Psalm 118:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

NIV: It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

NASB: It is better to take refuge in the Lord Than to trust in noblemen.

CSB: It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in nobles.

NLT: It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

KJV: It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

NKJV: It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes.

This statement is remarkably similar to the one just made (Psalm 118:8) but with a more specific focus. Only God is the perfect object of confidence and trust (Psalm 20:7; 56:11; 146:3). He is the ultimate reason for hope (Psalm 118:6; Hebrews 13:6). Human beings are unreliable, and many are deceptive and selfish (Romans 3:10). The need to trust God most of all applies even when we're tempted to trust powerful and influential people.

The word used here for "princes" is the Hebrew nedibim'. This means "rulers" or "officials." The lesson of this verse applies also to relationships between countries. Before the Hebrews entered Canaan, the Lord commanded them not to enter into any agreement with the inhabitants of Canaan (Exodus 23:32). Israel was to be a people separated unto the Lord with their trust placed firmly in Him. Second Kings 18 relates the story of how Hezekiah trusted the king of Assyria to spare the kingdom of Judah from aggression. Hezekiah assumed he could buy assurance that the king of Assyria would not attack Judah. It was misplaced confidence. After giving the king of Assyria all the silver that was in the temple and the royal treasury as well as the gold from the temple's doors and doorposts, the Assyrian king deployed a vast army to capture Jerusalem—a choice which did not end well for Assyria (2 Kings 19:35–36)

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.