The Unending Goodness of God
The Passover Part 11 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Please turn to Psalm 118 as we consider The Unending Goodness of God.
What is your reaction when God has accomplished a great thing in your life? The great things which God does for us on a regular basis often go overlooked. God provides us with housing, food, clothing, and much, much more. Historically our nation sets aside one day a year to thank Him for such provisions. But our thanks should not be limited to one day a year. For that matter, the Thanksgiving Holiday has become so consumer driven that the expression of gratitude to God is often left out of the day altogether.
Not only should believers in Jesus Christ be thankful for the material things which God provides for us. We should also be thankful the rich spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus.
If you are not a believer in Christ Jesus, you should understand that God has provided all of your material blessings for you. You may think that they are the result of your own hard, industrious work. But in truth they are blessings from God. If you continue to refuse to acknowledge God and his blessings, He will turn you over to more and more depravity so that His judgment will rightly fall on you. I encourage you to not only acknowledge the material blessings God has provided for you, but to embrace the spiritual blessings which are provided through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Such is the scenario in our text this morning. God saved the psalmist from his distress, therefore this person shared the news with others and enlisted them to join him in giving thanks to God.
This psalm is an intriguing, yet complex psalm. It is the final psalm of what is often referred to as the Egyptian Hallel. The Egyptian Hallel comprises six psalms, 113-118. The term “hallel” means praise in Hebrew. It is the root word of the more familiar hallelujah, which means praise Yahweh. These songs were sung at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles, but they had the greatest significance at Passover, which celebrated the Jew’s exodus form Egypt. Hence, the term Egyptian Hallel.
Another feature of this psalm is that it is the most frequently quoted psalm in the NT. There are several verses in this psalm which Jesus, Peter, and Paul all quoted as apply to Christ.
This psalm does not have an author ascribed to it, nor does it have an occasion. The absence of these make it difficult to interpret the exact details. Yet, the general details are broad enough to apply in various ways.
Commentators generally assume one of three occasions for the writing of this psalm. Some believe that it may have been written by Moses shortly after the crossing of the Red Sea during Israel’s exodus from Egypt. Others think it may have been written by David or another king after a time of deliverance by God. Still, others think it may have been written after the time of the Babylonian exile, during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. I think the first and third scenarios are the most plausible.
MacArthur argues for the possibility of Mosaic authorship. He wrote, “given (1) the nature of the Egyptian Hallel (see Ps. 114); (2) its use by the Jewish community, especially at Passover; (3) the close similarity to Moses’ experience in the Exodus; (4) the striking similarity in language (Ps. 118:14 with Ex. 15:2; 118:15, 16 with Ex. 15:6, 12; 118:28 with Ex. 15:2); and (5) the particularly pointed messianic significance as it relates to the redemption provided by Christ our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7). It seems reasonable to propose that Moses possibly wrote this beautiful psalm to look back in worship at the historical Passover and look ahead in wonder to the spiritual Passover in Christ.” (John F. MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005), Ps 118:1–29.)
As we go through our passage this morning we will consider the love of God, the refuge and salvation He provides, the rejected stone, and the proper response to His goodness and kindness.
Since this is a lengthy psalm we will not read it in its entirety, but read each section as we come to it. I will be using a different translation this morning, the Legacy Standard Bible, which is a recent translation put out by the professors at the Master Seminary in California.
Let’s begin by looking at
God’s Love for His People
God’s Love for His People
Note that,
The Love of God for His People is an Eternal, Unending Love
Perhaps you have never experienced such love. Perhaps this concept is foreign to you. I encourage you to seek the God of the Bible with all of your heart. Pray to Him and ask that He seek you too. God reveals Himself to us in His word, so, prayerfully read His word, asking God to reveal Himself to you in His word. Please feel free to contact me to help you get started on this journey.
God’s love for His people began in eternity past when He chose them to be holy and blameless before Him. And because of His great love for His people He draws them to Himself that He might redeem them from a life of destruction.
Look at verses 1-4.
Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever. Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Oh let those who fear Yahweh say, “His lovingkindness endures forever.”
Do you get the impression that the truth that God’s lovingkindness endures forever is an important truth?
