Psalm 118 Explained
Psalm 118 is a joyful song of thanksgiving, victory, and confidence in the Lord. It reminds us that circumstances change, people may fail us, and trouble may surround us, but God’s mercy never changes. It also contains important verses Christians understand as pointing forward to Jesus Christ.
“His mercy endureth for ever” — verses 1–4
The Psalm begins:
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.” — Psalm 118:1 (KJV)
The writer calls Israel, the house of Aaron, and everyone who fears the Lord to declare that God’s mercy lasts forever.
There is a wonderful lesson here: our troubles have an ending, but God’s mercy does not.
“The LORD is on my side” — verses 5–9
The Psalmist had been in distress, but he called upon God, and God answered him.
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” — Psalm 118:6
This does not mean God’s people will never experience opposition. It means that opposition does not have the final word when our confidence is in God.
Then comes another powerful truth:
“It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” — Psalm 118:8
People can disappoint us. Leaders can fail. Human strength has limits. The Lord remains trustworthy.
Surrounded, but not defeated — verses 10–18
The Psalmist describes enemies surrounding him. He compares them to bees, yet repeatedly declares:
“In the name of the LORD I will destroy them.”
Then he says:
“The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” — Psalm 118:14
The Psalmist gives God the credit for his deliverance. His victory was not ultimately about his own strength—it was about what the Lord had done.
Verse 17 contains a wonderful declaration of hope:
“I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.”
In other words: God has preserved me, and I will use the life He has given me to tell others what He has done.
“The stone which the builders refused” — verses 19–24
This is one of the most important parts of Psalm 118:
“The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” — Psalm 118:22
The New Testament applies this imagery to Jesus Christ. Jesus was rejected, yet God exalted Him. See Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:10–12, and 1 Peter 2:6–7.
Then we have the familiar words:
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24
In its context, this is more than simply saying that every new morning comes from God. It celebrates the day of God’s saving victory. For Christians, that takes on an especially rich meaning in Christ.
“Blessed be he that cometh” — verses 25–29
Verse 26 says:
“Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD.”
These words were shouted when Jesus entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9). The crowd cried “Hosanna,” a plea meaning, in essence, “Save now!”, echoing Psalm 118:25.
The Psalm finishes where it began:
“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” — Psalm 118:29
That gives Psalm 118 a beautiful shape. It begins with God’s mercy and ends with God’s mercy.
The message of Psalm 118
Psalm 118 tells us that when you are distressed, call upon the Lord. When people oppose you, trust the Lord rather than human strength. When God delivers you, give Him the glory. And above all, Christians can see in the rejected cornerstone a wonderful picture fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
A fitting theme for the whole Psalm would be:
“Rejected by men, delivered by God, and rejoicing in His everlasting mercy.”
And one verse particularly worth carrying with you is:
“The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” — Psalm 118:14 (KJV)
GOD IS A GOOD GOD
GOD KNOWS, GOD LOVES, GOD CARES
Written for Georges Web Ministries.com
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20th September 2026