Christianity

Psalms 118The Stone the Builders Refused

Summary

Psalm 118 closes the Hallel with a festive thanksgiving. It opens and ends with the call to give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, and repeats that his mercy endures forever. The speaker tells how nations surrounded him like bees but the LORD helped him, then asks the gates of righteousness to open. Its lines on the rejected stone, the day the LORD has made, and blessed is he that cometh are among the most quoted in Scripture.

Key verse

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalms 118:24

Themes

Thanksgiving
Rescue from Enemies
The Rejected Stone
Festal Procession

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me.

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD will I destroy them.

They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about: but in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns: for in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.

Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:

This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.

This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.

Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Text: King James Version (1611/1769), public domain.

Across traditions

Christianity
Matthew 21: Hosanna and the Cornerstone
At Jesus' entry into Jerusalem the crowds cry Hosanna and blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Matthew 21:9), drawing on Psalm 118:25 to 26, and in 21:42 Jesus applies the rejected stone of 118:22 to himself.
Christianity
1 Peter 2: The Living Stone
1 Peter 2:7 also applies the stone the builders disallowed to Christ, as does Peter's speech in Acts 4:11.
Judaism
Psalm 118 in the JPS 1917 Tanakh
Psalm 118 concludes Hallel. On Sukkot its plea save now, hoshia na in Hebrew, is accompanied by the waving of the lulav, and the plea gave its name to the festival's Hoshanot processions.

Questions about Psalms 118

What does Hosanna mean?

Hosanna comes from the Hebrew hoshia na in Psalm 118:25, which the KJV translates Save now, I beseech thee. By the time of the Gospels it had become a shout of praise as well as a plea for help.

What is the stone which the builders refused?

Psalm 118:22 describes a rejected stone that becomes the head of the corner, an image of someone despised whom God raises to honor. Jewish interpretation has applied it to Israel or David, and the New Testament applies it to Jesus.