Psalm 118 Text
From Psalms: Layer by Layer
Psalm 118/Text
Choose a PsalmNavigate Psalm 118
Tight place to thanksgiving
Psalm 118
Please note: Resources for Psalm 118 are in the process of being reformatted for visual consistency and improved functionality.
Listen & Read: Psalm 118
Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 118. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.
| Simple Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming. |
Simple Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
| Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming. |
Dramatic Reading (English) Forthcoming. |
Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 1a | Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever. |
| יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | 2a | Let Israel say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 2b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֥א בֵֽית־אַהֲרֹ֑ן | 3a | Let the house of Aaron say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 3b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֭א יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה | 4a | Let those who fear YHWH say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 4b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ | 5a | From the tight place I cried out to Yah. |
| עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ | 5b | Yah answered me with spaciousness. |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י | 6a | YHWH is for me. |
| לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א | 6b | I shall not fear. |
| מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם׃ | 6c | What can man do to me? |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י | 7a | YHWH is for me as my helper, |
| וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃ | 7b | and I shall look in triumph upon those who hate me. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃ | 8a | It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in man. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃ | 9a | It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in noblemen. |
| כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי | 10a | All nations surrounded me. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 10b | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| סַבּ֥וּנִי | 11a | They surrounded me, |
| גַם־סְבָב֑וּנִי | 11b | indeed they surrounded me. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 11c | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים | 12a | They surrounded me like bees. |
| דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים | 12b | They burned up like a fire of thorns. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 12c | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| דַּחֹ֣ה דְחִיתַ֣נִי לִנְפֹּ֑ל | 13a | You pushed me down hard so that I was falling, |
| וַ֖יהוָ֣ה עֲזָרָֽנִי׃ | 13b | but YHWH helped me. |
| עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ | 14a | Yah is my strength and song |
| וַֽיְהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 14b | and he has become my salvation. |
| ק֤וֹל ׀ רִנָּ֬ה וִֽישׁוּעָ֗ה בְּאָהֳלֵ֥י צַדִּיקִ֑ים | 15a | A voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: |
| יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 15b | "The right hand of YHWH does valiantly! |
| יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה | 16a | The right hand of YHWH is exalted! |
| יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 16b | "The right hand of YHWH does valiantly! |
| לֹֽא אָמ֥וּת | 17a | I shall not die, |
| כִּי־אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה | 17b | but I shall live, |
| וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃ | 17c | and declare the deeds of Yah. |
| יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ | 18a | Yah disciplined me hard, |
| וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃ | 18b | but he has not given me over to death. |
| פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק | 19a | Open the gates of righteousness for me. |
| אָֽבֹא־בָ֝ם | 19b | I will enter through them. |
| אוֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ׃ | 19c | I will give thanks to Yah. |
| זֶֽה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַיהוָ֑ה | 20a | This is the gate of YHWH. |
| צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים יָבֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ׃ | 20b | The righteous enter through it. |
| א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 21a | I thank you for you have answered me and become my salvation. |
| אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבּוֹנִ֑ים הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃ | 22a | The stone that the builders rejected has become the top of the corner. |
| מֵאֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֑את | 23a | This has been from YHWH; |
| הִ֖יא נִפְלָ֣את בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ׃ | 23b | it is extraordinary in our eyes! |
| זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה | 24a | This is the day that YHWH has made. |
| נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃ | 24b | Let us be glad and rejoice in it. |
| אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א | 25a | Please, YHWH, grant salvation, please! |
| אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה נָּֽא׃ | 25b | Please, YHWH, grant success, please! |
| בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה | 26a | Blessed is he who comes in the name of YHWH. |
| בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ | 26b | We bless you from the house of YHWH. |
| אֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֮ | 27a | YHWH is God |
| וַיָּ֪אֶר לָ֥נוּ | 27b | and he has made his light shine on us. |
| אִסְרוּ־חַ֥ג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | 27c | Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! |
| אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה | 28a | You are my God |
| וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ | 28b | and I thank you. |
| אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י | 28c | You are my God. |
| אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃ | 28d | I exalt you. |
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 29a | Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever. |
Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.
