Psalm 118
Psalms • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 13 viewsNotes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
1 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 3 Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” 4 Oh let those who fear the Lord say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
NOTES
HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING (1-4)
Israel is the people of God.
The house of Aaron are those who serve as priests in the temple.
Those who fear the LORD are Gentiles who follow YHWH.
All say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
There are no second-call citizens in the family of God. All experience His goodness. All should give thanks to Him. Because “His lovingkindness is everlasting” toward them all.
Have you ever known someone who you thought had a special relationship with God? Different people in the Kingdom have different callings, but the same Jesus died for us all; the same Spirit fills us all; we have the same Father; we are sanctified by the same Scriptures; we belong to the same church; we have the same mission, etc. And His lovingkindness is everlasting toward us all. We are one in the bond of love--God’s love.
New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 118
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Why is this repeated?
Because we can never thank God enough for it.
Because the world needs to hear us testify to it.
Because we always need to be reminded of it.
5 From my distress I called upon the Lord; The Lord answered me and set me in a large place. 6 The Lord is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I will look with satisfaction 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.
NOTES
THE LORD IS FOR ME (5-9)
How does the psalmist learn that God is for him? In his distress, he calls upon the LORD and the LORD answers and sets him in a large place (v. 1)
What are the things that typically distress us? Money. Family. Health. Work. Politics. The news. Our flesh.
The psalmist is distressed about the threats of men--What can man do to me? Persecution distresses many of own brothers and sisters around the world and even begins to distress us in our own land. Psalm 118:6 is quoted to the Jewish Christians first reading Hebrews. Because of the threats of men, they were tempted to turn back from Christ. But in Hebrews 13:6 the writer encourages them with the words of Psalm 118:6--The LORD is for you; do not fear; What can man do to you?
What sorts of things do people turn to when distressed? They turn to constructive things: e.g., counseling, exercise, etc. But it seems more people turn to destructive things: e.g., drugs, alcohol, over-eating, binge-watching, pornography, etc.
But we must note that even our constructive turns become destructive when they are without God or come before Him.
10 All nations surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. 11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. 12 They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the Lord I will surely cut them off. 13 You pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me. 14 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
NOTES
THE NAME OF THE LORD HELPED ME (10-14)
From the outside looking in, the situation might look hopeless. The enemies of the psalmist surrounds (v. 10), surrounds (v. 11a), and surrounds (v. 11b). They surround like bees (v. 12a). But though the psalmist is pushed to the brink (v. 13a), the enemy is quickly extinguished (v. 12b). How? By the name of the LORD.
The name of the LORD represents the LORD. It is His name--that’s why there is power in His name.
The LORD’s name is a declaration of salvation.
It was the name first given to Moses when he was called to lead the rescue of God’s people from Egypt.
It is the name--I AM--that the Savior applied to Himself. That’s why there is no other name under heaven given among men by which men must be saved (Acts 4:12).
His name means victory (vv. 10b, 11b, 12c), help (v. 13b), and salvation (v. 14b). His name is our strength and our song (v. 14a).
The hymn - There is power in the name of the Lord. There is peace in the name of the Lord. There is strength in the name of the Lord. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!
15 The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. 16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. 17 I will not die, but live, And tell of the works of the Lord. 18 The Lord has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
NOTES
TESTIFY TO THE RIGHT HAND OF THE LORD (15-18)
There is the sound of joyful shouting and salvation in the tents of the righteous (i.e., the tents of God’s people) because the right hand of the LORD (i.e., His power and strength) has saved from death to life.
I think the sound of salvation sounds like Hallelujah!
The result of salvation is a joyous life with God. Do you think Christians are generally joyful? What can we do if we aren’t more joyful in the LORD? Remind ourselves of the truths of this Psalm. Pray through them. Sing them. Testify to them (“tell of the works of the LORD”).
The LORD is good and He disciplines us for our good so that we will not die (v. 18). How should we respond to the LORD’s discipline? Obedience. And on the other side of obedience is joy.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the Lord. 20 This is the gate of the Lord; The righteous will enter through it. 21 I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, And You have become my salvation.
NOTES
GIVING THANKS THROUGH THE GATES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (19-21)
The gates of righteousness most likely refer to the gates that lead into the temple courts. These gates are righteous because they lead to the LORD who is righteous and they are entered by His people who are made righteous by His grace.
This grace of God leads us to come before Him giving thanks.
This grace of God is demonstrated in this--He hears us when we call. He Knows My Name - He knows my name, He knows my every thought, He sees each tear that falls, And He hears me when I call!
‘You have become my salvation.’ God saves us to Himself. Not primarily to mansions in Heaven. Not primarily to loved ones waiting for us in Heaven.
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 25 O Lord, do save, we beseech You; O Lord, we beseech You, do send prosperity! 26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord; We have blessed you from the house of the Lord. 27 The Lord is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. 28 You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You. 29 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
NOTES
THE REJECTED STONE BECOMES THE CHIEF CORNER STONE--GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD; FOR HIS LOVINGKINDNESS IS EVERLASTING (22-29)
Remember, we are coming through the gates of the Temple praising God. He has saved us from death. We are marveling at Him, and as we come into His Temple we are marveling at it. There is one part of it in particular that catches our eye--the cornerstone.
The cornerstone likely refers to the large foundation stone at the corner of the building. (Some think it is the keystone or capstone of an arch.). A stone that the builders rejected now serves as the anchor of the foundation.
Israel was rejected by the nations around them but through Israel came Jesus through whom the whole world is blessed, the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12); the choice, precious cornerstone--a stone of hope for those who believe (Heb. 12:6) and a stone of stumbling and offense to those who don’t believe (Heb. 12:8).
v. 23 - It was the Lord’s will to crush Him (Isaiah 53)
v. 24 - Here, the day the Lord has made is the day of salvation.
v. 25 - God’s people continue to call on Him even after salvation (If He has given us His Son, how will He along with not give us all things.)
v. 26 - This is what was sung to Jesus on Palm Sunday as entered Jerusalem (Matt. 21:9, 23:39; Mark 11:9; Luke 13:35, 19:38; John 12:13).
v. 27 - Jesus is the light--the Light of the World--and the festal sacrifice--the Passover Lamb.
v. 28 - Jesus is reason to give thanks and extol God.
v. 29 - Jesus is the demonstration of God’s everlasting lovingkindness.
Conclusion
Conclusion