Israel does have a future with God; it is no accident that there are Jews scattered throughout the earth in almost every nation. Now, what has happened is, Israel has been set aside for a little time. They are not completely in the dark, as any Jews which believes in Jesus Christ is saved and becomes a part of the church. However, the Jews as a nation and the Jews as a people scattered throughout the earth in every nation will have a future with God.
Allow me a tangent which is related to all of this: in times when my grasp of theology was weak, I wondered about my freewill in the future. I know how tempted and how many times I fail now—what about in eternity? My freewill will still be in tact. What then? In eternity, we will be without the urging of the old sin nature, and we will not have the temptation of the world. How should I explain? There must be one or two sins which you do not ever do. You just do not have a temptation to do them. For some of you, you might not be prone to jealousy; for others, power lust or materialism lust really don’t grab you; some have no interest in getting drunk or taking drugs; and for others, you just do not have the urge to commit murder. Now, imagine the sin you are least likely to commit and then place yourself in an environment where committing that sin is even less of a temptation—that is akin to our eternal state with respect to all sin. Now, I am not saying that, in this world, in this life, that there are sins that you would not commit. I think for many, but not all, circumstances could be arranged to where you would commit sins that would shock even you. However, the eternal state is very far removed from that scenario. That is one minor aspect of God’s grace in eternity—freewill, yet we will be without sin. Our lives would be a lot better if we could manage that now.
Say, I pray, a house of Aaron, that, “For to perpetuity His grace.” |
Psalm 118:3 |
Let the house of Aaron proclaim, “His grace [is] forever.” |
Let the house of Aaron also proclaim, “His grace is everlasting!” |
||
Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic Text Say, I pray, a house of Aaron, that,
“For to perpetuity His grace.”
Septuagint Let now the house of Aaron say, that He is good; for his mercy endures for ever.
Significant differences: See comments with v. 2.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV Let the family of Aaron the priest shout, "God is always merciful!"
The Message And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world, "His love never quits."
NLT Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ The descendants of Aaron should say, "His mercy endures forever."
JPS (Tanakh) Let the house of Aaron declare,
“His steadfast love is eternal.”
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
ESV Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
HCSB Let the house of Aaron say, "His faithful love endures forever."
WEB Let the house of Aaron now say That his loving kindness endures forever.
Young's Literal Translation I pray you, let the house of Aaron say, That, to the age is His kindness.
What is the gist of this verse? The house of Aaron, the priests to Israel, are to also proclaim that God’s grace is forever.
Psalm 118:3a |
|||
Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
âmar (ר ַמ ָא) [pronounced aw-MAHR] |
to say, to speak, to utter; to say [to oneself], to think |
3rd person masculine plural, Qal imperfect |
Strong’s #559 BDB #55 |
nâ (אָנ) [pronounced naw] |
please, I pray you, I respectfully implore (ask, or request of) you, I urge you |
particle of entreaty |
Strong's #4994 BDB #609 |
Nâ is used to express a wish (Job 32:21: “Oh, that I may not respect any man’s person”); to incite or to urge (Jer. 5:24); it is depreciatory when affixed to the 2nd person with a particle of negation (do not, I implore you—see Gen. 33:10 19:18); with the it expresses a wish or request (Psalm 124 129:1 SOS 7:9), a challenge (Jer. 17:15), asking leave (Gen. 18:4), and depreciation with a negation (Gen. 18:32). In many of these examples, we would express this with the addition of the word let. |
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bayith (ת̣י ַ) [pronounced BAH-yith] |
house, household, habitation as well as inward |
masculine singular construct |
Strong's #1004 BDB #108 |
Ahărôn (ןֹרֲה-א) [pronounced ah-huh-ROHN] |
transliterated Aaron |
masculine proper noun |
Strong’s #175 BDB #14 |
kîy (י̣) [pronounced kee] |
for, that, because; when, at that time, which, what time |
conjunction; preposition |
Strong's #3588 BDB #471 |
Translation: Let the house of Aaron proclaim, ... The house of Aaron refers to the priests of the Age of Israel. These were the men who represented man to God, and were a shadow of our great High Priest to come. Like most psalms, this is firmly entrenched in the Age of Israel.
This has further application to us, as we are a nation of priests—we believers in the Church Age (1Peter 2:5). We are able to represent ourselves before God, because our true sacrifice, Jesus Christ, has gone to the cross and paid the debt for our sins. In Him, we have access to God. Furthermore, as priests, we should proclaim, “God’s grace is forever!”
Psalm 118:3b |
|||
Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
preposition |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
׳ôwlâm (םָלע) [pronounced ģo-LAWM] |
long duration, forever, perpetuity, antiquity, futurity |
masculine singular noun |
Strong’s #5769 BDB #761 |
׳ôwlâm together with the lâmed preposition mean forever |
|||
cheçed (ד∵ס∵ח) [pronounced KHEH-sed] |
grace, benevolence, mercy, kindness |
masculine singular noun with the 3rd person masculine singular suffix |
Strong's #2617 BDB #338 |
Translation: ...“His grace [is] forever.” Again, God’s grace is everlasting. This is a proclamation that the psalmist urges be made by the Aaronic priesthood.
I have read through several commentators who even ascribe this verse or that to a chorus, or to an individual soloist. I am not going to go through the entire, psalm, as this is really more appropriate to the interpretation of a choir leader. |
|
Scripture |
The Divisions of Labor |
Psalm 117 |
The Conqueror and his attendants sing Psalm 117:1, an introductory hymn, inviting all, Jews and Gentiles, to share in the merciful kindness of God, and to sing his praises. It is a gathering together of all the Lord's people, to be witnesses and partakers of his glory. |
Psalm 118:1–3 |
Psalm 118:1-3 are sung by single voices. As the procession moves along, the theme of rejoicing is announced. The first voice repeats, “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good, because his mercy endures for ever.” Another single voice calls on Israel to acknowledge this great truth; and a third invites the house of Aaron, the priesthood. to acknowledge their share in Jehovah's love. |
Psalm 118:4 |
Psalm 118:4 is a chorus; the whole procession, the living, and the dead who are raised to meet Christ (1Th. 4:16) |
This was offered up by Charles Haddon Spurgeon, A Treasury of David; e-Sword, Psalm 118. However, the
ultimate source appears to be R. H. Ryland, in “The Psalms restored to Messiah,” 1853. I quoted this almost
verbatim. If you desire to see how the entire psalm was divided up in order to be sung to an audience, please
see Spurgeon’s A Treasury of David.
|
You may wonder, why I even bother to list something like this. Although we are assured that we can understand whatever doctrines we need to understand, keeping this in the forefront of our minds is not guaranteed to us. If that were the case, then there would be no reason for repetition. Everyone learns in a variety of ways as well as remembers in a number of ways—if one can picture a choir singing this psalm, with one set introducing it by singing Psalm 117; with three soloists out of the chorus singing vv. 1–3; and the entire choir singing v. 4, then the subject matter of what is being sung might be more clearly held in one’s mind. However, do not be confused into thinking that, this is the only way this psalm should be sung. |
Saying, I pray, those fearing of Yehowah that, “For to perpetuity His grace.” |
Psalm 118:4 |
Let those fearing Yehowah say, “His grace [is] forever.” |
Let those who fear and respect Jehovah proclaim, “His grace is forever.” |
||
Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic Text Saying, I pray, those fearing of Yehowah that,
“For to perpetuity His grace.”
