118:1–29 Psalm 118, which could be considered a praise psalm or thanksgiving psalm, concludes the collection of Egyptian Hallel psalms (see note on 113:1–9). After an introductory exhortation (vv. 1–4), it alternates between personal testimony from a first-person singular perspective (“I”; “my”) and a communal liturgy first-person plural perspective (“we”; “us”). The psalmist describes Yahweh’s deliverance (vv. 5–7, 10–15, 17–21) as the congregation responds to that testimony (vv. 8–9, 22–27). The psalm closes as both the psalmist (v. 28) and congregation (v. 29) praise Yahweh. Psalm 118 held particular importance for the nt authors who quoted from it often (focusing especially on vv. 22–23, 25–26).

118:1–4 Psalm 118 begins and ends with a call to give thanks to Yahweh (vv. 1, 29). The speaker may be a minister in a liturgical setting, or the psalmist might be providing a bookend structure to frame the psalm. Verse 1 and 118:29 are verbatim repetitions of 106:1 and 107:1.

Following the opening line, the psalmist exhorts three addressees (Israel, priests, and believers in general) to confess Yahweh’s faithful love (compare 115:9–13). This repetitive opening series introduces the rest of Psa 118 and establishes the focus on Yahweh’s faithfulness that continues through the psalm.

118:1 See note on vv. 1–4.

118:5–7 The individual testimony of a king figure is the main focus of roughly the first half of this psalm. This short passage begins the testimony of the king figure, which continues further in vv. 10–18.

118:8–9 The psalmist interrupts the testimony of the king figure with a brief statement of a general principle. The speaker may be the community participating in a liturgy, or it may be a minister.

118:10–13 Although vv. 10–18 occurs in the first-person singular perspective, the passage can be divided further. Verses 10–13 indicates that the speaker is a king, since he is surrounded by other nations and he cuts them off in the name of Yahweh. This passage depicts a battle situation in which the king emerges victorious with Yahweh’s help.

118:14–18 This group of affirmations of Yahweh’s deliverance echoes both the exodus story and other psalms (e.g., 60:12; 108:13). These verses emphasize that Yahweh’s deliverance has saved the king figure.

118:14 This verse quotes Exod 15:2, part of the Song of Moses that immediately follows the narrative account of Israel’s deliverance at the Red Sea in Exod 14.

118:19–21 Following the king figure’s testimony, the psalm presents what seems to be a formalized dialogue involving the king and another voice. The king requests entry into what seems to be the temple, and a voice (either the community or minister) explains the requirements. The king figure then shifts into direct address, and expresses thanks to Yahweh. This direct address resumes briefly in Ps 118:28.

118:22–27 This section, which seems to be spoken by the community, is mostly oriented toward the king figure and Yahweh’s deliverance of him. Verses 22–24 is a unit, but vv. 25, 26, and 27 could all be analyzed separately as successive stages in the community’s response to Yahweh.

118:22–24 This section is the worshiping community’s initial response to the king figure’s deliverance.

118:22 This verse is a sort of proverb or truism that is applied to Israel’s king. The sense is that a stone that is rejected for one purpose can be used for another one. Jesus quotes vv. 22–23 in Matt 21:42–43 and Mark 12:10–11 in the context of His parable of the tenants and the vineyard.

118:25 This counterintuitive interjection by the community here may be a strong affirmation that Israel trusts in Yahweh alone and not the king. Alternatively, the psalm may be reliving the experience of crisis and deliverance; however, nothing in the psalm indicates such a shift in agenda.

118:26 The psalm resumes a sense of joy after the brief interlude of Ps 118:25. The congregation seems to turn its attention to welcoming the vindicated king. The blessing comes from the house of Yahweh (beth yhwh in Hebrew), not the congregation’s authority.

118:28–29 Verse 28 resumes both the first-person singular perspective and direct address to Yahweh that last appeared in v. 21. After a personal commitment to praise Yahweh, the psalm closes by restating the first verse of the psalm, a call to give thanks to Yahweh (vv. 1, 29). See note on vv. 1–4.

118:29 The psalmist closes by repeating his call for the audience to remember Yahweh’s actions. See Ps 118:1.