Jan 12, 2021

The Psalmist begins Psalm 118:1 with: "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever."

And, ends Psalm 118:29, with: "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever."

This proclamation of the goodness and mercies of God are the "bookends" of Psalm 118. In between are expressions of distress and concerns because of the wicked and the evil, that without God's mercies and goodness, would have otherwise overwhelmed him. The Psalmist says that in distress he called on the LORD, and the LORD answered him and set him in a broad place. He describes the chaos and how God helped him, and twice says (Yeshua*) has become his "salvation."

He says: "It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man, or in Princes (rulers)." Considering all that had happened to him, because God saved him, he says: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. That the LORD has chastened him severely, but has not given him over to death."

Then he reveals the secret of thankfulness and praise, which is the substance of his endurance and deliverance because of trust (faith) in Yeshua (the LORD): very simply he seeks to enter the "gates of righteousness," to praise the LORD. He says, "THIS is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous shall enter." And, among other things, says: "This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it."

*The King James Bible, the translation used in above quotes, has hidden the person of Yeshua (Jesus), who is GOD, Yahweh, and His works and involvement in our lives, in the Hebrew text. The Strong's concordance translates the Hebrew word Yeshua as "salvation" (h3444) 78 times as, salvation, deliverance, welfare, prosperity (65 times salvation).

In our times of despair, distress, fear, doubt, uncertainty… Let us be like the Psalmist, and let us call upon Yeshua, our salvation, and be thankful and praise Him in the midst of the storms and chaos that attempts to diminish our faith and hope. Our praises and thanksgiving to our Creator God and Saviour, is the "gate" through which the righteous enter… And let us proclaim with the Psalmist, "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”

Because, This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it!

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever."

Shalom… John