Septuagint Let now all that fear the Lord say, that He is good; for his mercy endures for ever.
Significant differences: See v. 2.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV Let every true worshiper of the LORD shout, "God is always merciful!"
The Message And you who fear GOD, join in, "His love never quits."
NLT Let all who fear the Lord repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ Those who fear the LORD should say, "His mercy endures forever."
JPS (Tanakh) Let those who fear the Lord declare,
“His steadfast love is eternal.”
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
HCSB Let those who fear the LORD say, "His faithful love endures forever."
Young's Literal Translation I pray you, let those fearing Jehovah say, That, to the age is His kindness.
What is the gist of this verse? All believers of that Age (those who fear Jehovah) are to proclaim that God’s grace is forever.
Psalm 118:4a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
âmar (ר ַמ ָא) [pronounced aw-MAHR] |
to say, to speak, to utter; to say [to oneself], to think |
3rd person masculine plural, Qal imperfect |
Strong’s #559 BDB #55 |
nâ (אָנ) [pronounced naw] |
please, I pray you, I respectfully implore (ask, or request of) you, I urge you |
particle of entreaty |
Strong's #4994 BDB #609 |
Nâ is used to express a wish (Job 32:21: “Oh, that I may not respect any man’s person”); to incite or to urge (Jer. 5:24); it is depreciatory when affixed to the 2nd person with a particle of negation (do not, I implore you—see Gen. 33:10 19:18); with the it expresses a wish or request (Psalm 124 129:1 SOS 7:9), a challenge (Jer. 17:15), asking leave (Gen. 18:4), and depreciation with a negation (Gen. 18:32). In many of these examples, we would express this with the addition of the word let. |
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yârê (א ֵר ָי) [pronounced yaw-RAY] |
to fear, to fear-respect, to reverence, to have a reverential respect |
masculine plural construct, Qal active participle |
Strong’s #3372 BDB #431 |
YHWH (הוהי) [pronunciation is possibly yhoh-WAH] |
transliterated variously as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah |
proper noun |
Strong’s #3068 BDB #217 |
kîy (י̣) [pronounced kee] |
for, that, because; when, at that time, which, what time |
conjunction; preposition |
Strong's #3588 BDB #471 |
Translation: Let those fearing Yehowah say,... In the Old Testament, this is the way a mature believer was referred to, as one who fears and respects God. You cannot fear and respect someone that you do not believe exists; and you cannot fear and respect the character of a person that you do not know. Therefore, only a believer who knows some doctrine could be called one who feared Jehovah.
Psalm 118:4b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
directional preposition |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
׳ôwlâm (םָלע) [pronounced ģo-LAWM] |
long duration, forever, perpetuity, antiquity, futurity |
masculine singular noun |
Strong’s #5769 BDB #761 |
׳ôwlâm together with the lâmed preposition mean forever |
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cheçed (ד∵ס∵ח) [pronounced KHEH-sed] |
grace, benevolence, mercy, kindness |
masculine singular noun with the 3rd person masculine singular suffix |
Strong's #2617 BDB #338 |
Translation: ...“His grace [is] forever.” What the mature believer is to proclaim is, the grace of God is forever.
We will find such a repetition in vv. 8 & 9 as well as vv. 15 & 16. |
It is Better to Trust in Jehovah than in Man
From the distress I called Yah; answered me in a in the wide expanse Yah. |
Psalm 118:5 |
When in [lit., from] distress, I called upon Yah; [and] Yah answered me from [lit., in] a wide expanse [or, from freedom]. |
I called upon Jehovah when in distress and He answered me from his place in the heavens. |
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Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Latin Vulgate In my trouble I called upon the Lord: and the Lord heard me, and enlarged me.
Masoretic Text From the distress I called Yah;
answered me in a in the wide expanse Yah.
Peshitta Out of my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me and relieved me.
Septuagint I called on the Lord out of affliction: and he hearkened to me, so as to bring me into a wide place.
Significant differences: I think the problem is, the ancient texts did not really know how to understand and therefore translate the second sentence.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV When I was really hurting, I prayed to the LORD. He answered my prayer, and took my worries away.
The Message Pushed to the wall, I called to GOD; from the wide open spaces, he answered.
NLT In my distress I prayed to the Lord,
And the Lord answered me and rescued me.
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ During times of trouble I called on the LORD. The LORD answered me and set me free from all of them.
JPS (Tanakh) In distress I called on the Lord;
the Lord answered me and brought me relief.
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
The Amplified Bible Out of my distress I called upon the Lord; the Lord answered me, and set me free and in a large place.
Updated Emphasized Bible <Out of a strait>, I called on Yah,
He answered me with enlargement [so the Western School of Massorites in one early printed edition; the Eastern Massorites with many manuscripts, 9 early printed editions and the Aramaic have “the enlargement (= deliverance) of Yah.”].
HCSB I called to the LORD in distress; the LORD answered me and put me in a spacious place.
LTHB I called Jehovah from the distress; He answered me in the large place of Jehovah.
MKJV I called on Jehovah in distress; Jehovah answered me, and set me in a large place.
WEB Out of my distress, I called on Yah. Yah answered me with freedom.
Young's Literal Translation From the straitness I called Jah, Jah answered me in a broad place.
What is the gist of this verse? The psalmist has called upon God and God has answered him (the final word will require some explanation).
Psalm 118:5a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
min (ן ̣מ) [pronounced min] |
from, off, out from, out of, away from, on account of, since, than, more than |
preposition of separation |
Strong's #4480 BDB #577 |
mêtsar (ר-צ̤מ) [pronounced may-TSAR] |
distress, pain, straits |
masculine singular noun with the definite article |
Strong’s #4712 BDB #865 |
qârâ (א ָר ָק) [pronounced kaw-RAW] |
to call, to proclaim, to read, to call to, to call out to, to assemble, to summon |
1st person singular, Qal perfect |
Strong's #7121 BDB #894 |
This is a homonym; the other qârâ means to encounter, to befall, to meet, to assemble. |
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Yâh (ָי) [pronounced yaw] |
an abbreviated form of YHWH, the proper name for God in the Old Testament |
proper masculine noun |
Strong’s #3050 BDB #219 |
Translation: When in [lit., from] distress, I called upon Yah;... Although to my way of thinking, I would expect the psalmist to call upon God when in distress, the idea is, from this place, the place of distress and pain, the psalmist called upon God. This is the perfect tense, which indicates that this happened in the past; i.e., it is a done deal. The psalmist is not in pain and distress right now; or, if he is, this is not what he is indicating.
