Psalm 118 - The Contemplative Bible Meditation Series

Psalm 118 is a song of thanksgiving and victory,

A declaration of God's unwavering mercy and steadfast love.

It has long been cherished by believers as a hymn of resilience,

A reminder that in every season of life,

Whether joy or hardship,

We are never abandoned.

This psalm carries a rhythm of trust.

It begins and ends with gratitude,

Anchoring us in the truth that God's mercy endures forever.

For us modern readers,

This psalm speaks directly into the struggles of uncertainty,

Fear,

And the temptation to place our hope in fragile human systems.

It redirects our gaze upward,

Toward the one who is faithful beyond measure.

Psalm 118 O give thanks to the Lord,

For he is good,

For his mercy endures forever.

Let Israel now say,

His mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Aden now say,

His mercy endures forever.

Let those who fear the Lord now say,

His mercy endures forever.

I called on the Lord in distress.

The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

The Lord is on my side.

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

The Lord is for me among those who help me.

Therefore I shall see my desire on those who 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 surrounded me,

But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

They surrounded me.

Yes,

They surrounded me,

But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

They surrounded me like bees.

They were quenched like a fire of thorns,

For in the name of God I will destroy them.

You pushed me violently that I might fall,

But the Lord helped me.

The Lord is my strength and song,

And he has become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted.

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

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

The Lord has chastened me severely,

But he has not given me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness.

I will go through them and I will praise the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord through which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise you,

For you have answered me and you have become my salvation.

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord's doing.

It is marvellous in our eyes.

This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Save now,

I pray,

O Lord.

O Lord,

I pray,

Send now prosperity.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

God is the Lord and he has given us light.

Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

You are my God and I will praise you.

You are my God,

I will exalt you.

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

For his mercy endures forever.

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

For his mercy endures forever.

Let Israel now say,

His mercy endures forever.

Let the house of Aaron now say,

His mercy endures forever.

Let those who fear the Lord now say,

His mercy endures forever.

The psalm begins with an invitation.

An invitation to thankfulness.

Gratitude is not merely a spiritual practice but a psychological anchor.

When we give thanks,

Even for small blessings,

Our mind shifts from scarcity to abundance,

From fear to trust.

Israel,

The house of Aaron and all who fear the Lord are called to join in a chorus of gratitude.

In our day,

This means all people,

Leaders,

Families,

Communities,

All are invited into the same truth.

God's mercy is endless.

Take a moment to breathe this in.

Imagine each exhale,

Each exhale as a release of anxiety and each inhale as a reminder,

His mercy endures forever.

Verses 5-7 I called on the Lord in distress.

The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.

The Lord is on my side,

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

The Lord is for me among those who help me.

Therefore,

I shall see my desire on those who hate me.

Here,

Distress transforms into freedom.

This reflects the experience of moving from constriction to spaciousness.

When worry feels tight,

Suffocating,

And then suddenly a new perspective opens.

The psalmist reminds us that when God is near,

Fear loses its grip.

Human threats,

Though real,

Cannot overshadow divine presence.

In our lives,

This teaches us that even when relationships,

Careers,

Or systems disappoint us,

God's presence is the ultimate reassurance.

When fear arises,

Ask yourself gently,

If God is with me,

What power does fear truly have?

Verses 8-9 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.

These verses remind us not to misplace our trust.

Dependence on people for validation or for security,

This often leads to disillusionment.

People are imperfect.

Leaders,

However powerful,

They are human too.

To trust in God is to ground oneself in something unshakable.

Trusting in God does not mean withdrawing from others,

But rather relating from a place of inner stability.

When we rest our confidence in the Divine,

We can engage relationships with more freedom,

Less fear of betrayal,

And more openness to love.

Verses 10-13 All nations surrounded me,

But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

They surrounded me,

Yes,

They surrounded me,

But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

They surrounded me like bees,

They were quenched like a fire of thorns,

For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.

