Every Day, in Every Way, Jesus is Lord Psalm 118
What earthly thing do you depend upon? What is the thing that doesn't move for you? It’s immovable. Perhaps it's a relationship, your age, your health; if you're younger, if you're older, it might be your bank account or your assets; perhaps it's your insurance. I think for most of us here, it might be relationships that are important that matter: our parents, our spouses, our children; we can depend on them. They’ll always be there. They are steadfast. That’s the word that the psalmist used here, who is, in all likelihood, King David. He used it 4 times in the first 4 verses.
It means immovable, sure, and permanent. We know all earthly goods go, don’t they? They are wood, hay and stubble, but we know relationships here will pass as well. Every earthly thing we depend upon will depart until we eventually depart ourselves.
But what does endure; what lasts, what stays? David said of the Lord that “his steadfast love endures forever.” It never fails. It goes on for eternity. But this love always needs a context and a framework. This is often provided through the lens of trial and suffering.
This psalm was sung by those who returned from Babylon to rebuild the temple. In Ezra’s time, 536BC, “according to the directions of David king of Israel. And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD, "For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel." And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” (Ezra 3:10, 11) This set of Psalms is referred to as the Hallel. The word comes from the Hebrew word for “praise” and is the same word that serves as the root for “hallelujah”. The Hallel is made up of Psalms 113-118. But more than this, our Lord most likely sang this Psalm when He was with the disciples at the Passover. This is the last Psalm to be sung at the Passover and would have been sung by our Lord right before He was handed over to be crucified.
It's when we consider this that the words of this Psalm take on both a practical and a prophetic element. Imagine Jesus singing these words in the first person as these following verses declare.
Is this true? Jesus sang these words as a personal truth; He said with the Psalmist, “Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.” (verses 5-7)
Is this true? Jesus prayed in the garden, “Take this cup from Me,” but that didn’t happen. Admittedly He said not My will but yours, and we say that, don’t we? But how often can we pray that as an ‘out’ for God rather than from a position of trust? If God doesn’t answer, all good, that’s up to Him. Jesus got arrested, but The Lord didn’t set Him free.
Man can do a lot to Him. The Psalmist said, and Jesus sang, “What can man do to me?” (verse 6) Well, he can beat you to the point of losing your life, pull your beard, have you scourged, and then be crucified. Man can do a lot, can’t he?
Others looked on Jesus. What about in verse 7? “The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.” They looked upon Jesus and mocked him. He saved others, and he couldn’t save Himself. It seems that those who crucified Him looked on in triumph.
Who cuts whom off? In Psalm 118:10-12, three times it says, “I cut them off.” But we know, don’t we, that Jesus was cut off. How is any of this true?
Faith involves trust even when the outward is not there. (Psalm 118:12-18) “They surrounded me like bees” (verse 12); “I was pushed hard so that I was falling” (verse 13); but an acknowledgement when it’s tough, “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” (verse 14)
Jesus sang these words knowing that he was about to die. Yet he still sings these words, “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.” (verses 17, 18) But He did die and was given over to death; I say again, how is any of this true?
The only way it is true is through the lens of faith looking into eternity. The gateway of life in Christ involves death. “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.” (verses 19-20) The gateway to righteousness is gained through faith and realised through death. How?
As our Psalm says and as Jesus sang with His disciples, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success!” (verses 22-25) Christ is the Cornerstone and he can only be the cornerstone of our salvation if He lose His life. His death means our life. This was confirmed 3 days later; Jesus rose from the dead and His body didn’t see decay. Jesus told them these exact words before he died. (Matthew 21:42-44) But we only hear what we want to, don’t we?
There is irony in verse 26, which says, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The crowds, earlier in the week, said these words to Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem in triumph. The irony is that they are from this Psalm. That same crowd would shout, “Crucify him!” just a few short hours after this song and Passover meal. The words that they said could only be achieved through the death of Christ. The Messiah had to be martyred first.
The relevance of this psalm for us is that Christ is the only thing we can depend upon. Everything else in this life, youth, money, health, house, and family will depart. Christ remains for eternity.
That’s how we can say with the Psalmist right at the end, “You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!”
Jesus sang these words. Can you sing them this morning, regardless of your situation, regardless of what you have been through or are about to go through? Jesus sang them right before the cross. He knew he would be raised. For the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross. There is joy set before you this morning. Christ has got this plan for you; follow and trust Him in all things.