Now, in the past, I have knocked prayer, and for several reasons. It is but one tool in our toolbox, one weapon in our arsenal. We do not use a hammer to fix everything, but that is how some use prayer. Many people pray to God, because they would rather do all the talking and none of the listening. I experience a similar thing when I talk to someone else about the Bible; now, I know the Bible much better than the average person; in fact, much better than the average Christian (although there is a great deal which I do not know). However, in talking to many people about Scripture, they prefer to do 90% of the talking about a topic which they know little or nothing about. People pray the same way. No real interest in what God would have them know; no real interest in what God would have them do. They just want to pour out their troubles and fears on God and then expect God to make all of their problems suddenly disappear. I’ve known some who are not even Christians, and they will ask several people of various faiths to pray for them, figuring that one of them might be able to get through to God (which really is not too bad of a plan). I’ve named as the main problem with prayers from Christians, is that most of them pray while out of fellowship, and the Bible tells us that God does not listen and respond to those prayers (if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me).
On the other hand, even though I do knock prayer—or, more correctly, the misuse of prayer, when a person prays, they are acknowledging the existence of God—which is not enough to save them, but a step in the right direction. For a believer, he is turning his attention, as limited as it might be, toward God. Furthermore, the Bible speaks of prayer often: Gen. 32:7–11 1Sam. 30:6-8 Psalm 18:6, Psalm 40:1-3 77:2 107:13, 19 116:3–4 120:1 130:1–2 Mark 14:31-36. We are even admonished to pray without ceasing (1Thess. 5:17). We covered the Doctrine of Prayer back in Psalm 78, if you would like to go back and re-examine it.
Now might be a good time to examine... |
1. Prayer is encouraged by God for us to speak to Him. Gen. 32:7–11 1Sam. 30:6-8 Psalm 18:6, Psalm 40:1-3 77:2 107:13, 19 116:3–4 120:1 130:1–2 Mark 14:31-36 2. Prayer is man communicating directly to God. 3. Prayer should be addressed to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ the Son. It is God the Father who deals with our prayer; it is because of Jesus Christ that we can communicate with God the Father. Matt. 6:9 John 14:13–14 4. All prayer must be done while in fellowship—in our dispensation, while being filled with the Holy Spirit. 5. Prayer does not reach God when we are out of fellowship. a. Now for the 1%: God is omniscient, so God is everywhere. Therefore, God can hear my prayer, regardless. b. Perhaps a better analogy should be given to the 1%: if you have children, you know that there are times when you call them, they hear you, but they ignore you. They are outside having fun, it’s time for dinner, you call them, and they ignore you. They are watching TV, you tell them to take out the trash, they say, “Yeah, Mom” and 20 minutes later, they are still watching TV and they have not moved. It is not that they could not hear you; they simply chose not to hear you. c. The key is, God of course can hear every person who talks to Him or talks to anyone else. God can also choose to respond to any prayer, whether initiated by a believer or unbeliever; by a believer in or out of fellowship. However, God does not have to listen to a believer out of fellowship. God does not have to have any contact with a believer out of fellowship. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). d. Getting back into fellowship is a matter of grace—you simply name your sins to God; therefore, that should be the beginning of any and all prayers to God (assuming that you start while being out of fellowship). 1John 1:9 6. God hears us immediately in prayer, even though the Throne Room of God is millions of light years away. Isa. 65:24: And it will be, before they call I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 7. Thanksgiving should be a part of prayer. After all, if you cannot find anything in your life for which you can be thankful, how do you think you will recognize God’s answer to your prayer? 8. By the way, don’t forget to listen to God—God speaks to us through His Word, and many times, the answers to our prayers are found in knowing His Word. 9. Public prayers should generally be short and to the point. You might go a little longer during a prayer meeting. However, long prayers are generally a part of private prayer. Matt. 6:5–7 10. Intercession should be a part of your prayers—that is, you need to be mindful of others and be willing to pray for others as well. Eph. 6:18 11. The final portion of your prayers, which is perhaps the only one that you are aware of, is petition on behalf of yourself. This is where you pray for your own needs. 12. Why your prayer is not heard (or, if you want to be picky about it, heard but not answered): a. The primary reason is that you are out of fellowship. This is expressed in a number of ways in Scripture. i. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me (Psalm 66:18). ii. You ask, but you do not receive, because you ask amiss, so that you may consume it on your lusts (James 4:2–3). You’ve got to realize, you can pray till doomsday about that lotto ticket that you just bought, but that does not mean God is going to make it a winner. iii. Marital problems can hinder prayer (and, esentially, the idea is, you are both out of fellowship because of mental attitude sins toward one another—1Peter 3:7). iv. God does not listen because you are filled with pride (Job 35:12–13). v. You ask God for blessing on the one hand, and disobey His commandments on the other. 1John 3:22. vi. Simply speaking, you just need to be in fellowship, which is why confession of sin is at the top of the list when you pray to God. Eph. 6:18 1John 1:9 b. You pray to God without any faith. “I know you don’t exist, but, just in case you do, this is what I want...I don’t really think You answer prayer, but, just in case You do, here are the things I want.” Matt. 18:19 21:22 Mark 11:24 c. You pray without compassion for others. Prov. 21:13 d. You pray for that which is not in God’s will (1John 5:14). There are a number of things which happened in my life that, quite frankly at the time, I wish that they had not happened—and I prayed often for deliverance from these things. It was God’s will for me to go through these things; almost everything that God had me go through, I can look back and see why. At the time of the pressure, I often did not understand why. Therefore, sometimes when you pray and you don’t get what you want, you have to wait and have a little faith in God—He knows exactly what He is doing. When His answer to your prayer is no, there is a reason for that. |
* Several of these points were taken from R. B. Thieme, Jr., Prayer; ©1973 by R. B. Thieme, Jr. (taken from the 1961 Basic Series, Lesson 19). Many others were taken from memory, mostly from Bible class at Berachah. |
Psalm 118:5b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
׳ânâh (הָנָע) [pronounced ģaw-NAWH] |
to answer, to respond; to speak loudly, to speak up [in a public forum]; to testify; to sing, to chant, to sing responsively |
3rd person masculine singular, Qal perfect with the 1st person singular suffix |
Strong's #6030 BDB #772 |
be () [pronounced beh] |
in, into, through; at, by, near, on, upon; with, before, against; by means of; among; within |
a preposition of proximity |
No Strong’s # BDB #88 |
merechâb (בָחר∵מ) [pronounced mere-KHAWBV] |
broad or roomy place, wide expanse, large and open area; [metaphorically] freedom, liberty, welfare |
masculine singular noun with the definite article |
Strong's #4800 BDB #932 |
The Western School of Massorites, along with one early printed edition lacks the definite article. However, the
Eastern School along with many manuscripts, 9 early printed editions, and the Aramaic all have the definite
article.
