Psalm 118 Story behind the Psalm
Overview
Background ideas
- In ancient Israel there was a specific temple sacrifice called the thanksgiving (toda) sacrifice which would be performed to give thanks to YHWH for his loyalty (hesed) to Israel and all of his blessings (Jer. 17:26; 33:11, 2 Chron. 29:31; 33:16).
- After victory in military conflicts, ancient Israelites would go up to Jerusalem to give thanks to YHWH for his salvation. For example, in 2 Chron. 20 King Jehoshaphat is surrounded by enemies, cries out to YHWH, and YHWH answers and grants victory. Jehoshaphat and the people then "came to Jerusalem with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD" (2 Chron. 20:28) to give thanks to YHWH and probably offer thanksgiving sacrifices in the temple.
- A temple ritual gave structure to this thanksgiving ceremony, beginning with the thanksgiving-refrain, "Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!" This refrain was often used as declaration accompanying a thanksgiving sacrifice (cf. Jer. 33:11).
Background situation
Expanded paraphrase
For legend, click "Expand" to the right
- Close but Clear (CBC) translation
- Assumptions which provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences
v. 1
(A leader, probably a king, of Israel stands outside the temple gates surrounded by the congregation of Israel,) (including priests, Levites, men, and probably even women and children), (after experiencing YHWH's deliverance from enemies in a military situation,) (and a thanksgiving-sacrifice ceremony begins, with the thanksgiving chorus): Give thanks to YHWH because He is good, because his loyalty is forever (as seen in his abundant covenant-fidelity to us, from taking us out of slavery in Egypt) (to his recent deliverance of me from distress)!
v. 2
Let Israel (the Israelite laity) say, "(Give thanks to YHWH because he is good,) Because his loyalty is forever!"
v. 3
Let the house of Aaron (the priests) say, "(Give thanks to YHWH because he is good,) Because his loyalty is forever!"
v. 4
Let those who fear YHWH (all the people together) say, "(Give thanks to YHWH because he is good,) Because his loyalty is forever!"
v. 5
(Having opened in joyful thanksgiving to YHWH, the crowd now begins a procession towards the temple gates, surrounding their leader,) (who may have been raised higher than the others, perhaps being carried.) ("As the joyful crowd proceeds, I [the leader] will now testify of YHWH's recent deliverance woven together with declarations of confidence in YHWH's present and future help.) (I will begin with a brief summary statement of his deliverance, telling of how) From the tight place (surrounded by enemies on every side) I cried out to Yah. Yah answered me with spaciousness (granting victory, bringing me out into freedom, expansion of life, and security).
v. 6
YHWH is for me (on my side) (as demonstrated when he delivered me, which is why) I shall not fear. (I have experienced enemies and I have seen YHWH deliver me from them all. Therefore,) What can man do to me? (Specifically, is there any enemy that can defeat me!?)
v. 7
YHWH is for me as my helper (in battle, as I've recounted), and I shall look in triumph upon those who hate me (as YHWH brings about their downfall) (as I have just done, when YHWH brought about my enemies' downfall).
v. 8
(I can therefore testify that) It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in man.
v. 9
(And) It is better to take refuge in YHWH than to trust in noblemen (the powerful men of stature in society).
v. 10
(I learned how YHWH is a greater refuge than men when he, and he alone, gave me victories over my enemies. Here's what happened:) (There were so many enemies that it felt as though) All nations surrounded me (in battle against me). (Despite being overwhelmed, I still trusted in YHWH, so I cried out in confidence,) “With the name of YHWH (as the one I represent and as my source of strength and victory, just like David against Goliath), yes, I shall drive them away!”
v. 11
(This was no skirmish: my enemies were many.) They surrounded me, indeed they surrounded me.
v. 12
(A three-fold telling conveys a superlative.) (My distress was so great I will relate it three times.) They surrounded me like bees (swarming around and overwhelming me). They burned up like a fire of thorns (which blazes hot but dies out quickly) (coming to a quick defeat, despite their vicious onslaught). (My distress was great, but my trust in YHWH was greater. Ultimate victory belongs to the one who keeps proclaiming that) “With the name of YHWH, yes I shall drive them away!”
v. 13
(I can view my struggle with my enemies from different perspectives. If I address my enemy directly, as a single abstract enemy - possibly even death personified (which is often personified and occasionally addressed directly) - (I would say:) You pushed me down hard so that I was falling (into Sheol and death), but YHWH helped me (rescuing me from death, as from every other enemy).
v. 14
(I’ve narrated an extreme case of danger & deliverance. I’ve then abstracted it to The Enemy. The paradigmatic enemy for Israel was Egypt, and the deliverance from Egypt is equally paradigmatic. Just as God delivered Israel then, so it is appropriate to celebrate my own deliverance with the same words as in the Song of the Sea, Exod. 15, which celebrated Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.) (I now quote the Song of the Sea) (which all present know very well), joining with our ancestors' confidence in YHWH's victorious help and declaring that) Yah is my strength and song and he has become my salvation (just as he was for Israel coming out of Egypt).
