His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
A processional at our Father's temple gates. The singer was surrounded like a swarm of bees and shoved hard enough to fall, and lived to walk through the gate of righteousness. The rejected stone becomes the cornerstone; the day itself is cause for gladness.
118 1Give thanks to our Father, for he is good; his covenant love endures forever.
2Let Israel say, "His covenant love endures forever." 3Let the house of Aaron say, "His covenant love endures forever." 4Let those who fear our Father say, "His covenant love endures forever."
5Out of my distress I called on my Father; he answered me and set me free. 6My Father is with me; I will not fear. What can anyone do to me? 7My Father is with me as my helper; I will look in triumph on those who hate me.
8It is better to take refuge in our Father than to trust in people. 9It is better to take refuge in our Father than to trust in princes. 10All the nations surrounded me; in the name of our Father I cut them off. 11They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of our Father I cut them off. 12They surrounded me like bees; they were extinguished like a fire of thorns; in the name of our Father I cut them off. 13I was pushed so hard I nearly fell, but our Father helped me. 14My Father is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of our Father has done mighty things. 16The right hand of our Father is raised high; the right hand of our Father has done mighty things." 17I will not die, but I will live, and recount the deeds of my Father. 18My Father 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 my Father. 20This is the gate of our Father; the righteous will enter through it. 21I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. a a v22 Jesus applied this verse to himself (Matthew 21:42), and Peter declared it of him before the rulers (Acts 4:11) — the rejected stone is the Lord Jesus, made the cornerstone of our Father's house. 23This is our Father's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day that our Father has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25Save us now, we pray, O our Father! O our Father, we pray, give us success! 26Blessed is he who comes in the name of our Father—blessed is Jesus our King! We bless you from the house of our Father. b b v26 The crowds sang this verse over Jesus as he entered Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9; John 12:13) — the One who comes in our Father's name is Jesus the King. 27Our Father is our Father, and he has made his light shine upon us. Bind the festival sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar.
28You are my Father, and I will give thanks to you; you are my Father, I will exalt you.
29Give thanks to our Father, for he is good; his covenant love endures forever.