Why did the psalmist call for God’s people to give thanks to God? Because He is good. Only God can be called good for no one is good but God alone. And the reason the psalmist states for His goodness is that His lovingkindness is everlasting. It endures forever. If God has placed His love upon you, that love can never be taken away. God’s love is not fickle like human love is.
Picture the children of Israel gathered together for worship sometime after they had crossed the Red Sea. Picture Moses leading worship, and the people responding in an antiphonal way.
Antiphonal music is a style of music where two or more groups of performers alternate musical phrases or parts. (The song Forever, which we sang this morning can be sung antiphonally.)
So, Moses first encourages the entire house of Israel to sing “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Then He encourages Aaron and his children to sing “His lovingkindness endures forever.” Then he calls for all who fear Yaweh to sing “His lovingkindness endures forever.”
What does it mean to fear Yahweh? Fearing God means delighting in Him while also recognizing that He is the King of the universe and should not be trifled with. It can also mean accepting God's rule, His definition of a good life, and His commands.
Do you and I have such fear for God? The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.
As we continue on we will see that the psalmist has a more specific, personal reason for giving thanks to God, and enlisting others to join him in thanksgiving. Let’s consider how
God is a Refuge for His People
God is a Refuge for His People
Note that,
God Protects those who Trust in Him
Look at verses 5-9.
From my distress I called upon Yah; Yah answered me and set me in a large place. Yahweh is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? Yahweh is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh Than to trust in nobles.
The psalmist was distressed, therefore he prayed for Yahweh to deliver him from his distressful situation. And guess what? Yahweh answered his prayer and delivered him.
These verses, as well as the rest of the verses up through verse 21 refer to an individual. Most commentators take this individual reference to be a poetic devise for the entire nation of Israel (or Judah if they believe this to be a post-exilic psalm).
Picture yourself as one of the children of Israel who has just recently left the nation of Israel after being protected by God during the original Passover. You are camped on the banks of the Red Sea, and suddenly find yourself trapped between the sea and the approaching Army of Egypt. What are you going to do? You cry out to God to keep His promise and deliver you from Pharoah and his army.
That is exactly what the children of Israel did. And God, who will never be beaten by any entity, either human or spiritual, parted the waters of the Red Sea so that they could cross on dry land. And when the army of Egypt followed into the Red Sea they were swept way when God brought the waters back on them. The entire army of Egypt was annihilated.
Look at verse 6 again.
Yahweh is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
Some believe this text may have been in Paul’s mind when he wrote,
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
We who are believer don’t need to fear the temporal trials which people can put us through. That is because in the eternal realm nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Further, God does not take it lightly when His integrity and power are challenged by those who do not believe in Him.
Notice how the psalmist concludes this section. Look at verses 8-9.
It is better to take refuge in Yahweh Than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in Yahweh Than to trust in nobles.
Taking refuge in God means seeking comfort and rest in God's presence, and trusting in God's protection and spiritual defenses. It can also mean turning away from self-reliant ways of solving problems, and instead placing faith in God.
Let’s move on to consider
God – The Savior of His People
God – The Savior of His People
The psalmist continues in his argument as to why we should give thanks to God. Look at verses 10-12.
Psalm 118:10–12 (LSB)
All nations surrounded me; In the name of Yahweh I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me, indeed, they surrounded me; In the name of Yahweh I will surely cut them off. They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of Yahweh I will surely cut them off.
Notice first, the four mentions of the words surrounded me. The final mention of this refers to them surrounding him like bees. I don’t know about you, but I do not like being surrounded by bees. Nor do I like getting stung! But I imagine you get the picture of how this individual or perhaps the nation of Israel was surrounded.
Notice next, the words cut them off. This term is normally translate circumcised them. But of course, circumcise wouldn’t fit this context since the psalmist wasn’t bringing them into the covenant community. He was bringing an end to them.
Look at verse 13.
You pushed me down violently to make me fall, But Yahweh helped me.
The enemies of Israel thought they could make Yahweh look bad by doing violence to His people. But God would not have it. For the sake of His great name He saved them.
Note that,
Yahweh is the Psalmist’s Yeshua
Yeshua is the Hebrew term which means salvation. Do you know what or who else is called Yeshua? Jesus. The Hebrew name for Jesus is Yeshua.
Look at verses 14.
