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Commentary on Psalms 118 verses 1–18
It appears here, as often as elsewhere, that David had his heart full of the goodness of God. He loved to think of it, loved to speak of it, and was very solicitous that God might have the praise of it and others the comfort of it. The more our hearts are impressed with a sense of God's goodness the more they will be enlarged in all manner of obedience. In these verses,
I. He celebrates God's mercy in general, and calls upon others to acknowledge it, from their own experience of it (Psa 118:1): O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is not only good in himself, but good to you, and his mercy endures for ever, not only in the everlasting fountain, God himself, but in the never-failing streams of that mercy, which shall run parallel with the longest line of eternity, and in the chosen vessels of mercy, who will be everlasting monuments of it. Israel, and the house of Aaron, and all that fear God, were called upon to trust in God (Psa 115:9-11); here they are called upon to confess that his mercy endures for ever, and so to encourage themselves to trust in him, Psa 118:2-4. Priests and people, Jews and proselytes, must all own God's goodness, and all join in the same thankful song; if they can say no more, let them say this for him, that his mercy endures for ever, that they have had experience of it all their days, and confide in it for good things that shall last for ever. The praises and thanksgivings of all that truly fear the Lord shall be as pleasing to him as those of the house of Israel or the house of Aaron.
II. He preserves an account of God's gracious dealings with him in particular, which he communicates to others, that they might thence fetch both songs of praise and supports of faith, and both ways God would have the glory. David had, in his time, waded through a great deal of difficulty, which gave him great experience of God's goodness. Let us therefore observe here,
1.The great distress and danger that he had been in, which he reflects upon for the magnifying of God's goodness to him in his present advancement. There are many who, when they are lifted up, care not for hearing or speaking of their former depressions; but David takes all occasions to remember his own low estate. He was in distress (Psa 118:5), greatly straitened and at a loss; there were many that hated him (Psa 118:7), and this could not but be a great grief to one of an ingenuous spirit, that strove to gain the good affections of all. All nations compassed me about, Psa 118:10. All the nations adjacent to Israel set themselves to give disturbance to David, when he had newly come to the throne, Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Ammonites, etc. We read of his enemies round about; they were confederate against him, and thought to cut off all succours from him. This endeavour of his enemies to surround him is repeated (Psa 118:11): They compassed me about, yea, they compassed me about, which intimates that they were virulent and violent, and, for a time, prevalent, in their attempts against him, and when put into disorder they rallied again and pushed on their design. They compassed me about like bees, so numerous were they, so noisy, so vexatious; they came flying upon him, came upon him in swarms, set upon him with their malignant stings; but it was to their own destruction, as the bee, they say, loses her life with her sting, Animamque in vulnere ponit - She lays down her life in the wound. Lord, how are those increased that trouble me! Two ways David was brought into trouble: - (1.) By the injuries that men did him (Psa 118:13): Thou (O enemy!) hast thrust sore at me, with many a desperate push, that I might fall into sin and into ruin. Thrusting thou hast thrust at me (so the word is), so that I was ready to fall. Satan is the great enemy that thrusts sorely at us by his temptations, to cast us down from our excellency, that we may fall from our God and from our comfort in him; and, if Go had not upheld us by his grace, his thrusts would have been fatal to us. (2.) By the afflictions which God laid upon him (Psa 118:18): The Lord has chastened me sore. Men thrust at him for his destruction; God chastened him for his instruction. They thrust at him with the malice of enemies; God chastened him with the love and tenderness of a Father. Perhaps he refers to the same trouble which God, the author of it, designed for his profit, that by it he might partake of his holiness (Heb 12:10, Heb 12:11); howbeit, men, who were the instruments of it, meant not so, neither did their heart think so, but it was in their heart to cut off and destroy, Isa 10:7. What men intend for the greatest mischief God intends for the greatest good, and it is easy to say whose counsel shall stand. God will sanctify the trouble to his people, as it is his chastening, and secure the good he designs; and he will guard them against the trouble, as it is the enemies' thrusting, and secure them from the evil they design, and then we need not fear.