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These latter meanings refer to having many options in a large area. Merechâb can be used in a negative sense, as a lamb in a large area, insofar as the lamb may stray from the herd (Hosea 4:16). |
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By the way, we have two unusual nouns in this verse; this particular one is found in two Davidic psalms
(Psalm 18:19 31:8). The other word, distress, is only found thrice in Scripture, and not in any Davidic psalm.
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Yâh (ָי) [pronounced yaw] |
an abbreviated form of YHWH, the proper name for God in the Old Testament |
proper masculine noun |
Strong’s #3050 BDB #219 |
Translation: ... [and] Yah answered me from [lit., in] a wide expanse [or, from freedom]. God, in His heaven, in his wide expanse, answers the psalmist. The idea is, God is in an area so huge that we cannot comprehend it. We cannot even comprehend space; and yet, God in heaven, is even beyond space. However, even from there, God answered the psalmist. Do you recall the continuous mention of grace? This is grace—the psalmist is in trouble, he calls to God, and even from heaven, God answers him.
Now, the words distress and wide expanse are arranged to be in opposition to one another—as polar opposites, possibly. They describe the place of the psalmist as opposed to the place of God; both words as masculine singular nouns with definite articles; both are used in parallel portions of this verse. Therefore, we may reasonably assume that one is almost the direct opposite of the other. That is, the psalmist is in a place on constraints, where there is little freedom, where he has few if any choices, where he is backed into a corner, and he appears to have no options. God, on the other hand, answers from a place of great freedom and expanse.
I don’t know how to quite grasp the use of the prepositions here. I would have expected them to be switched. That is, I would expect for the psalmist to call upon God when he (the psalmist) is in distress; similarly, I would expect God to answer the psalmist from the great expanse (i.e., heaven, which is even greater than space itself). However, the prepositions are set up in the opposite manner, meaning that I am not necessarily convinced of my own interpretation.
What the KJV, the MKJV and the NKJV do is insert the words set me; the psalmist calls to God from a place of distress, a place of constraints, a place where his options seem to have been limited; God places him in a place where his choices are seemingly unlimited; God sets him in a place of freedom. So the psalmist calls from a place of constraint and God places him in a place of freedom. This interpretation would explain the prepositions; however, the problem is, the words and set me are not there and are difficult to infer from the bêyth preposition. Therefore, I must side with my explanation instead.
We do find this word used in a couple of other psalms: Psalm 18:17–19: He delivered me from my strong enemy,
and from those who hated me; for they were too strong for me. They went before me in the day of my calamity;
but Jehovah was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; He delivered me because He delighted in
me. Psalm 31:7–8: I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy; for You have looked on my affliction; You have known
my soul in troubles; and have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a broad place.
In all three instances, the psalmist is in a bad place, either under the attack of an enemy or in distress (which is,
reasonably, the attack of an enemy). God delivers him
from his enemy to a large place, indicating that he has
more options than he had before. An enemy limits your options and your freedom; being placed in a large area
indicates that you suddenly have a great many options and a great deal of freedom. This understanding of our own
passage, and allowing for the insertions which we find in the various King James Versions is probably the most
reasonable way to interpret this passage.
I had hoped that Keil and Delitzsch would shed some light on this, offer some alternatives, and, it appears as
though they do discuss this verse, but, to be quite frank with you, I don’t know what the hell they are saying this
time.
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In Psalm 118:5, Israel too then begins as one man to praise the ever-gracious goodness of God הי, the Jod of which might easily become inaudible after יחארק, has an emphatic Dagesh as in Psalm 118:18, and רצפה has the orthophonic stroke beside רצ (the so-called לקמ), which points to the correct tone-syllable of the word that has Dechî. (Note: Vid., Baer's Thorath Emeth, p. 7 note, and p. 21, end of note 1.) Instead of יננע it is here pointed יננע, which also occurs in other instances not only with distinctive, but also (though not uniformly) with conjunctive accents. [Note: Hitzig on Pro. 8:22 considers the pointing יננע to be occasioned by Dechî, and in fact יננע in the passage before us has Tarcha, and in 1Sam. 28:15 Munach; but in the passage before us, if we read היבחרמב as one word according to the Masora, יננע is rather to be accented with Mugrash; and in 1Sam. 28:15 the reading יננע is found side by side with יננע (e.g., in Bibl. Bomberg. 1521). Nevertheless ינתפרצ Psalm 17:3, and ינרה Job 30:19 (according to Kimchi's Michlol, 30a), beside Mercha, show that the pointing beside conjunctive as beside disjunctive accents wavers between a& and a4, although a4 is properly only justified beside disjunctive accents, and ינצ also really only occurs in pause.] The constructions is a pregnant one (as in Psalm 22:22; Psalm 28:1; Psalm 74:7; 2Sam. 18:19; Ezra 2:62; 2Chron. 32:1): He answered me by removing me to a free space (Psalm 18:20). Both lines end with י; nevertheless the reading היבחב is attested by the Masora (vid., Baer's Psalterium, pp. 132f.), instead of יבח. It has its advocates even in the Talmud (B. Pesachim 117a), and signifies a boundless extent, הי expressing the highest degree of comparison, like הילאמ in Jer. 2:31, the deepest darkness. Even the LXX appears to have read היבחמ thus as one word (εἰς πλατυσμόν, Symmachus εἰς εὐρυχωρίαν). The Targum and Jerome, however, render it as we do; it is highly improbable that in one and the same verse the divine name should not be intended to be used in the same force of meaning. Psalm 56:1-13 (Psalm 56:10; Psalm 56:5, Psalm 56:12) echoes in Psalm 118:6; and in Psalm 118:7 Psalm 54:1-7 (Psalm 54:6) is in the mind of the later poet. In that passage it is still more clear than in the passage before us that by the Beth of ירזע Jahve is not meant to be designated as unus e multis, but as a helper who outweighs the greatest multitude of helpers. The Jewish people had experienced this helpful succour of Jahve in opposition to the persecutions of the Samaritans and the satraps during the building of the Temple; and had at the same time learned what is expressed in Psalm 118:7-8 (cf. Psalm 146:3), that trust in Jahve (for which הסח ב is the proper word) proves true, and trust in men, on the contrary, and especially in princes, is deceptive; for under Pseudo-Smerdis the work, begun under Cyrus, and represented as open to suspicion even in the reign of Cambyses, was interdicted. But in the reign of Darius it again became free: Jahve showed that He disposes events and the hearts of men in favour of His people, so that out of this has grown up in the minds of His people the confident expectation of a world-subduing supremacy expressed in Psalm 118:10. |
Normally, I can sort through Keil and Delitzsch and figure out what it is they are saying. At this point, I am pretty sure that they are mostly talking about v. 5, and that the final word and its meaning and maybe some other things are in question, but that is about all I can get out of this. I have included this for whoever else can read this and make sense of it. |
Yehowah [is] for me, I do not fear; what can do to me man? |
Psalm |
[Because] Yehowah [is] for me, I am not afraid; what can man do to me? |
Because Jehovah is for me, I am not afraid; what can man do to me? |
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Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic text Yehowah [is] for me,
I do not fear;
what can do to me man?