Yah is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
After the deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea, the whole nation was in jubilation. Moses wrote a song about it, and there was joyful shouting throughout the camp. Imagine over a million people lifting their voices together in praise. This verse is a quotation from the Song of Moses from Exodus 15. That is one of the reasons why MacArthur argues that Moses may be the author of this psalm.
The Hebrew word translated salvation is Yeshua. Is this text saying that Jesus is Yahweh? Probably not. This was a common term in the Hebrew Bible. But we know from a NT perspective that Jesus, in fact, is Yahweh. On the night of His betrayal Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father. And Jesus replied that to see Him was to see the Father.
When the angel appeared to Joseph and told him not to be afraid to take Mary, who was pregnant out of wedlock, as his wife. The angel said this:
“And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
The psalmist has more to say about salvation in the next few verses. Look at verses 15-18.
Psalm 118:15–18 (LSB)
The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly. The right hand of Yahweh is exalted; The right hand of Yahweh does valiantly. I will not die; indeed I will live, And recount the works of Yah. Yah has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
Notice that the psalmist states that he will recount the works of Yah. Yah is the shortened form of Yahweh. The psalmist is pledging himself to be a witness about what God has done for him. May we, too, pledge ourselves to be a witness of what God has done for us!
Notice next, that the psalmist acknowledges the Lord’s discipline. For what was he disciplined? If this psalm is in the voice of the children of Israel while encamped at the Red Sea, they may have been disciplined for the continued lack of faith in God.
Faith and trust are deep things. There are many levels to them. And we always need to grow deeper and deeper in our faith and trust in God. That is why He brings trials into our lives, to cause us to mature in our relationship with Him through Christ.
Look at verses 19-21.
Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to Yah. This is the gate of Yahweh; The righteous will enter through it. I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, And You have become my salvation.
The gates of righteousness probably refers to the spiritual gates through which the righteous pass. For the believer in Jesus, He is the spiritual gate through which we pass into eternal life.
Let’s turn our attention now to
The Rejected Stone
The Rejected Stone
Note that,
Jesus’ Rejection by the Leaders of Israel was Prophesied in this Psalm
In verse 22 the psalmist shifted focus. Look at verses 22-24.
The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is from Yahweh; It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which Yahweh has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Michael Rydelnik wrote, “Next the psalmist will identify through whom the Lord grants deliverance. It is the stone which the builders rejected who also will become the … corner stone (v. 22). This indicates that the Lord has a Deliverer who will be rejected by the leaders of Israel but will be the one individual through whom the whole house of Israel will one day be established.” (Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., “Psalms,” in The Moody Bible Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 856.)
Regarding the purpose of a cornerstone, Another commentator wrote, “The “cornerstone” was an important stone that held two rows of stones together in a corner or stabilized the stones at the foundation or elsewhere (cf. Isa 28:16). Though the spokesperson spoke of adversity and rejection, likened here to the throwing away of a cornerstone (cf. vv. 10–12), the Lord has changed his adversity into a “marvelous” demonstration of himself (vv. 22–23).” (Willem A. VanGemeren, “Psalms,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), 735.)
This is the part of the psalm which is quoted frequently in the NT. Jesus, Peter, and Paul all referred to Jesus as being the stone which the builders rejected.
It was God’s purpose that Jesus be rejected in His first advent. That is because He had come to save His people from their sins by satisfying God’s wrath as He hung on the cross and bearing the sins of His people.
If this was indeed written by Moses, the day which Yahweh has made probably refers to the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. But it ultimately points to the day when Christ delivered His people from their sins by dying as their substitute.
Let’s turn our attention now to
The People’s Response to God’s Goodness
The People’s Response to God’s Goodness
How should people respond to God’s goodness and lovingkindness?
It has often been said that there are two types of people. The designations for these people vary. My favorite may be the remnant and the rest. A more common one is the saved and the unsaved. Another designation is saints and sinners.
The terms remnant, saved, and saints all refer to those who, by grace through faith, have received God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
The terms rest, unsaved, and sinners all refer to those who have not repented and placed their faith in Jesus Christ. For such people, the only positive response to God’s goodness is to
Repent and Believe the Gospel
Note also that,
Believers Should Continually Affirm their Dependence on God
Look at verse 25-26.
O Yahweh, save! O Yahweh, succeed! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of Yahweh; We have blessed you from the house of Yahweh.
