Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER. Psalm 118:1

¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER. Psalm 118

We began to look yesterday at Psalm 118, the psalm between the shortest book, Psalm 117 and the longest book, Psalm 119.

There were three triples, phrases repeated three times in the following verses;

² Let Israel/house of Aaron/those who fear Him SAY (Speak out!):
    “His love endures forever (X3).”

¹⁰ All the nations surrounded me,
    but in the name of the Lord I cut them off (X3).

¹⁵ Shouts of joy and victory
    resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things (X3)”

We also saw that Psalm 118:8 is recognised by some as the central verse or The Heart of the whole Bible and it is the central theme of the Word of God.

⁸ IT IS BETTER TO TAKE REFUGE IN THE LORD
    than to trust in men.
⁹ IT IS BETTER TO TAKE REFUGE IN THE LORD
    than to trust in princes.

The next verses may speak of going up to the Temple of God in Jerusalem;

¹⁹ Open for me the gates of the righteous;
    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
²⁰ This is the gate of the Lord
    through which the righteous may enter.
²¹ I WILL GIVE YOU THANKS, FOR YOU ANSWERED ME;
    YOU HAVE BECOME MY SALVATION.

Then come prophetic verses about the Messiah quoted in three Gospels;

²² The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone/capstone;
²³ the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE;
    LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT.

The following verses continue with the call to God to save His people;

²⁵ O Lord, save us!
    O Lord, grant us success!

²⁶ Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
    From the house of the Lord we bless you.

The psalm draws towards an end with the psalmist’s personal praise to ‘his God’;