Peshitta The Lord is my help, I will not fear; what can man do to me?
Septuagint The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man can do to me.
Significant differences: None, apart from the MT states a question.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV The LORD is on my side, and I am not afraid of what others can do to me.
The Message GOD's now at my side and I'm not afraid; who would dare lay a hand on me?
NJB With Yahweh on my side I fear nothing;
what can human beings do to me?
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ The LORD is on my side. I am not afraid. What can mortals do to me?
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
LTHB Jehovah is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?
WEB Yahweh is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Young’s Updated LT Jehovah is for me, I do not fear what man does to me.
What is the gist of this verse? There is no reason to fear man because God is with us.
Psalm 118:6a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
YHWH (הוהי) [pronunciation is possibly yhoh-WAH] |
transliterated variously as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah |
proper noun |
Strong’s #3068 BDB #217 |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
directional preposition with the 1st person singular suffix |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
Translation: [Because] Yehowah [is] for me,... It is normal for a psalm to be elliptical; that is, there will be verbs missing now and again, because the psalmist is excited or speaking from great emotion, or making a strong emphasis. Generally speaking, when a verb is missing, it is often the verb to be, which is what we have inserted here. God is for the psalmist; the idea is, God is on the side of the psalmist.
Psalm 118:6b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
lô (אֹל or אל) [pronounced low] |
not, no |
negates the word or action that follows; the absolute negation |
Strong’s #3808 BDB #518 |
yârê (א ֵר ָי) [pronounced yaw-RAY] |
to fear, to fear-respect, to reverence, to have a reverential respect |
1st person singular, Qal imperfect |
Strong’s #3372 BDB #431 |
mâh (ה ָמ) [pronounced maw] |
what, how, why; what [thing]; anything, something, whatever |
interrogative; exclamatory particle; indefinite pronoun; relative pronoun |
Strong’s #4100 BDB #552 |
Translation: ...I am not afraid;... The psalmist indicates here and in vv. 10–14 that the straits he was in involved fear; he was not only in a tight spot, but, very likely, his life and that which he held dear was in jeopardy. That is, he had good reason, from human viewpoint, to be afraid of what could be done. However, because God is with him, the psalmist is not afraid of man or anything that man can do.
Psalm 118:6c |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
mâh (ה ָמ) [pronounced maw] |
what, how, why; what [thing]; anything, something, whatever |
interrogative; exclamatory particle; indefinite pronoun; relative pronoun |
Strong’s #4100 BDB #552 |
׳âsâh (הָָע) [pronounced ģaw-SAWH] |
to do, to make, to construct, to fashion, to form, to prepare |
3rd person masculine singular, Qal imperfect |
Strong's #6213 BDB #793 |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
directional preposition with the 1st person singular suffix |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
âdâm (ם ָד ָא) [pronounced aw-DAWM] |
a man, a human being, mankind, Adam |
masculine singular noun |
Strong's #120 BDB #9 |
Translation: ...what can man do to me? The psalmist asks, “What can man do to me?” Note the repetition of the lâmed preposition with the 1st person singular suffix. The psalmist does this for contrast. God is for us, so how can man do anything to us? When studying poetry, expect there to be a great many words and phrases which are in apposition to one another, or which compliment one another, or which parallel one another. This is the essence of poetry.
In Psalm 56 (a Davidic psalm), this same thought is expressed several times: In God I will praise His Word; in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do to me (Psalm 56:4). When I cry, then my enemies will be turned back. This I know, for God is with me (Psalm 56:9). In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid of what man can do to me (Psalm 56:11). David also wrote: I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set against me all around (Psalm 3:6). And: Jehovah is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? Jehovah is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, my enemies and my foes, came on me to eat my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an army should camp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I am trusting (Psalm 27:1–3). Paul gives us a New Testament update on this point of doctrine: Rom. 8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Of course, other writers of Scripture have expressed the same sentiments (Psalm 146:5 Isa. 51:12 Jer. 20:11 Mic. 7:8-10 Heb. 13:6).
God is in control; God is sovereign. There is nothing that anyone does to you without the express permission of God. Does that mean that everyone you meet is going to be nice to you and tell you ten nice things about yourself? Certainly not! Here’s the deal: God will not test us beyond what we can endure, and people are often put in our periphery as tests. I could give you a long list, if you wanted, from my own life—and I am not a contrary or difficult person to get along with. I don’t go out of my way to get into someone else’s way—however, I could still give you a long list from my own personal experience of people who have tried to do evil to me in one way or another. God does allow this; but there is nothing that they can do to me—not with God on my side; because God is for me. So, the damage that some intend to do, the cheating and financial evil which some perpetrate against me, their personal attacks, their plots and machinations—their effects upon me are temporary at best. Now, sometimes I pass the test and sometimes I don’t; but, when all is said and done, I have walked away from evil again and again untouched.
Jesus Christ, Who operated in the power of the Holy Spirit during His time on earth, also behaved without
fear of men. Gill: He was not afraid of Herod when He was told he would kill Him; nor of the high priests,
Scribes and Pharisees, though He knew He should fall into their hands, and they would deliver Him to
the Gentiles, to be scourged and crucified; nor of Judas and his band of men, who came to take Him;
nor of Pilate His judge, who had no power against Him but what was given him.
Application: Satan is after us to make us sin, to get us out of fellowship, to provoke us to anger. When someone does wrong to you, you need not respond in kind. There is no reason to get angry, no reason to gossip about them, no reason to plot revenge against them, no reason for hatred. Since God is on our side, the easiest thing to do is to allow God to take care of it. By the way, when do you want God to take care of it? Next month? Next year? No, you want God to take care of it now; or, awhile ago. So, at what point do you need to back off and let God take care of it? Immediately. If you want God to deal with something, then hand it over to him. Do not sin against your enemy, don’t plot their revenge, don’t carry mental attitude sins against them—back off and let God take care of them. The sooner you back away, the sooner God can go to work. Now, I cannot guarantee that God is going to take care of them right then and there—that you will see a bolt of lightning, and then all that remains are their smoking shoes—but God is not going to deal with the problem while you are in the way.
Yehowah for me in helping me; and I see in [the] one hating me. |
Psalm |
Yehowah [is] on my side [lit., to me] in helping me, that I look upon the one hating me. |
Jehovah is on my side, helping me; and I look upon those who hate me. |
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You will note that I display more translations than usual here; that is because, of course, this is a more difficult verse to exegete, and therefore, to interpret. Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Dead Sea Scrolls The Lord is on my side among those who help me; I will look in triumph on those
who hate me. [Unfortunately, I do not have the Dead Sea Scrolls hanging around my
house, but simply an English translation of them; which translation is probably
reasonably literal].