This account which David gives of his troubles is very applicable to our Lord Jesus. Many there were that hated him, hated him without a cause. They compassed him about; Jews and Romans surrounded him. They thrust sorely at him; the devil did so when he tempted him; his persecutors did so when they reviled him; nay, the Lord himself chastened him sorely, bruised him, and put him to grief, that by his stripes we might be healed.
2.The favour God vouchsafed to him in his distress. (1.) God heart his prayer (Psa 118:5): "He answered me with enlargements; he did more for me than I was able to ask; he enlarged my heart in prayer and yet gave more largely than I desired." He answered me, and set me in a large place (so we read it), where I had room to bestir myself, room to enjoy myself, and room to thrive; and the large place was the more comfortable because he was brought to it out of distress, Psa 4:1. (2.) God baffled the designs of his enemies against him: They are quenched as the fire of thorns (Psa 118:12), which burns furiously for a while, makes a great noise and a great blaze, but is presently out, and cannot do the mischief that it threatened. Such was the fury of David's enemies; such is the laughter of the fool, like the crackling of thorns under a pot (Ecc 7:6), and such is the anger of the fool, which therefore is not to be feared, any more than his laughter is to be envied, but both to be pitied. They thrust sorely at him, but the Lord helped him (Psa 118:13), helped him to keep his feet and maintain his ground. Our spiritual enemies would, long before this, have been our ruin if God had not been our helper. (3.) God preserved his life when there was but a step between him and death (Psa 118:18): "He has chastened me, but he has not given me over unto death, for he has not given me over to the will of my enemies." To this St. Paul seems to refer in Co2 6:9. As dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and not killed. We ought not therefore, when we are chastened sorely, immediately to despair of life, for God sometimes, in appearance, turns men to destruction, and yet says, Return; says unto them, Live.
This also is applicable to Jesus Christ. God answered him, and set him in a large place. He quenched the fire of his enemies; rage, which did but consume themselves; for through death he destroyed him that had the power of death. He helped him through his undertaking; and thus far he did not give him over unto death that he did not leave him in the grave, nor suffer him to see corruption. Death had no dominion over him.
3.The improvement he made of this favour. (1.) It encouraged him to trust in God; from his own experience he can say, It is better, more wise, more comfortable, and more safe, there is more reason for it, and it will speed better, to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man, yea, though it be in princes, Psa 118:8, Psa 118:9. He that devotes himself to God's guidance and government, with an entire dependence upon God's wisdom, power, and goodness, has a better security to make him easy than if all the kings and potentates of the earth should undertake to protect him. (2.) It enabled him to triumph in that trust. [1.] He triumphs in God, and in his relation to him and interest in him (Psa 118:6): "The Lord is on my side. He is a righteous God, and therefore espouses my righteous cause and will plead it." If we are on God's side, he is on ours; if we be for him and with him, he will be for us and with us (Psa 118:7): "The Lord takes my part, and stands up for me, with those that help me. He is to me among my helpers, and so one of them that he is all in all both to them and me, and without him I could not help myself nor could any friend I have in the world help me." Thus (Psa 118:14), "The Lord is my strength and my song; that is, I make him so (without him I am weak and sad, but on him I stay myself as my strength, both for doing and suffering, and in him I solace myself as my song, by which I both express my joy and ease my grief), and, making him so, I find him so: he strengthens my heart with his graces and gladdens my heart with his comforts." If God be our strength, he must be our song; if he work all our works in us, he must have all praise and glory from us. God is sometimes the strength of his people when he is not their song; they have spiritual supports when they want spiritual delights. But, if he be both to us, we have abundant reason to triumph in him; for, he be our strength and our song, he has become not only our Saviour, but our salvation; for his being our strength is our protection to the salvation, and his being our song is an earnest and foretaste of the salvation. [2.] He triumphs over his enemies. Now shall his head be lifted up above them; for, First, He is sure they cannot hurt him: "God is for me, and then I will not fear what man can do against me," Psa 118:6. He can set them all at defiance, and is not disturbed at any of their attempts. "They can do nothing to me but what God permits them to do; they can do no real damage, for they cannot separate between me and God; they cannot do any thing but what God can make to work for my good. The enemy is a man, a depending creature, whose power is limited, and subordinate to a higher power, and therefore I will not fear him." Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die? Isa 51:12. The apostle quotes this, with application to all Christians, Heb 13:6. They may boldly say, as boldly as David himself, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me; let him do his worst. Secondly, He is sure that he shall be too hard for them at last: "I shall see my desire upon those that hate me (Psa 118:7); I shall see them defeated in their designs against me; nay, In the name of the Lord I will destroy them (Psa 118:10-12); I trust in the name of the Lord that I shall destroy them, and in his name I will go forth against them, depending on his strength, by warrant from him, and with an eye to his glory, not confiding in myself nor taking vengeance for myself." Thus he went forth against Goliath, in the name of the God of Israel, Sa1 17:45. David says this as a type of Christ, who triumphed over the powers of darkness, destroyed them, and made a show of them openly. [3.] He triumphs in an assurance of the continuance of his comfort, his victory, and his life. First, Of his comfort (Psa 118:15): The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous, and in mine particularly, in my family. The dwellings of the righteous in this world are but tabernacles, mean and movable; here we have no city, no continuing city. But these tabernacles are more comfortable to them than the palaces of the wicked are to them; for in the house where religion rules, 1. There is salvation; safety from evil, earnests of eternal salvation, which has come to this house, Luk 19:9. 2. Where there is salvation there is cause for rejoicing, for continual joy in God. Holy joy is called the joy of salvation, for in that there is abundant matter for joy. 3. Where there is rejoicing there ought to be the voice of rejoicing, that is, praise and thanksgiving. Let God be served with joyfulness and gladness of heart, and let the voice of that rejoicing be heard daily in our families, to the glory of God and encouragement of others. Secondly, Of his victory: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly (Psa 118:15) and is exalted; for (as some read it) it has exalted me. The right hand of God's power is engaged for his people, and it acts vigorously for them and therefore victoriously. For what difficulty can stand before the divine valour? We are weak, and act but cowardly for ourselves; but God is mighty, and acts valiantly for us, with jealousy and resolution, Isa 63:5, Isa 63:6. There is spirit, as well as strength, in all God's operations for his people. And, when God's right hand does valiantly for our salvation, it ought to be exalted in our praises. Thirdly, Of his life (Psa 118:17): "I shall not die by the hands of my enemies that seek my life, but live and declare the works of the Lord; I shall live a monument of God's mercy and power; his works shall be declared in me, and I will make it the business of my life to praise and magnify God, looking upon that as the end of my preservation." Note, It is not worth while to live for any other purpose than to declare the works of God, for his honour and the encouragement of others to serve him and trust in him. Such as these were the triumphs of the Son of David in the assurance he had of the success of his undertaking and that the good pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hand.
Avoid entertaining people of the world, especially those whose honors make them swell with pride. You are the priest of a crucified Lord who was poor and lived on the bread of strangers. It is a disgrace to you if the consul’s lictors or soldiers keep watch before your door and if the governor of the province has a better dinner with you than in his own palace. If you plead as an excuse your wish to intercede for the unhappy and the oppressed, I reply that a secular magistrate will defer more to a pastor who is self-denying than to one who is rich; he will pay more regard to your holiness than to your wealth. Or if he is a man who will only listen to the clergy over a glass, I will readily forego his aid and will appeal to Christ, who can help more effectively than any judge. Truly “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in people. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.”
