Psalm 118: Thanksgiving for Today’s Believer
Many people will be giving thanks this week—and probably a number who refuse to do so depending on their view of the recent elections. Believers always have reason to give thanks regardless of how the circumstances of life turn. It is such a renewing and invigorating exercise when we take the time to meditate on our Lord and give thanks to Him. This is what Psalm 118 is intended to do for Israel, and for us as well.
Give thanks for His faithful love. Psalm 118:1-5
The word chesed is translated mercy here. In other places, it is translated as lovingkindness. I like using the term faithful love. It flows from His goodness and His innate kindness toward me. It flows out of His inmost being and is not just something He does, but reflects who He is. When His love mixes with His eternality it produces a mercy without end—a love that endures forever. That manifests itself in times of blessing—like when we celebrate the harvest, but it also is evident when He answers my prayer in times of distress.
Give thanks because He is your victory. Psalm 118:6-14
This world is a hostile place for the true servant of God. The god of this world is the enemy of the Heavenly one (John 8:44, Ephesians 2:2). Because He is on my side, I do not have to fear human beings. He is more powerful than the nations with their sophisticated and powerful weapons of war. My strength is not in my power or resources. He is my strength now and always.
Not only is He my strength, He is my song. In Psalm 118’s immediate context, this is a very specific kind of song of joy. It is the song of victory. It is the song sung by victorious armies after the battle—like Miriam’s song (Exodus 15:1-18).
Give thanks because He is your salvation. Psalm 118:15-24
I know it is the tendency for the careful Bible students to see the word salvation here not in the born-again sense, but in the sense of being delivered from destruction sense. However, when we were born again, we were delivered from destruction and the description given here of salvation so closely resembles the new birth that we must see it.
He is the righteous victor. Jesus is the right Hand of the Lord. After all, that is the seat He now occupies in heaven. He lived righteously. He went to the cross for me. He shouted the victory cry as He gave up His life for me. He is the One who will be exalted (Philippians 2:9-10).
Because of Him, I will live and not die. If this passage is only about David’s salvation in time, it was a short-lived salvation. David did die and His tomb was known among the ancients of Israel. Because of Jesus, I will live forever. I have been granted everlasting life (John 3:16, Philippians 1:20-21). I will not only live now, I will live forever more. I have passed from death to life (John 5:24).
He now chastens me—even severely–as a son (Psalm 118:18), but He will never reject me. He will never give me over to death. He opens the gates of His righteousness and I go through them. I am made worthy by His righteousness and not my own. He answered my prayer for salvation.
We know that the stone which the builders rejected—the One who became the Chief Cornerstone—is Jesus Christ (Psalm 118:22-23, Mark 12:1-11).
Because He is your blessing. Psalm 118:25-29
He is the One who made this day glad—not me, my boss, my stuff, the market, or anyone else but Him. He is my prosperity. He not only gives everything I count as prosperity, He, Himself, is my prosperity.
He is my blessing. The blessing was a declaration made by a father or one in authority about the goodwill of God on the future of a son or charge. When I consider the future, my blessing is Jesus and only Jesus. Everything else comes as a result of my blessing in Him.
He is my light. There is so much intimated in this. He helps us to see. Because of Jesus, we do not flounder around in darkness. We see the way ahead clearly, and we understand our present circumstances clearly. But light also reflects righteousness as does darkness wickedness and sin. I do not have my righteousness, I walk in His righteousness.
This, this, is my God. He is so much more than anything the heathen have imagined. I will praise and exalt this God, my God.
Oh, give thanks unto Jehovah God, for His mercy endures forever!
Listen to the audio version of this article here: Psalm 118: Thanksgiving for Today’s Believer