Latin Vulgate The Lord is my helper: and I will look over my enemies.
Masoretic Text Yehowah for me in helping me;
and I see [the] one hating me.
Peshitta The Lord is my helper; there I will see my desire upon them that hate me.
Septuagint The Lord is my helper; and I shall see my desire upon mine enemies.
Significant differences: We have the addition of to me in the Hebrew, which is not found in the Greek. It is not clear whether this is found in the Aramaic or not, as I work from an English translation which may not always be literal. Apart from this, these are identical. There are some problems with the Hebrew which I will discuss in the exegesis.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV With the LORD on my side, I will defeat all of my hateful enemies.
The Message GOD's my strong champion; I flick off my enemies like flies.
NJB With Yahweh on my side as my help,
I gloat over my enemies.
NLT Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me.
I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
REB With the Lord on my side, as my helper,
I shall see the downfall of my enemies.
TEV It is the Lord who helps me,
and I will see my enemies defeated.
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ The LORD is on my side as my helper. I will see the defeat of those who hate me.
JPS (Tanakh) With the Lord on my side as my helper,
I will see the downfall of my foes.
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
The Amplified Bible ║Yahweh║ is on my side [or, is mine], with them who help me,
║I║ therefore will gaze upon them who hate me. When you examine the exegesis, you will note that only Rotherham followed the Hebrew completely and consistently.
LTHB Jehovah is for me among those who help me, and I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
WEB Yahweh is on my side among those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me.
Young’s Updated LT Jehovah is for me among my helpers, And I—I look on those hating me.
What is the gist of this verse? Jehovah is on the side of the psalmist as his helper; and the psalmist looks over his enemies.
Psalm 118:7a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
YHWH (הוהי) [pronunciation is possibly yhoh-WAH] |
transliterated variously as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah |
proper noun |
Strong’s #3068 BDB #217 |
lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
directional preposition with the 1st person singular suffix |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
be () [pronounced beh] |
in, into, through; at, by, near, on, upon; with, before, against; by means of; among; within |
a preposition of proximity |
No Strong’s # BDB #88 |
I must say, I am having quite a difficult time with this short verse. Most translators completely ignore the bêyth preposition here, which is found twice in this verse. |
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There are a couple of ways the bêyth preposition might be understood here: it can be taken as a causal
preposition, meaning through, on account of; or it may be taken as a concessive conjunction, and rendered when,
though.
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׳âzar (רַזָע) [pronounced ģaw-ZAHR] |
helper, one who aids; an ally |
Qal active participle with the 1st person singular suffix |
Strong’s #5826 BDB #740 |
Owen lists this as a masculine plural, but I believe that is a typo. See remarks in the next exegesis table. |
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Translation: Yehowah [is] on my side [lit., to me] in helping me,... Zeroing in on the exact translation, as you can see from what I have written above, was difficult for me. I think it is clear that Jehovah God is on the side of the psalmist and that He aids the psalmist—God is an ally of the psalmist.
Psalm 118:7b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
we (or ve) (ו) [pronounced weh] |
and, even, then; namely |
simple wâw conjunction |
No Strong’s # BDB #251 |
ânîy (י.נָא) [pronounced aw-NEE] |
I, me; in answer to a question, it means I am, it is I |
1st person singular, personal pronoun |
Strong’s #589 BDB #58 |
rââh (ה ָאָר) [pronounced raw-AWH] |
to see, to look, to look at, to view, to behold; to perceive, to understand, to learn, to know |
1st person singular, Qal imperfect |
Strong's #7200 BDB #906 |
be () [pronounced beh] |
in, into, through; at, by, near, on, upon; with, before, against; by means of; among; within |
a preposition of proximity |
No Strong’s # BDB #88 |
The bêyth preposition here is easier to understand than the one in v. 7a. Here, with a verb of perception, it simply
means to look upon.
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sânê (אֵנָ) [pronounced saw-NAY] |
hating one, the one hating, the hater |
Qal active participle with the 1st person singular suffix |
Strong’s #8130 BDB #971 |
Again, Owen lists this verb as a masculine plural, Qal active participle with the 1st person singular suffix. I have several books on Hebrew grammar and not a single one of them clearly listed a masculine singular, Qal active participle with a 1st person singular suffix next to one which was masculine plural. This simply appears to be the participle with the 1st person singular suffix. Both of these verbs are in the exact same form; that is, whatever you want to say about one, is also true of the other. |
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Another option, which is apparently the one which every single translator took, is the masculine singular and the masculine plural are a matter of interpretation here; so, even though the verbs are identical in form, the first one is generally interpreted as a masculine singular and the second as a masculine plural. For a mathematical mind like mine, I find this completely unsatisfactory. |
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Translation: ...that I look upon the one hating me. As you can see, there are two primary ways in which this phrase was understood. One school of thought understands the psalmist to see his desire [done] against the one (s) who hate him. This would mean, no matter what the psalmist wants done to his enemies (taking the psalmist to be a mature believer), this is essentially granted to him. Now, for me, this is reading far too much into the translation. I think it is more accurate for the psalmist to look down upon those who hate him. Not in the sense of feeling all superior and much cooler than his enemies, but more in the sense of being at a safe vantage point, safety not necessarily meaning a far proximity from. That is, God is the helper and aid of the psalmist. He can look upon those who hate him with confidence and in safety, even if that person stands right next to him. This is completely inline with doctrine, that God is the ultimate source of our safety and salvation, and I believe is the proper way to understand what we have here.
I need to tell you that I examined the comments of a dozen commentators and not one of them understood this verse and therefore, not one of them properly explained it. The key is, this verse is parallel to the previous verse. You understand v. 7b (difficult to understand) by comparing it to v. 6b (much easier to understand). |
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Comments |
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[Because] Yehowah [is] for me, I am not afraid;... |
Yehowah [is] on my side [lit., to me] in helping me,... |
The parallelism is obvious; both of these verses begin exactly the same way: Yehowah to me... Many translators render this Jehovah [is] for me or Jehovah is on my side; both understandings are reasonable. We will find a similar parallelism in vv. 8–9. |
...what can man do to me? |
...that I look upon the one hating me. |
In v. 6, Jehovah is on the side of the psalmist, so he knows that man can do nothing to him apart from God’s allowance. Therefore, he psalmist is safe and secure from enemy attacks—that is, God will regulate those attacks; therefore, he can look upon his enemies from a position of safety and security. |
Although understanding the latter half of v. 7 is not easy; carefully comparing it to its parallel verse clears up the meaning for us. |
Another interpretation is, the psalmist simply sees his enemies; the psalmist recognizes his enemies. I had problems at one job, and one of those involved in causing me those problems, I would have never known. In fact, apart from her, my problems would have simply been no more than a personality conflict with another employee. The psalmist is able to clearly recognize those who are against him. There are some benefits in knowing who your enemies are. However, even though I offer this interpretation, I stand by the previous interpretation.