It is good to hope in the Lord rather than to hope in people
It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man
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SUMMARY
Psalms 118:8 offers a profound declaration of divine wisdom, asserting that true security, unwavering stability, and ultimate well-being are found in placing one's complete trust and reliance in the LORD, rather than in the inherently limited and fallible capabilities or influence of humanity. This verse functions as a foundational theological principle, guiding believers away from the shifting sands of human strength and towards the steadfast faithfulness, omnipotence, and unchanging nature of God, thereby providing an unshakeable anchor for the soul amidst the uncertainties of life.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 118 stands as the culminating psalm of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), a revered collection traditionally recited during significant Jewish festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and Sukkot. It is a vibrant and triumphal hymn of thanksgiving, celebrating God's enduring steadfast love (hesed) and His mighty acts of deliverance. The psalm commences with a universal call to praise God for His goodness (verses 1-4), then transitions into the psalmist's personal testimony of profound distress and God's powerful, decisive intervention (verses 5-7). Verses 8-9 form a distinct and pivotal couplet, acting as a theological summation that encapsulates the core lesson gleaned from the psalmist's harrowing experience: absolute reliance on God is infinitely superior to reliance on any human power or institution. This profound statement is further reinforced by subsequent declarations in verses 10-14, which vividly portray the overwhelming nature of the psalmist's adversaries and the LORD's triumphant victory, culminating in the exultant affirmation of God as the psalmist's strength and song. The psalm then shifts to a communal celebration, anticipating entry into the temple (verses 19-21) and famously declaring the "stone the builders rejected" (verse 22), a verse of immense prophetic and Christological significance that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament.
Historical & Cultural Context: While Psalm 118 is not tied to a singular, specific historical event, its themes resonate deeply with Israel's recurring experiences of national peril and miraculous divine rescue. Throughout their history, the nation of Israel frequently faced the temptation to forge strategic alliances with powerful, yet ultimately pagan, nations like Egypt or Assyria, or to place their hope in the strength of charismatic leaders, formidable armies, or political maneuvering, rather than trusting solely in the covenant-keeping God, Yahweh. Prophets consistently issued stern warnings against such misplaced trust, as seen in the admonition against relying on foreign powers found in Isaiah 31:1. The stark contrast drawn between "the LORD" (יהוה, YHWH – God's personal, covenantal, and unchanging name, emphasizing His self-existence and eternal faithfulness) and "man" (אדם, adam – signifying humanity in its inherent frailty, mortality, and pervasive fallibility) would have been acutely understood by an ancient Israelite audience. This psalm likely served a vital liturgical function, perhaps being sung by pilgrims ascending to the Temple in Jerusalem or during a national celebration commemorating a significant deliverance, thereby reinforcing the foundational theological truth that God alone is the ultimate and reliable source of security, salvation, and hope for His people.
Key Themes: The central and overarching theme of Psalms 118:8 is the absolute superiority of divine trust. It posits that God's unwavering faithfulness, infinite power, and perfect wisdom far exceed any human capacity or resource, thereby establishing Him as the only truly reliable refuge and source of help. This theme is intricately interwoven with the inherent limitations and pervasive fallibility of humanity, implicitly highlighting that human strength, wisdom, alliances, or institutions are fundamentally finite, transient, and prone to failure when juxtaposed with the infinite, immutable, and omnipotent nature of God. Consequently, the verse powerfully advocates for security and refuge in God alone, presenting trust in the LORD not merely as a religious obligation but as the most profoundly practical and supremely wise path to attaining genuine stability, enduring peace, and ultimate deliverance. This aligns seamlessly with broader biblical teachings that consistently warn against reliance on "flesh" (e.g., Jeremiah 17:5) and fervently encourage wholehearted dependence on God (e.g., Proverbs 3:5-6). The entire psalm, in its broader scope, celebrates God's unfailing hesed (steadfast love), which serves as the immutable foundation for the psalmist's profound confidence and provides the ultimate basis for such radical trust.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 118:8 masterfully employs Antithetical Parallelism, a hallmark of Hebrew poetry, where two lines express contrasting or opposing ideas to highlight a central truth. Here, the first clause ("It is better to trust in the LORD") is directly juxtaposed with the second ("than to put confidence in man"), creating a powerful Contrast that underscores the fundamental difference in reliability and wisdom between divine and human sources of help. This stark comparison serves to emphasize the absolute superiority of trusting God. The verse also functions as a concise yet profound Didactic Statement or Admonition, teaching a foundational principle of faith and guiding the reader towards proper theological understanding and practical living. Its memorable and concise structure enhances its impact, making it easily quotable and reinforcing its central, life-altering message.