| Text (Hebrew) | Verse | Text (CBC) |
|---|---|---|
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 1a | Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever. |
| יֹֽאמַר־נָ֥א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל | 2a | Let Israel say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 2b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֥א בֵֽית־אַהֲרֹ֑ן | 3a | Let the house of Aaron say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 3b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| יֹֽאמְרוּ־נָ֭א יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה | 4a | Let those who fear YHWH say, |
| כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 4b | “Because his loyalty is forever”. |
| מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ | 5a | From the tight place I cried out to Yah. |
| עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ | 5b | Yah answered me with spaciousness. |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י | 6a | YHWH is for me. |
| לֹ֣א אִירָ֑א | 6b | I shall not fear. |
| מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה לִ֣י אָדָֽם׃ | 6c | What can man do to me? |
| יְהוָ֣ה לִ֭י בְּעֹזְרָ֑י | 7a | YHWH is for me as my helper, |
| וַ֝אֲנִ֗י אֶרְאֶ֥ה בְשֹׂנְאָֽי׃ | 7b | and I shall look in triumph upon those who hate me. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בָּאָדָֽם׃ | 8a | It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in man. |
| ט֗וֹב לַחֲס֥וֹת בַּיהוָ֑ה מִ֝בְּטֹ֗חַ בִּנְדִיבִֽים׃ | 9a | It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in noblemen. |
| כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם סְבָב֑וּנִי | 10a | All nations surrounded me. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 10b | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| סַבּ֥וּנִי | 11a | They surrounded me, |
| גַם־סְבָב֑וּנִי | 11b | indeed they surrounded me. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 11c | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| סַבּ֤וּנִי כִדְבוֹרִ֗ים | 12a | They surrounded me like bees. |
| דֹּ֭עֲכוּ כְּאֵ֣שׁ קוֹצִ֑ים | 12b | They burned up like a fire of thorns. |
| בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְ֝הוָ֗ה כִּ֣י אֲמִילַֽם׃ | 12c | "With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!" |
| דַּחֹ֣ה דְחִיתַ֣נִי לִנְפֹּ֑ל | 13a | You pushed me down hard so that I was falling, |
| וַ֖יהוָ֣ה עֲזָרָֽנִי׃ | 13b | but YHWH helped me. |
| עָזִּ֣י וְזִמְרָ֣ת יָ֑הּ | 14a | Yah is my strength and song |
| וַֽיְהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 14b | and he has become my salvation. |
| ק֤וֹל ׀ רִנָּ֬ה וִֽישׁוּעָ֗ה בְּאָהֳלֵ֥י צַדִּיקִ֑ים | 15a | A voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: |
| יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 15b | "The right hand of YHWH does valiantly! |
| יְמִ֣ין יְ֭הוָה רוֹמֵמָ֑ה | 16a | The right hand of YHWH is exalted! |
| יְמִ֥ין יְ֝הוָה עֹ֣שָׂה חָֽיִל׃ | 16b | "The right hand of YHWH does valiantly! |
| לֹֽא אָמ֥וּת | 17a | I shall not die, |
| כִּי־אֶֽחְיֶ֑ה | 17b | but I shall live, |
| וַ֝אֲסַפֵּ֗ר מַֽעֲשֵׂ֥י יָֽהּ׃ | 17c | and declare the deeds of Yah. |
| יַסֹּ֣ר יִסְּרַ֣נִּי יָּ֑הּ | 18a | Yah disciplined me hard, |
| וְ֝לַמָּ֗וֶת לֹ֣א נְתָנָֽנִי׃ | 18b | but he has not given me over to death. |
| פִּתְחוּ־לִ֥י שַׁעֲרֵי־צֶ֑דֶק | 19a | Open the gates of righteousness for me. |
| אָֽבֹא־בָ֝ם | 19b | I will enter through them. |
| אוֹדֶ֥ה יָֽהּ׃ | 19c | I will give thanks to Yah. |
| זֶֽה־הַשַּׁ֥עַר לַיהוָ֑ה | 20a | This is the gate of YHWH. |
| צַ֝דִּיקִ֗ים יָבֹ֥אוּ בֽוֹ׃ | 20b | The righteous enter through it. |
| א֭וֹדְךָ כִּ֣י עֲנִיתָ֑נִי וַתְּהִי־לִ֝֗י לִֽישׁוּעָֽה׃ | 21a | I thank you for you have answered me and become my salvation. |
| אֶ֭בֶן מָאֲס֣וּ הַבּוֹנִ֑ים הָ֝יְתָ֗ה לְרֹ֣אשׁ פִּנָּֽה׃ | 22a | The stone that the builders rejected has become the top of the corner. |
| מֵאֵ֣ת יְ֭הוָה הָ֣יְתָה זֹּ֑את | 23a | This has been from YHWH; |
| הִ֖יא נִפְלָ֣את בְּעֵינֵֽינוּ׃ | 23b | it is extraordinary in our eyes! |
| זֶה־הַ֭יּוֹם עָשָׂ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה | 24a | This is the day that YHWH has made. |
| נָגִ֖ילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָ֣ה בֽוֹ׃ | 24b | Let us be glad and rejoice in it. |
| אָנָּ֣א יְ֭הוָה הוֹשִׁ֘יעָ֥ה נָּ֑א | 25a | Please, YHWH, grant salvation, please! |
| אָֽנָּ֥א יְ֝הוָ֗ה הַצְלִ֘יחָ֥ה נָּֽא׃ | 25b | Please, YHWH, grant success, please! |
| בָּר֣וּךְ הַ֭בָּא בְּשֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֑ה | 26a | Blessed is he who comes in the name of YHWH. |
| בֵּ֝רַֽכְנוּכֶ֗ם מִבֵּ֥ית יְהוָֽה׃ | 26b | We bless you from the house of YHWH. |
| אֵ֤ל ׀ יְהוָה֮ | 27a | YHWH is God |
| וַיָּ֪אֶר לָ֥נוּ | 27b | and he has made his light shine on us. |
| אִסְרוּ־חַ֥ג בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים עַד־קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | 27c | Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! |
| אֵלִ֣י אַתָּ֣ה | 28a | You are my God |
| וְאוֹדֶ֑ךָּ | 28b | and I thank you. |
| אֱ֝לֹהַ֗י | 28c | You are my God. |
| אֲרוֹמְמֶֽךָּ׃ | 28d | I exalt you. |
| הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | 29a | Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever. |
Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.
This resource is forthcoming.
Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.
