Psalm 118:14-29 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 118:14-29 on biblegateway.com
Verse 14The Lord is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
Verse 15There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
Verse 16the right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly."
Verse 17I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
Verse 18The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
Verse 19Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
Verse 20This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
Verse 21I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
Verse 22The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
Verse 23This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
Verse 24This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Verse 25Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
Verse 26Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.
Verse 27The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar.
Verse 28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God, I will extol you.
Verse 29O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Devotion
When, where, what do you sing? Do you carry songs around in your head? Songs of thankfulness and praise? Songs of lament? Silly songs? Bitter songs? Songs of despair? Songs of hope? Can you keep from singing?
After weeks of silence the “alleluias” ring forth. The psalm is a glad song of victory. Death has not triumphed. The rejected one has become the foundation. The gates swing open wide. Mercy endures forever. God shines upon us. The Lord has acted.
And we? We give thanks. We rejoice. We bless. We live. We see marvels. We sing! Whether in tune or not, whether aloud or in the mind’s ear–we sing. We carry with us the song of salvation. How can we keep from singing?
Prayer
O Lord, our strength and our song, fill us with the melody of rejoicing. Give us the words and tune to declare your works. Amen.