(1) Overview:
(Kel) In praising the LORD for his marvelous loyal love, the psalmist rehearses how the LORD dealt valiantly in overcoming the powerful nations that threatened their lives, and how he restored them to the center of his program so that they could once again enter the sanctuary in great jubilation and anticipation.
(2) Structure: (Kel)
I. The leader of the people (speaking to the congregation) calls the people to praise the LORD’s loyal love that endures forever (1–4).
II. The leader of the people (now speaking for the nation) reports how the LORD answered their prayer in the time of distress and gave them victory over the enemies, enabling them to live and not die (5–18).
A. The LORD answered them out of their distress (5).
B. The people learned to trust the LORD in the process (6–9):
C. The LORD gave them victory over the nations that had surrounded them (10–13).
D. Because the LORD has done mighty things, they will live to proclaim his mighty works (14–18).
III. The leader of the people (now leading the communal praise) expresses their desire to enter the sanctuary to praise the LORD for giving them such a great victory over the nations and a share in his renewed program (19–27).
IV. The psalmist reiterates the vow to praise the LORD God because his loyal love endures forever (28–29).
(3) Reflection: Give thanks to God's goodness and His love v.1-4. Why? Because He does not have to. He is not obligated to love me and not obligated to love to this extent.
To what extent: (1) When I am in distress and crying out for help He answers me and on my side v.5-7. He is there for me! (2) I can have triumph over my enemies with the strength God gave me v.10-14. It is not me who can won, but what He has done. Seeing the survival of the nation Israel we will have no doubt about this.
Audrey
(1) Structure
v.19-21 The leader of the people (now leading the communal praise) expresses their desire to enter the sanctuary to praise the LORD for giving them such a great victory over the nations.
118:22 The stone which the builders discarded has become the cornerstone
(NET) The metaphor of the stone … the builders discarded describes the way in which God’s deliverance reversed the psalmist’s circumstances. When he was in distress, he was like a stone which was discarded by builders as useless, but now that he has been vindicated by God, all can see that he is of special importance to God, like the cornerstone of the building.
v.25-27 The Procession: The redeemed enter the sanctuary to worship the LORD with the sacrifice of praise
118:25 Please LORD, deliver! Please LORD, grant us success!
(NET) A petition for deliverance and success seems odd in a psalm thanking God for deliverance, but it is not unique (see Ps 9:19–20). The people ask God to continue to intervene for them as he has for the psalmist.
118:27 The LORD is God and he has delivered us.
Tie the offering with ropes
to the horns of the altar!
(2) Reflection: The psalmist entered the sanctuary to thank God for His salvation v.19-21. When we are saved from sin and death, do we think about God? Or do we just say thank you but will never think about Him?
The psalmist called special attention to the gate of the sanctuary v.19-20. Some people thought about Jesus' words. He is the gate of the sheep (John 5). Anyway, the psalmist here probably focused on entering the temple of God to give Him thanks. In NT, Jesus' body replaced the temple of God. If we want to gain access to God we have to go through Jesus. Do we value the privilege to gain access to Him? If yes, why are we so slow in devotion/prayer?
Audrey
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