This should be the response and prayer of both sinners and saints. For sinners, they need to come into a covenant relationship with God through Christ. For saints, they need to continually recognize their dependence on God. The phrase O Yahweh, save! can be transliterated as Hosanna. These two verses are what the crowds cried out as Jesus made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Rydelnik also wrote, “He is the blessed … one who comes in the name of the Lord (v. 26). When Israel beseeches this One to save them and recognizes that He comes in the name of the Lord, the nation will be delivered (vv. 25–26).” (Michael A. Rydelnik and Michael Vanlaningham, eds., “Psalms,” in The Moody Bible Commentary (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014), 856.)
Look at verse 27.
Yahweh is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
In the OT economy they had to continually bring their sacrifices to the altar. But with Christ’s sacrifice being once for all, never needing to be repeated, the only sacrifice believers need to continually offer is our sacrifice of praise.
As we close out this psalm, look at verses 28-29.
You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I exalt You. Give thanks to Yahweh, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever.
This psalm ends as it begins, with a call for Israel to thank Yahweh for His goodness and loving kindness.
How does this psalm relate to the Passover and then to the Lord’s Supper?
First, it was sung after the Passover meal. It was the closing hymn, so to speak. At the conclusion of the Lord’s last Passover, and the institution of the Lord’s Supper, we read:
And after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
This psalm is most likely that hymn that was referred to, which connects this psalm to the Lord’s Supper.
Secondly, there are notes of redemption which run through this psalm. Yahweh is our salvation, verse 14. Jesus is the gate of righteousness through which the believer must enter into eternal life, verse 19. Jesus is the stone which, though rejected by the builders, became the chief corner stone, vs. 22. And verses 25-26 connect us with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
So, with that in mind let’s pray.
Heavenly Father,
We come before You this day rejoicing in the day which You have made. We rejoice in this day. We rejoice in that day long ago when You offered Your Son as a pleasing sacrifice for our sins. We rejoice in anticipation of that day in which Christ will call His Bride from this earth to meet Him in the air. And we rejoice with anticipation when Christ will return to earth, conquer His enemies, and rule the earth for a thousand years.
Lord, I pray that until that day, we who are a part of the remnant, will be found faithful.
Lord, I pray for any here who are not yet believers in Jesus Christ. I pray that this would be the day in which Your Spirit opens the eyes of their hearts to perceive the gospel and embrace it and be saved! I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Closing Song: # 209
Closing Song: # 209
This is the day,
This is the day that the Lord has made,
That the Lord has made;
We will rejoice,
We will rejoice and be glad in it,
And be glad in it.
This is the day the the Lord has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day,
This is the day that the Lord has made.
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
As we come to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, I want to remind you of a few things. First, the elements have no saving value in themselves. We do not earn salvation by partaking in communion. Nor do we earn it by being baptized. These two things, baptism and communion, were given by Christ as ordinances to the church in order to identify that we belong to Christ.
Second, we should be careful to not partake of these elements in an unworthy manner. Those who partake in an unworthy manner can bring judgment upon themselves. If you are not a believer or, you are a believer, but are currently out of fellowship with Christ, you should abstain from these elements until you have either come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, or rectified your fellowship with Christ.
Third, we partake of these elements remembering Christ’s suffering and agony on the cross. Something which he gladly endured for our sake. We also remember His resurrection from the grave.
Fourth, we partake of these elements with a sense of joyful expectation as we await our Lord’s return.
Paul wrote,
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.
Let’s give thanks for the bread.
Holy Father,
We thank You for Your goodness and lovingkindness which were best displayed at the cross of Christ. He became sin so that who were sinners might become righteous in Him.
We remember His suffering and agony as He bore our sins on the tree. And we thank you, Lord Jesus, for willingly bearing our sins.
In Jesus name. Amen.
1 Corinthians 11:23–24 (LSB)
The Lord Jesus in the night in which He was being betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.”
Let’s eat this bread in remembrance of Him.
Let’s give thanks for the cup.
Father,
The hymn writer wrote, “what can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” We thank you this day for that cleansing flow which has made us, who are believers in Christ, white as snow.
We proclaim today that we have been cleansed by the shed blood of Christ, and that we belong to Him.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Let’s drink this cup in remembrance of Him.
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes.