v. 15
(Narrating my own deliverance and quoting the Song of the Sea builds a joyful and celebratory atmosphere.) (In accord with this joyful excitement, I shall sing a victory song of Israel, declaring that) A voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous (those whom God has vindicated by granting them victory and salvation)": (The king and the joyful procession break out into Israel's victory song, singing,) “The right hand of YHWH does valiantly (the same right hand we celebrated in the Song of the Sea, "glorious in power, shattering the enemy!" (Ex. 15:6)
v. 16
The right hand of YHWH exalts!
The right hand of YHWH does valiantly!”
v. 17
(In the battle I have recounted I did not die, but lived. Looking ahead, I am confident now in future battles and trials that) I shall not die, but I shall live, and declare the deeds of Yah.
v. 18
(In reflection upon my distress and and YHWH's deliverance, I am able to see that the whole trial was from YHWH himself. I can therefore retell the story from a new perspective:) Yah disciplined me hard, but he has not given me over to death (because he was in control, there really was and is no need to fear, no matter how great the trial).
v. 19
(The leader arrives to the gates of the Temple, surrounded by the joyful throng.) (He calls out to the gatekeepers) (an established role for priests) who are guarding the gate, in order to only let in those considered worthy.) Open the gates of righteousness (the actual name of the gates to the temple complex) (which are closed) ((to keep the unrighteous out) for me (because I am righteous and worthy to enter). I will enter through them. I will give thanks to Yah (, whom I will only address directly when in his presence, within the temple gates, which I have not passed through yet,) (thanking YHWH not just with my words, but also by offering a thanksgiving sacrifice on the altar)."
v. 20
(The priests at the gate reply) "This is the gate of YHWH (who permits that only) The righteous enter through it." (Because the leader is seen as righteous,) (the gates are opened).
v. 21
(The leader and the crowd enter through the gate into the temple complex.) (People had special access to YHWH's presence within the temple complex.) (Now in YHWH's presence in the temple complex, the leader directly addresses YHWH for the first time:) "(Again quoting the Song of the Sea, I acknowledge you as the God who answered Israel and saved us from Egypt, just as you have answered me and saved me from my distress. Therefore,) I thank you for you have answered me and become my salvation."
v. 22
(The crowd respond to the the leader's testimony from their perspective, crying out,) "The stone (common figurative language referring to YHWH's anointed leader) that the builders (men who are not to be trusted in) rejected (because they did not see its value) has (been vindicated by YHWH and) become the top of the corner (of the structure,) (exalted and raised up to a place of prominence and importance, visible to many).
v. 23
This (vindication and exaltation of the leader) has been from YHWH; it is extraordinary in our eyes! (Defeat seemed inevitable, but YHWH delivered him nonetheless.)
v. 24
This (day of the leader's vindication) is the day that YHWH has made. Let us be glad and rejoice in it (, fulfilling our role as witnesses to the leader's testimony of YHWH's salvation).
v. 25
(As witnesses to our leader's testimony, we now commit to join with him in looking to YHWH alone for salvation and success in coming trials, just as he has done in this trial.) (In anticipation of trials, with expectation that YHWH will answer, we will continually cry out:) Please, YHWH, grant salvation, please! Please, YHWH, grant success, please!"
v. 26
(The priests respond with a two-fold blessing,) (confirming YHWH's acceptance). (First they bless the leader with the words,) "Blessed is (the leader,) he who comes in the name of YHWH (, as one who is in unity with YHWH, demonstrated in his vindication and exaltation by YHWH). (Then they turn to the crowd and respond to them with a blessing, saying) We bless you (, the crowd,) from the house of YHWH (the source of blessing)."
v. 27
(The crowd accepts the priestly blessing with a covenantal declaration and celebration of YHWH's favour, declaring that) "YHWH is God and he has made his light shine on us (showing us favour)".
(Inside the temple courtyard,) (where there is an altar with horns on its four corners,)(instructions are given to bind the sacrificial animal and bring it towards the altar.) "Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!" (The thanksgiving-sacrifice,) (part of which is placed on the altar as a burnt offering in the temple complex, where God is present), (is placed on the altar).
v. 28
(The leader closes his part of the ceremony with a final thanksgiving statement and covenant confirmation.) "You are my God and I shall give thanks to you. You are my God. I shall exalt you (in response to your right hand exalting me)."
v. 29
(The thanksgiving chorus is sung by the leader, the crowd, and the priests, altogether.) Give thanks to YHWH because he is good, because his loyalty is forever!" (The sacrifice is performed on the altar).