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The theological weight of Psalms 118:8 is immense, serving as a cornerstone for understanding the very nature of true faith and the absolute sovereignty of God. It powerfully underscores the biblical truth that God alone is supremely worthy of ultimate trust because He is immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, and perfectly faithful, utterly unlike fallible and finite humanity. This verse implicitly highlights the profound doctrines of divine self-sufficiency and human dependence, serving as a potent reminder that any strength, wisdom, or security derived from human sources is ultimately tenuous, temporary, and prone to failure. It calls believers to a radical reorientation of their hope, shifting it from finite, created beings and their capabilities to the infinite, uncreated Creator. This principle is not a rejection of healthy human relationships or responsible human action, but rather a crucial prioritization of God as the ultimate refuge and provider, recognizing that even when God graciously uses human instruments, the true source of blessing, deliverance, and lasting security remains solely with Him.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 118:8 stands as a timeless and profoundly practical principle for navigating the inherent complexities and uncertainties of life. In a world that frequently encourages self-reliance, dependence on powerful institutions, or unwavering trust in charismatic leaders, this verse calls us to embrace a counter-cultural posture of radical and unwavering dependence on God. It compels us to honestly examine the true locus of our ultimate hope and security: Is it primarily in our financial portfolios, our professional networks, our political affiliations, our personal strength and ingenuity, or even the indispensable love and support of family and friends? While all these can be good and God-given blessings, this verse serves as a vital reminder that they are ultimately finite, fallible, and temporary. True and lasting peace, along with unwavering stability, emanates solely from anchoring our souls in the unshakeable character and omnipotent power of God. This means consciously choosing to bring our anxieties, our deepest needs, and our future plans before the LORD, releasing our grip on human solutions, and resting in His sovereign wisdom and perfect power. It is an invitation to live a life liberated from the anxieties of human failure and disappointment, secure in the profound knowledge that our ultimate refuge and unfailing help are found in the One who never fails, never changes, and never disappoints.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Does this verse mean we should never trust or rely on other people, or that human relationships are unimportant?
Answer: No, Psalms 118:8 does not advocate for a complete distrust of all humanity, nor does it promote isolation from others. The Bible consistently affirms the profound importance of community, mutual support, and healthy, trusting relationships (e.g., Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). Rather, this verse speaks to the ultimate source of our confidence, security, and hope. It issues a profound warning against placing our ultimate hope, our ultimate refuge, or our ultimate faith in human beings, human systems, or human institutions, precisely because they are inherently limited, fallible, and temporary. We can and should trust people in appropriate ways, exercising discernment and wisdom, but our foundational, unwavering, and absolute trust must be reserved for God alone. He is the only truly infallible, eternal, and omnipotent source of help, salvation, and security. He is the one who sovereignly upholds and orchestrates all things, including all human relationships and institutions, within His perfect plan.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 118:8 finds its most profound and complete Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect embodiment of God's trustworthiness and the ultimate, worthy object of our faith. While the Old Testament powerfully contrasts the inherent fallibility of "man" with the absolute reliability of "the LORD," Jesus Christ uniquely bridges this divide, being simultaneously truly God and truly man. As the God-man, He is the one in whom we can place our absolute, unreserved confidence, for He is both perfectly divine and perfectly human, yet without sin. He is the very "arm of the LORD" (Isaiah 53:1), the manifest power of God made flesh for our salvation. It is significant that Psalm 118 itself is deeply messianic, particularly in its declaration of "the stone the builders rejected" becoming "the cornerstone" (Psalms 118:22), a prophecy Jesus Himself explicitly applied to His own person and ministry (Matthew 21:42). In Christ, we encounter the perfect example of unwavering trust in the Father (John 5:19) and the ultimate demonstration of God's faithfulness to all His promises (2 Corinthians 1:20). He is the secure and unshakeable foundation upon which we can build our entire lives (1 Corinthians 3:11), the true refuge for our souls, and the ultimate divine answer to the pervasive human dilemma of misplaced trust. Therefore, for the New Testament believer, to truly "trust in the LORD" is to trust wholeheartedly in Jesus Christ, through whom God has perfectly revealed His saving power, His unwavering love, and His eternal faithfulness.