In either case, we have several verses which are very similar to this verse: For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has gazed upon my enemies (Psalm 54:7). My faithful God will come to meet me; God will let me look down on my adversaries (Psalm 59:10). And my eye shall look on my enemies; my ears shall hear the evildoers who rise up against me (Psalm 92:11). His heart is upheld; he shall not be afraid though he looks on his foes (Psalm 112:8). I want you to notice something here: it is easier to understand Psalm 118:7b by taking it in context and comparing it to its parallel verse than it is to line up similar passages and determine its meaning from them. Both are valid approaches and sometimes they complement each other enough to determine the meaning of a difficult verse. However, in this case, the parallelism is the key which unlocks the door.
Good to take refuge in Yehowah from a putting of trust in a man. |
Psalm 118:8 |
[It is] better to take refuge in Yehowah than [to] put trust in man. |
It is better to take refuge in Jehovah than it is to put your trust in man. |
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Here is how others have translated this verse:
Ancient texts:
Masoretic Text Good to take refuge in Yehowah
from a putting of trust in a man.
Septuagint Better to trust in the Lord than to trust in man.
Significant differences: None.
Thought-for-thought translations; paraphrases:
CEV It is better to trust the LORD for protection than to trust anyone else,...
The Message Far better to take refuge in GOD than trust in people;...
NLT It is better to trust the Lord
than to put confidence in people.
REB It is better to seek refuge in the Lord
than to trust in any mortal,...
TEV It is better to trust in the Lord
than to depend on man.
Mostly literal renderings (with some occasional paraphrasing):
God’s Word™ It is better to depend on the LORD than to trust mortals.
Literal, almost word-for-word, renderings:
ESV It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
Young's Literal Translation Better to take refuge in Jehovah than to trust in man.
What is the gist of this verse? It is better to trust in Jehovah God than it is to trust in any man.
Psalm 118:8a |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
ţôwb (בט) [pronounced tohbv] |
pleasant, pleasing, agreeable, good, better; approved |
masculine singular adjective which acts like a substantive |
Strong’s #2896 BDB #373 |
Here, the adjective is used in its comparative sense. |
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lâmed (ל) (pronounced le) |
to, for, towards, in regards to, with reference to, as to, with regards to, belonging to |
directional preposition with the 1st person singular suffix |
No Strong’s # BDB #510 |
châçâh (הָס ָח) [pronounced khaw-SAW] |
to take refuge, and hence to trust [in] |
Qal infinitive construct |
Strong’s #2620 BDB #340 |
be () [pronounced beh] |
in, into, through; at, by, near, on, upon; with, before, against; by means of; among; within |
a preposition of proximity |
No Strong’s # BDB #88 |
YHWH (הוהי) [pronunciation is possibly yhoh-WAH] |
transliterated variously as Jehovah, Yahweh, Yehowah |
proper noun |
Strong’s #3068 BDB #217 |
Translation: [It is] better to take refuge in Yehowah... These verses are all related; that is, what we find in this verse is related to what we find in the previous verse. However, this verse and the next are paired, just as vv. 6–7 are paired. The meaning is quite simple: it is better to trust in Jehovah God than it is to trust in any man.
Psalm 118:8b |
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Hebrew/Pronunciation |
Common English Meanings |
Notes/Morphology |
BDB and Strong’s Numbers |
min (ן ̣מ) [pronounced min] |
from, off, out from, out of, away from, on account of, since, than, more than |
preposition of separation |
Strong's #4480 BDB #577 |
bâţach (חַטָ) [pronounced baw-TAHKH] |
to trust, to rely upon, to have confidence in, to be secure in |
Qal infinitive construct |
Strong’s #982 BDB #105 |
be () [pronounced beh] |
in, into, through; at, by, near, on, upon; with, before, against; by means of; among; within |
a preposition of proximity |
No Strong’s # BDB #88 |
âdâm (ם ָד ָא) [pronounced aw-DAWM] |
a man, a human being, mankind, Adam |
masculine singular noun |
Strong's #120 BDB #9 |
Translation: ...than [to] put trust in man. I have translated this as a comparative, and that is more or less correct.
Actually, the deal is, it reads, It is good to take refuge in Jehovah; more than [to] put trust in man. There is actually
no comparative in the Hebrew. Bullinger explains: The use of the positive declares that the one case is so, rather
than the other, which is not so.
It is common to look to those around you, friends, family members, loved ones, and even business associates, and to depend upon them. The Bible tells us quite clearly, again and again, that it is better to depend upon God than it is to depend upon man.
Application: I had what I felt was a good relationship with a previous boss. He gave me a certain amount of freedom generally supported me. However, this man later cut me off at the knees, so to speak. Now, was I shocked and surprised? Not in the least. Did I feel my life is over or that I had been betrayed? Well, certainly, I felt betrayed; however, God took care of all of the resultant problems. Did I need to seek revenge against this person? Not at all; my clumsy attempts to take vengeance would have been a waste of my time, and without satisfactory results. It was a simple object lesson for me—God is trustworthy and God has my back; and that this person, someone I would have considered to be a friend, was not a person that I could trust or depend upon.
Application: You will be betrayed by someone close to you. It might be a lifelong friend; it might be a co-worker who has always taken your side; it might be a close family member—but someone that you trust will violate that trust. I can pretty much guarantee that is in your future (and I am not even a psychic). Don’t fear, don’t be upset, don’t fall into mental attitude sins. This person can do nothing to you which God has not allowed; God is at your side, so you can look upon this person from a place of ultimate safety and security; it is better to trust God than it is to trust man. Quite obviously, I simply paraphrased the last three verses.
Application: This is one form of people testing and we all face it. Some of us might face it bit by bit; a close friend says something untoward behind our backs. We walk away without anger or disappointment. Later, someone even closer costs us our job, a huge financial investment, something big—you deal with this problem the same as the other—with vindictiveness and without rancor. As Thieme used to describe it, the first is the example of the attack of the mosquito and the second is the charge of the elephant. One gets you prepared for the other. In some cases, when you have doctrine, you go right into the charge of the elephant. However, do not think that you are going to exit this life without facing this sort of testing. When you do, go back, reread vv. 6–8; if need be, reread the exegesis of these verses. God has taken care of this problem in eternity past, for his grace is everlasting.
Application: Trusting in God rather than man has another application: do not look to any Christian that you know as the epitome of what a believer should be. The more you know about that person, the more you will realize just how flawed they are. Every believer is flawed, so to depend upon another believer as your spiritual model is a mistake (except in the basics of naming your sins to God and pursuing the Word of God—this is what Paul meant when he said we should imitate him).
