Psalms in Book 5 affirm that God does answer prayer, God’s promises are valid and it includes a long love song for God’s laws. 113-118 are called the Hallel or Egyptian Hallel and come between the acrostic songs of 112,113 & 119. In modern Jewish life, Psalms 113 and 114 are sung before the passover meal and Psalms 115-118 at its conclusion.
Psalm 118 is the song sung at the very end of the Passover. It would have been sung by Jesus often, and when the gospels say that he and his disciples sang a song at the end of the the meal before going into the night. That song, though not mentioned directly, is likely to have been the last song in the Hallel, Psalm 118.
But before I jump in from the Jesus angle, I’d like to look at the Jewish perspective.
The books of Psalms are roughly themed like this:
Book 1: Psalms 1 – 41: God is beside us.
Book 2: Psalms 42 – 72: God goes before us
Book 3: Psalms 73 – 89: God is all around us.
Book 4: Psalms 90 – 106: God is above us.
Book 5: Psalms 107 – 150: God is among us.
118 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
Psalm 118 ESVUK
for his steadfast love endures for ever!
2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”
4 Let those who fear the Lord say,
“His steadfast love endures for ever.”
5 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.
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!”
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.
19 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.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvellous 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!
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!
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God; I will extol you.
29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever!
The New Exodus
That the Hallel, Psalms 113 to 118, belong to the post-exile period is shown by aramaic-like phrases throughout. But also in the way the Exodus is mentioned.
Psalm 118 has remarkable similarities with the song sung by Moses and the Israelites in Exodus 15:1-21 and the verses before that. The words of the Israelites, “it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness,” in Exodus 14:12, contrasts with “I shall not die, but I shall live,” in Psalm 118:17. Comparing Exodus 14:30-31 with Psalm 118 gives us: saved, that day, saw, the Lord used in Exodus, while the Psalm says: save, this is the day, look in triumph on and the deeds of the Lord.
These contrasts and the shift to the present tense beautifully illustrate the distinctive nature of Psalm 118 concerning Exodus 15. It is evident that the psalm is firmly rooted in the Exodus song, yet it goes beyond the historical Exodus from Egypt, portraying a new Exodus from Babylon. The concept of this new Exodus, originally developed in the book of Isaiah (Chapters 40 to 66, but mentioned in Isaiah 26), is fully realized in Psalm 118, brimming with rich significance and promise.
The cornerstone of Jesus’ teaching
I said I wouldn’t jump straight in with the Jesus angle, but here it is:
In using Psalm 118 in his teaching, Jesus takes the idea of the New Exodus and runs with it, using verse 22, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” to refer to himself (Mark 12:10-11). This passage turns up in all three synoptic Gospels, as well as in Acts 4, Ephesians 2, and 1 Peter 2. This is at the very heart of the Gospel.
Psalm 118 isn’t just the final song that Jesus and his disciples sang before the events that led to his betrayal, arrest, unfair trial, and crucifixion. This song encapsulates the essence of Jesus’ teachings during that crucial week. On Palm Sunday, as Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds joyfully waved palm branches and proclaimed, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 21:9). During his last teachings to the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, Jesus declared, “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'” (Matthew 23:39). Psalm 118:26 beautifully encapsulates the story of Jesus’ final week of ministry in Jerusalem.
In the middle of this, Jesus taught by telling a story of tenants in a vineyard. It is a retelling of a story in Isaiah 5:1-5. Yes, Isaiah is mentioned again; the seeds of the New Exodus teaching can be found even in the early parts of Isaiah. It’s the same imagery: God is the owner of the vineyard, Israel is the tenant, and the prophets are murdered. Jesus finishes by quoting from Psalm 118:22. His enemies would have known what he was accusing them of.
The New Covenant
Jesus is embarking on a transformative journey, paving the way for something entirely new. Through His actions, He demonstrates a deep connection to the concept of the New Exodus, not merely to herald another exodus, but to transcend it profoundly. In the context of the Egyptian Exodus, God established a covenant with the Israelites through Moses, rooted in law. However, Jesus is initiating a different covenant with God, one founded on love. His death, resurrection, and ascension culminate in his becoming the cornerstone, the pivotal element upon which all others are anchored in his new construction – a spiritual temple known as the church.
“God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah,” said Peter in Acts 2:36. “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:23-24.
< Psalm 117 | Psalm 118 | Psalm 119:1-24 >
Making an ass of myself 