Psalm 118:1-2; 19-29

Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (v1) Giving thanks on a regular basis is very important to me. It lifts me up and makes me happy. It makes me see the many blessings I have, instead of complaining about things I do not have or opportunities I might have missed. This verse specifically reminds me of a round we used to sing in German, to say grace.

The writer of this Psalm had even greater visions. In verse 19 he plans to enter the gates of righteousness and thanks God for his salvation. Maybe he was thankful for a victory in war, but reading this today, each line refers to Jesus and what he has done for us. Jesus is the stone the builders have rejected. He indeed has become the capstone that holds everything together. (See Matthew 21:42.) And because of this we can live; we have salvation. We are made righteous in the eyes of God.

And this is because the Lord has done this. And it is marvelous in our eyes. (v 23) Another song based on this Psalm is: This is the day that the Lord has made. (v 24)

When we celebrate Palm Sunday tomorrow, I want to challenge us to close our eyes and have these verses of Psalm 118 in our minds: We can enter the gates to the Most High because of what Jesus has done and because of God’s wonderful plan of redemption. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Prayer: Thank you Jesus for saving us. Thank you for blessing us with life everlasting. You were rejected and through your death and resurrection you became the capstone in our lives. You are holding us together. Thank you Lord for making your light shine upon us.  Amen.