Although commentators made a mess of v. 7, they did a much better job with this verse. Barnes’ comments
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It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man—This is stated apparently as the result of his own experience. He had found people weak and faithless; he had not so found God. Compare Psalm 40:4 (How happy is the man who has put his trust in the LORD and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies!); Psalm 62:8-9 (My salvation and glory depend on God; my strong rock, my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. Selah). Literally, “Good is it to trust in Yahweh more than to confide in man.” This is the Hebrew form of comparison, and is equivalent to what is stated in our version, “It is better,” etc. It is better, (1) because man is weak - but God is Almighty; (2) because man is selfish - but God is benevolent; (3) because man is often faithless and deceitful - God never; (4) because there are emergencies, as death, in which man cannot aid us, however faithful, kind, and friendly he may be - but there are no circumstances in this life, and none in death, where God cannot assist us; and (5) because the ability of man to help us pertains at best only to this present life - the power of God will be commensurate with eternity. |
Other comments: |
Allow me to add the comments of other exegetes: |
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Commentator |
Comments |
Calvin
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“It is better to trust in the Lord.” All make this acknowledgment, and yet there is scarcely one among a hundred who is fully persuaded that God alone can afford him sufficient help. That man has attained a high rank among the faithful, who resting satisfied in God, never ceases to entertain a lively hope, even when he finds no help upon earth. |
Clarke
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Man is feeble, ignorant, fickle, and capricious; it is better to trust in Jehovah than in such. |
Gill
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It is not good to put confidence in man at all; it is trusting to a broken staff, to a mere shadow, which can yield no support or relief: it is best to trust in the Lord; he is able to help, as well as willing; he is faithful to his word, and unchangeable in his promises; whereas man, though he may have a will to help, oftentimes has it not in his power; and when it is in his power, and has promised it, he disappoints, being changeable or unfaithful. |
Spurgeon
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It is better in all ways, for first of all it is wiser: God is infinitely more able to help, and more likely to help, than man, and therefore prudence suggests that we put our confidence in him above all others. It is also morally better to do so, for it is the duty of the creature to trust in the Creator. God has a claim upon his creatures: faith, he deserves to be trusted; and to place our reliance upon another rather than upon himself, is a direct insult to his faithfulness. It is better in the sense of safer, since we can never be sure of our ground if we rely upon mortal man, but we are always secure in the hands of our God. It is better in its effect upon ourselves: to trust in man tends to make us mean, crouching, dependent; but confidence in God elevates, produces a sacred quiet of spirit, and sanctifies the soul. It is, moreover, much better to trust in God, as far as the result is concerned; for in many cases the human object of our trust fails from want of ability, from want of generosity, from want of affection, or from want of memory; but the Lord, so far from failing, does for us exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or even think. This verse is written out of the experience of many who have first of all found the broken reeds of the creature break under them, and have afterwards joyfully found the Lord to be a solid pillar sustaining all their weight. |
And, as we would expect, there is a myriad of Scripture related to this exact same principle: |
|
Scripture |
Quotation |
Psalm 40:4 |
How happy is the man who has put his trust in the LORD and has not turned to the proud or to those who run after lies! Notice here that happiness is part of having trust in God rather than in man. |
Psalm 62:8 |
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is our refuge. |
Psalm 62:9 |
Men are only a vapor; exalted men, an illusion. On a balance scale, they go up; together they weigh less than a vapor. |
Jer. 17:5-7 |
This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes human flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD. He will be like a juniper in the Arabah; he cannot see when good comes but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land where no one lives. Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence indeed is the LORD. |
Micah 7:5-7 |
Do not rely on a friend; don't trust in a close companion. Seal your mouth from the woman who lies in your arms. For a son considers his father a fool, a daughter opposes her mother, and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law; a person's enemies are the people in his own home. But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. |
Now, I know what you are thinking—I have said the same thing over and over again; first with the comments of several exegetes and then with this list of Scripture. You are very perceptive. I want you to recognize that this is not some minor doctrine of moderate importance; this is a principle which must guide our lives. |
However, I do not want you to misapply this. There are many cults out there who isolate you from friends and family and quote passages like these. They go to Jesus and distorts His words, “A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” Let me make this clear: you do not declare war on every person you know after becoming a Christian. You do not isolate yourself from every person that you know after becoming a believer. You do not hook up with some cult, call them your new family, and do whatever they socially intimidate you into doing. That is a complete and total misapplication of Scripture (for which Satan is legend). The last thing that you should be a part of is some cult wherein everyone who ever knew you as an unbeliever now thinks you are a freak (and they are right, by the way). |
Application: There are several common characteristics of a cult is a leader who has a strong personality that, apart from this leader (or a very similar replacement), it is unlikely that this cult will exist. The second characteristic is, this cult will determine your behavior, generally through social pressures. Thirdly, much of your behavior will be guided by imitation rather than by principles. Or, if there are principles involved, then they are based upon a few proof texts, which are often repeated again and again, always out of context. A fourth characteristic is, everyone else is wrong; you, in this very small, select cult, has it right. Or, this cult has a very small number of theologians upon whom they draw (like 2 or 3 at the most). So, yes, you depend and trust in God rather than man; but, no, you do not become some kind of a freak and separate yourself socially from everyone that you have ever known in the past. Furthermore, you cannot separate yourself from historical Christian doctrine. Never ever think that suddenly, you have the truth, 2000 years after our Lord. Do you have any clue as to just how arrogant that is? In fact, any group, denomination or church organization which has just popped up in the past 100–200 years, with doctrines which, essentially, have no historical foundation beyond a few decades (or a couple of centuries) is probably a cult. But, it is even easier to pin this down: if the organization to which you belong adds anything to faith; or, if they tell you that, as a Christian, you are going to automatically act better (otherwise, your faith did not really take); then you belong to an apostate organization. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone; everything else is bullcrap.
And one more thing—let me offer this more as a matter of interest than anything else: |
It may perhaps be considered beneath the dignity and solemnity of our subject to remark, that this Psalm 118:8 of this Psalm is the middle verse of the Bible. There are, I believe, 31,174 verses in all, and this is the 15,587th. I do not wish, nor would I advise you to occupy your time in counting for yourselves, nor should I indeed have noticed the subject at all, but that I wish to suggest one remark upon it, and that is, that though we may generally look upon such calculations as only laborious idleness, —and they certainly have been carried to the most minute dissection of every part of Scripture, such as to how many times the word “Lord,” the word “God,” and even the word “and,” occurs, —yet I believe that the integrity of the holy volume owes a vast deal to this scruple-weighing of these calculators. I do not say, nor do I think, that they had such motives in their minds; but whatever their reasons were, I cannot but think that there was an overruling Providence in thus converting these trifling and apparently useless investigations into additional guards and fences around the sacred text. —Barton Bouchier |
In the Tanakh, the Psalms is near the end of the Bible, so in the original Hebrew arrangement, this would not be the middle verse. However, in the Greek arrangement, this is, I assume, the center verse of the Old Testament. There is nothing inspired or magic about the arrangement of the books of the Bible. |
This is taken from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, A Treasury of David; e-Sword, Psalm 118 introduction; he is quoting Barton Bouchier. |
Good to take refuge in Yehowah |