Psalm 118

Skeppsbron 6, Stockholm, inscription

Psalm 118 is the 118th psalm of the Book of Psalms. Its themes are thanksgiving to God and reliance on God rather than on human strength.

Verse 22

The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.^[1]

Verse 23

This was the Lord’s doing;

It is marvelous in our eyes.^[2]

Uses

Judaism

The Tosher Rebbe of Montreal, Canada shaking the Four species during Sukkot while praying Hallel.

• Is one of six psalms (113-118) of which Hallel is composed. On all days when Hallel is recited, this psalm is recited in its entirety, with the final ten verses being recited twice each.^[3]
• Verse 1 is recited by some following Psalm 126 preceding Birkat Hamazon.^[4]
• Verse 5 is recited prior to the Shofar blowing on Rosh Hashanah.^[5]
• Verses 5-9 are part of Tashlikh.^[6]
• Verse 24 may be a source of the Israeli song Hava Nagila
• Verse 25 is part of the long Tachanun recited on Mondays and Thursdays.^[7]

Christianity

Psalm 118:23 quoted on an English Sovereign: A DNO' FACTU' EST ISTUD ET EST MIRAB' IN OCULIS NRS

This Psalm was quoted by Jesus and writers of the New Testament. In Matthew 21:42, Jesus said to them (the chief priests and the elders of the people), "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" Opposition and difficulties are seen in this Psalm but in the midst of it God will display His salvation. This verse is also referred to in Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, and 1 Peter 2:7.

In Matthew 21:9 and John 12:13, Jesus is welcomed on His triumphal entry into Jerusalem by crowds quoting verse 26:

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

An extract from Psalm 118:23 appears in an inscription on several English coins, using the Vulgate form a Domino factum est istud et hoc mirabile in oculis nostris ("This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes"). Upon her accession, Elizabeth I of England is said to have uttered the same verse, also in Latin, with the following form: A Dominum factum est illud, et est mirabile in oculis nostris.^[8]

Verses 8 and 9 are notable as the centre verses of the Protestant Bible (e.g. King James Bible).

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Psalm 118.

• Recording of the last two verses of the psalm as sung during Hallel