For He is Good

INTRODUCTION

Have you ever seen at the end of the original Star Wars movie when they are giving medals to Han and Luke, but not to Chewbacca?

For some reason that always bothered me.

Anyway, they have just had this huge victory.

They blew up the Death Star. And how do they celebrate?

Everybody comes together to have a big military celebration.

There’s cheering and award giving. Lots of smiles. I love that scene.

It’s possible that is a little like that.

This whole psalm likely served as the liturgy for a thanks processional.

So, this was the script for a religious ceremony that the Israelites took part in to say thanks to God.

Potentially, it was connected to praising God for a military victory.

So, a king likely led the nation in these words of thanksgiving for the victory God had provided.

Hopefully, today, we will be able to give thanks together for some of the things God has done in your life.

THE WORD

The first few verses of the Psalm are likely a responsive reading led by the king.

So, let’s start by doing this as a responsive reading. I’ll read the first parts and you respond with “His love endures forever.”

READ:

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

2  Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

This was a way to start all the people of God in celebration together. A triple repetition like this was a common feature in liturgical songs. Those three groups mentioned: Israel, house of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord, well, there a lot of overlap there. This was a way to emphasize the idea that all the people of God need to give thanks. So, in our context it might say “Let the church say”, “let {INSERT THE NAME OF YOUR CHURCH} say”, and “let those who fear the lord say”.

3  Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

4  Let those who fear the Lord say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

This was a way to start all the people of God in celebration together.

A triple repetition like this was a common feature in liturgical songs.

Those three groups mentioned: Israel, house of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord, well, there a lot of overlap there.

This was a way to emphasize the idea that all the people of God need to give thanks.

So, in our context it might say “Let the church say”, “let Grace Gospel Church say”, and “let those who fear the lord say”.

Let’s see some of the things that the author of the Psalms is thankful for:

1. GOD’S PRESENCE

In the next verses the Psalmist used first person pronouns. So, it’s likely the king would say this part which lays out all the reasons that Israel is thankful. So, this is the king’s song of thanksgiving for the victory that God gave them. There are several things listed that the king was thankful for.

READ:

English Standard Version Psalm 118

Out of my distress I called on the LORD;

the LORD answered me and set me free.

6  The LORD is on my side; I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

7  The LORD is on my side as my helper;

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

8  It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in man.

9  It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to trust in princes.

5 When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. 6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 7 The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

One of the first things the king thanked God for was God’s presence.

He said, “the Lord is with me.”

The king found comfort, help, refuge, confidence in the presence of God.

God is not just some far away Creator;

He is an intimate God that is involved in our lives and cares about us.

As I come up against the difficulties in my life, enemies and hardship and anguish and fear, God is with me to lead me through them.

And I should be thankful for it.

But are you in His presence?

Are you spending time with Him?

He wants to be near you to provide comfort, help, courage.

But are you letting Him into your life?

He wants to be intimately involved and I am so thankful He does.

2. GOD’S VICTORY

What else do was the king thankful to God for in this ceremony?

READ:

English Standard Version Psalm 118

10  All nations surrounded me;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

11  They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

12  They surrounded me like bees;

they went out like a fire among thorns;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

13  I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,

but the LORD helped me.

14  The LORD is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation.

15  Glad songs of salvation

are in the tents of the righteous:

“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,

16  the right hand of the LORD exalts,

the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”

10 All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 11 They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 12 They swarmed around me like bees, but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them down. 13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. 15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The Lord’s right hand is lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”

Next, we see that the king was thankful for God’s victory.

We said it’s possible this psalm was written after a great military victory.

We don’t know which specific battle this psalm referred to,

but the king was definitely grateful for a victory.

Where has God given you victory?

Where have you seen victory in your life?

Maybe you’ve experienced victory…

· over a sin that you have battled with,

· over a sickness or a mental health issue that you or a family member have struggled through,

· over an addiction,

· through a lost family member or friend you’ve been praying for that chose to follow Jesus,

· over a class that you thought there was no way you were going to pass,

· over bitterness or anger in your life that ruined your relationship with someone, but God allowed you to let go of that and offer that person forgiveness.

What is the victory in your life that you are thankful for?

3. GOD’S DISCIPLINE

Then we get to verses 17-18 which point out a strange thing the king was thankful for. READ: .

English Standard Version Psalm 118

17  I shall not die, but I shall live,

and recount the deeds of the LORD.

18  The LORD has disciplined me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done. 18 The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death.

In the middle of a psalm thanking God, the king spoke about being thankful for God’s discipline.

If you are a follower of God, there will be times in your life that God disciplines you.

And these are something to be thankful for.

There are times that we give into sin: we ignore God, live in selfishness.

And in those moments sometimes to get us out of that place back to holiness, back to what God knows is best for us, there needs to be discipline.

As a parent, I get this. I know this may shock you, but my kids do not always live in holiness.

They’re kids.

Students, you aren’t going to like to hear this but sometimes your parents have to correct you and give you punishments.

Now sometimes, the only correction that is needed is a kindly spoken word of correction.

But sometimes it needs to be more. I don’t like giving the harsher discipline, but I know that sometimes it’s necessary.

The Bible describes followers of God as His children, whom He loves.

But just like every parent, He also knows there are times that discipline is necessary.

And in those instances, we can be thankful for it. It makes us better.

So, the king was thankful for the discipline he had received from God.

4. AS WE GIVE THANKS WE DRAW CLOSER TO GOD

Then we get this passage which likely reveals what was physically happening. READ:

English Standard Version Psalm 118

Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the LORD.

20  This is the gate of the LORD;

the righteous shall enter through it.

