Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23
Chapter 118
1
Liturgical Song or Thanksgiving
Alleluia! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his loving kindness endures forever.2
Let Israel say, “His loving kindness endures forever.”
16
the right hand of the Lord is lifted high, the right hand of the Lord strikes mightily!”
17
I shall not die, but live, to proclaim what the Lord has done.
22
The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
23
This was the Lord’s doing and we marvel at it.
Commentaries
118
This psalm was sung as the processions entered the Temple of Jerusalem. The people and their leader took turns with the Levite choir. In the end, the priests gave Aaron’s blessing (Num 6:22). What does Israel sing? Their thanks to God who saves and raises them from death; thanks to God who chooses the poor and the despised of this world to build his kingdom with them.
‘The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone’ (v. 22)—so our Lord, rejected by his people and raised by God; and so, the Church, made up of those whom God has raised from death to life, in union with the Risen Christ. The Church is the Temple of God, within which each of us sings our praise for God who has loved us.