Psalm 118:3 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever."

NIV: Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."

NASB: Oh let the house of Aaron say, 'His mercy is everlasting.'

CSB: Let the house of Aaron say, "His faithful love endures forever."

NLT: Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat: 'His faithful love endures forever.'

KJV: Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever.

NKJV: Let the house of Aaron now say, “His mercy endures forever.”

The repeated phrases in this psalm suggest the "call and response" model where a congregation replies with specific words in response to a prompt. God is proclaimed here using a Hebrew term for loyal, consistent love found elsewhere to describe God (Exodus 34:6). Israel was tested and disciplined (Jeremiah 25:8–9), but the nation survived (Ezra 2:1; Jeremiah 29:11) because of the Lord's steadfast love for them.

This response evokes Aaron and his family line. Aaron was Moses' brother (Exodus 7:2). Aaron's descendants were the family line of Israel's priests (Exodus 30:30). These had ample reason to thank the Lord for His provision. Even though the temple had been destroyed (2 Kings 25:1, 2 Chronicles 36:17–21), God had not allowed His chosen people, or their faith, to disappear.

Psalm 118:1–9 calls upon all Israel to thank the Lord for his goodness and unfailing love. These phrases stand in the tradition of the "Hallel" Psalms (Psalms 113—118). This brief introduction to Psalm 118 is appropriate as the beginning of a song to be sung at the Feast of Booths. The song seems to be written as call and response. In that style, a song leader speaks prompt phrases and the assembled people reply with a repeated refrain.

Psalm 118 appears to be a "call and response." The repeated phrases may have been spoken by a congregation after the prompts, read by a song leader. The psalmist begins with a declaration of God's loyal love and its expression by all of Israel. Next is a celebration of the Lord's rescue and the value of honoring Him. Despite Israel's many powerful neighbors, God preserved them through discipline and exile, not allowing the nation to die. What the world rejects has now become the key piece of God's plan for mankind.

This is the last of a block of songs used during Israel's festivals (Psalm 113—118). Because of a mention of rescue from Egypt (Psalm 114:1), this block is sometimes called the "Egyptian Hallel." The Hebrew expression halelu-yāh is a call to "praise the Lord!" The New Testament quotes from this song often (Hebrews 13:6), especially Psalm 118:22 (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10, 11; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:7) and Psalm 118:26 (Matthew 23:39; Mark 11:9; Luke 19:38; John 12:13;). Some scholars suggest this was written after the exile as the temple was being restored (Ezra 2:1; 3:1–2, 8).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 12/4/2024 2:56:24 AM