You pushed me violently that I might fall,

But the Lord helped me.

The Samhita speaks of overwhelming opposition,

Like being swarmed by bees.

This imagery,

It captures the human experience of being under pressure,

Whether from external demands,

Inner criticism,

Or hostile circumstances.

Yet the refrain is clear,

The name of the Lord becomes strength.

When life feels like a swarm,

It is not the absence of struggle that matters,

But the presence of help,

And here lies a deep truth.

Resilience is not the denial of hardship,

But the capacity to rise through it with support.

Verses 14-16 The Lord is my strength and song,

And He has become my salvation.

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous.

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

The right hand of the Lord is exalted,

The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.

Strength and song,

Power and joy,

These are intertwined.

Salvation is not deliverance from danger,

But the restoration of joy.

Notice that the psalmist sings even in battle.

Singing,

Both literal and symbolic,

It shifts the nervous system,

It soothes,

It uplifts and opens the heart.

Consider,

Where can you let joy sing into your life today,

Even in the midst of struggle?

Verses 17-18 I shall not die but live,

And declare the works of the Lord.

The Lord has chastened me severely,

But He has not given me over to death.

This is a cry for survival.

The psalmist has endured hardship,

But hope remains.

Many of us carry scars from life's challenges,

Yet here is the affirmation.

I am still alive,

I am still here,

And my story has purpose.

Affirmations of life,

Affirmations of resilience,

These help us integrate suffering into a larger meaning.

We can choose to live not merely as survivors,

But as witnesses to God's faithfulness.

Verses 19-21 Open to me the gates of righteousness,

I will go through them,

And I will praise the Lord.

This is the gate of the Lord,

Through which the righteous shall enter.

I will praise you,

For you have answered me and have become my salvation.

The Gates These symbolize opportunities for transformation.

Righteousness is not about perfection,

But alignment with God's way of love and justice.

To step through the gates is to say yes to growth,

To healing,

To living in greater harmony.

Each day can be seen as such a gate.

Will we enter with gratitude or remain outside in fear?

Verses 22-23 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord's doing.

It is marvellous in our eyes.

Rejection becomes redemption.

What is cast aside becomes essential.

This speaks to the psychology of resilience and the spiritual mystery of transformation.

That what seems worthless in one season can become foundational in another.

Reflect on the times in your life when rejection or failure led to unexpected strength.

Marvel at how God can weave beauty from brokenness.

Verse 24 This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

This is perhaps the psalm's most beloved line.

It is a call to mindfulness,

To presence.

Today is a gift crafted by divine hands.

Gratitude for the present moment is a healing balm,

Quieting the mind's tendency to worry about today or regret yesterday.

Pause and breathe this truth.

This day is holy.

I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Verses 25-27 Save now,

I pray,

O Lord.

O Lord,

I pray,

Send now prosperity.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

We have blessed you from the house of the Lord.

God is the Lord and he has given us light.

Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

Here,

Prayer blends urgency with trust.

The psalmist prays for salvation and prosperity,

But not from desperation,

Rather from deep relationship.

God gives light.

Guidance shines upon the path.

Sacrifice,

In this context,

Is not about loss,

But devotion.

Binding ourselves to the altar of love,

Offering our hearts fully.

Verses 28-29 You are my God and I will praise you.

You are my God,

I will exalt you.

O give thanks to the Lord for he is good,

For his mercy endures forever.

The psalm ends where it began.

Gratitude.

Life's full circle is found in thanksgiving.

Whatever storms may come,

The anchor remains steady.

God's mercy endures forever.

A prayer.

Lord,

Today I give thanks for your enduring mercy.

When I feel surrounded,

Remind me that you are my strength and song.

When fear rises,

Center me in your presence.

Help me rejoice in this day,

Even with its imperfections,

And to see the marvelous ways you are shaping my life.

Let my heart remain open and my trust anchored in you.

Amen.