21  I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

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.

This is why I think this was a processional. As the ceremony happened, they were moving towards the inner temple court.

It probably started outside the temple and went through the gates to enter the temple court.

They were moving closer to the inner room of the temple where the presence of God was.

Literally as they continued giving thanks they were moving closer to the presence of God

. That’s a great picture of what giving thanks should do.

As we give thanks, we draw closer to God.

As we allow our hearts to pour out in thanks to God, it draws us closer to Him.

It allows our heart to recognize more and more of what all God has done for us.

It allows our hearts to be humble and submissive to Him.

There are lots of times that people think they want to be closer to God but don’t know how to make it happen.

One thing you can do is learn to live with more thankfulness.

Do things that allow you to keep thankfulness on the forefront of your heart and mind.

For example, keep a thanks journal, or talk about thankfulness around the dinner table.

When you do so, you will draw closer to God.

5. GIVING THANKS REQUIRES SACRIFICE

So now the people have heard all these things that the king has said that He was thankful for and they had physically moved closer to the presence of God. Now it’s their turn to respond. The language switches to plural pronouns here (our, us, and we) so this is the people’s part in worship.

READ:

22  The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

23  This is the Lord’s doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24  This is the day that the Lord has made;

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

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25  Save us, we pray, O Lord!

O Lord, we pray, give us success!

26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From the house of the Lord we bless you. 27 The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

27  The Lord is God,

and he has made his light to shine upon us.

Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,

up to the horns of the altar!

In the last verse we get another physical picture of what’s happening,

\they were drawing closer to the altar.

They were coming forward and were about to offer a sacrifice to give thanks back to God.

They had been verbally thanking God and now they would physically show Him thanks through sacrifice.

Giving thanks requires sacrifice.

How are you giving of your time, money, and energy to reflect with your life your thankfulness to God?

Giving thanks requires sacrifice.

6. WE CAN BE MOST THANKFUL FOR JESUS

But I want to highlight a specific verse which it’s possible you’ve heard before. READ: .

22  The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone.

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24  This is the day that the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25  Save us, we pray, O Lord!

O Lord, we pray, give us success!

The cornerstone was a perfect stone used to measure the rest of a building from. [Leader Note: Set out a large square stone as an example.] It was a squared stone that they would place before any of the other stones as a measuring tool for the rest of the building. So, a builder that was going to start a building would first look for the squarest stone. A stone that had goofy angles wouldn’t have been chosen. It would have been rejected.

26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27  The Lord is God,

and he has made his light to shine upon us.

Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,

up to the horns of the altar!

The cornerstone was a perfect stone used to measure the rest of a building from. [Leader Note: Set out a large square stone as an example.]

It was a squared stone that they would place before any of the other stones as a measuring tool for the rest of the building.

So, a builder that was going to start a building would first look for the squarest stone.

A stone that had goofy angles wouldn’t have been chosen. It would have been rejected.

Originally, this is talking about Israel. Other nations rejected Israel.

They looked at them and said not strong enough, not good enough.

But God looked at them and said, “I’m choosing you to establish my kingdom”.

God says, “You are my people” and they are thankful for it.

But this verse is famous because hundreds of years later it’s used to describe Jesus. In , Peter is speaking to a crowd of Jewish religious leaders and he says…READ: .

10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is

“‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’

12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Peter called Jesus the cornerstone. He was rejected by the Jewish authorities and sentenced to death.

But He is the Son of God that is the perfect model for all of us of what the kingdom of God should look like.

The kingdom of God is built on Him now.

As Christians, the thing that we should be most thankful for is Jesus.

Here’s something that’s even more incredible to me.

In , where we see Jesus and His disciples taking the Lord’s Supper, we find that they sang a hymn.

Specifically, it was traditional to sing a section of Psalms ending with 118.

So, it is likely that these are the words that Jesus and His disciples sang right before He went to the cross.

As Jesus was preparing for the greatest victory the world would ever see, victory over sin and death,

He sang this hymn celebrating victory and which also pointed to Himself as the cornerstone.

He knew that what He is about to do would change the world forever and be the greatest victory in human history.

What an incredible picture of why we should be thankful.

Then to wrap up the king has final words…READ: .

English Standard Version Psalm 118

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God; I will extol you.

28 You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

The pronouns change back to singular.

So, here the king gave his final praise saying, “I will give you thanks God.”

How are you going to say thanks to God today? What are you thanking Him for?

We’ve seen Israel and the king were thankful for God’s

presence,

victory,

and discipline.

And the thing we should be most thankful for is Jesus.

So, what are you thanking God for today?

We talked about physically thanking God when the Israelites brought a sacrifice.

There are lots of ways to do this, but I want us to do a specific one today.

You had notecards on your seat as you came in today.

I want you to write on that note card at least one thing you are thankful for.

You can fill that whole thing if you want but if there’s just one thing that is really standing out to you, then write it down.

In the celebration, the people were taking part by coming before the altar to bring sacrifice.

So, here’s what I want you to do: come and bring your thanks and place it on the cornerstone as a sacrifice of thanks to Jesus. I would just love us to have this picture of bringing our thanks before God and seeing our cornerstone filled with reasons we are thankful today. So, as we sing this closing song I want to encourage you to come down front and lay your thanks before God.

There’s one last verse that wraps up the ceremony for the Israelites. At the end of the celebration the people respond all together by repeating the phrase from verse one as a way to frame the whole ceremony in thanks.

So, let’s end today in the same way as the Israelites centuries ago: by saying this phrase together. READ:

29  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

PRAY

for his steadfast love endures forever!

PRAY