Wednesdays with the Word: Psalm 118

<sup>I am swamped with preparation for Thanksgiving... guests staying overnight are already on their way, and there is more cleaning, cooking, and decorating to be done. Still, in an effort to squelch my Martha tendencies, I wanted to take a moment during our quiet time today to think on heavenly things.

Psalm 118

1</sup>Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

²Let Israel say,
"His steadfast love endures forever."
³ Let the house of Aaron say,
"His steadfast love endures forever."
⁴ Let those who fear the LORD say,
"His steadfast love endures forever."

⁵Out 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.

⁸It 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.

¹⁰All 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.

¹⁴The 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,
¹⁶the right hand of the LORD exalts,
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"

¹⁷I 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.

¹⁹Open 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 marvelous in our eyes.
²⁴ This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵Save us, we pray, O LORD!
O LORD, we pray, give us success!

²⁶Blessed 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!

²⁸You 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 forever!