We give thanks to You, O Beloved, for You are kind;
your steadfast Love endures forever!
Let every nation proclaim, “Your steadfast Love endures forever!”
Let all the people cry, “Your steadfast Love endures forever!”
Let those who reverence You sing, “Your steadfast Love endures forever!”
Out of my distress I called upon You;
You answered me, setting me on a new path.
With You bestie me, I do not fear.
What can others do to me?
You live within me and answer my prayer
as I face the fears that well up from within.
It is better to abandon yourself to the Beloved than to trust in yourself alone.
It is better to surrender to Love’s will than to seek the riches of the world.
When all my fears surround me, I acknowledge your Presence within me!
When they surrounded me on every side,
I gave thanks for your Companioning Presence!
They surrounded me like bees, and they threatened to overwhelm me;
in your strong Presence, I faced them!
Though they arose like an army, You stood firm beside me.
You are my strength and my song; You are my Counselor and my Friend.
Harken to songs of victory, to the music of my soul:
“You, O Loving Presence, have been my strength,
You have stood beside me in the darkness,
You have walked with me into the Light!”
I shall not give in to fear, but I shall live in peace
and give witness to your saving grace.
You turned your face from my weaknesses, and
You opened the door leading to new life.
Yes, You opened to me the gates of truth and justice
that I might enter through them.
Praise be to You, O Merciful One!
This is the Door to Life; those who know Love shall enter through It.
I give thanks to You, O Beloved, who answer our prayers
and invite us to new Life.
The stone which the builders rejected has become the foundation of our lives.
This, O Eternal Listener, is your Work; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which You have made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!
Remain ever by our side, O Friend!
We welcome You into our hearts as Loving Companion Presence!
Blessed are all who enter through your gates!
Blessed are all who dwell in the house of Love!
For You lead the Way, You forgive our misguided ways, and
You bring Light into darkness.
Come, all you who will, partake of the Great Banquet!
You are my Beloved, and I will give thanks to You;
You are my Beloved, greatly will I praise You!
We give thanks to You, O Blessed One, for You are kind;
your steadfast Love endures forever!
Nan C. Merrill Psalms for Praying
Reflection:
Psalm 118 is a liturgy in which an individual voice is joined by a worshiping community. The soloist sings of personal redemption, and the community joins in solidarity, affirming that it is God’s love—not our distress—that endures.
We are the worshipers who join the solo psalmist, adding our own stories and bearing witness to God’s steadfast love. We find strength in one another as we continue God’s work of feeding the hungry, healing the sick, visiting the imprisoned, uplifting the oppressed, and providing for the poor. The more diverse our voices, the more clearly we can hear the larger story of God’s people. When everyone is included in the community, we are better able to meet one another’s needs and to ensure that all are valued, respected, and loved.
Co-creating a loving community aligned with God’s work can put us at odds with those in power. It disrupts the status quo and challenges systems designed to keep wealth and control in the hands of a few. There will be times when we feel like giving up, especially when we benefit from systems that privilege us because of gender, sexual orientation, race, or economic status. Yet when we participate in systems that harm others, we harm ourselves as well. We are deeply connected—in both our pain and our love. May we choose to remain connected to the Love that endures.
There will also be times when we feel alone in the work of moving toward a better world. But we are not alone. Love reminds us of this truth. Like the psalmist, when we are overwhelmed, weary, or afraid, we can find comfort, solidarity, and rest in community. Rest when you need to, and join in when you can. Trust in the love of God and in the love of your community. Love is stronger than death. Love is what will endure forever. Trust in Love. We shall not die, but live, and declare the works of Love.
We give thanks to You, O Beloved, for You are kind; Your steadfast Love endures forever.
Check out other psalm reflections in the links below or find more of my writing published in Presbyterian Outlook or listen to my experiments in podcasting on the Period Pastor Podcast. Follow me @periodpastor
Past reflection links:
Psalm 118 Year C (2024-2025)
Psalm 118 Year B (2023-2024)
Psalm 118 Year B (2020-2021)
I began writing Psalm reflections during Lent of 2020. Shortly after, we decided to close the church building, work from home, and worship via zoom. Many churches use the Revised Common Lectionary (RLC) that rotates scripture on a three-year cycle (A, B, and C). Starting in Advent 2019, the church decided to worship with the texts from Year D, which is still not circulated as are years A, B, and C. Year D was created with the goal of including scriptures that were left out or not used as frequently as others. While we were using Psalms in year D, most other lectionary followers were using Year A. In Advent of 2020 we rejoined those who use the lectionary in year B. Advent of 2021 year C. When we returned to in person worship, we took the psalm reflections out of the order of worship. I continued to write them for the blog. Advent of 2022 year A. I left church work in July of 2023 but continued the practice of writing psalm reflections. Advent of 2023 year B. Advent of 2024 year C. I finished year C early, so I began work on psalms I missed: Psalm 119, Year D and others not in the lectionary. By the end of 2025, I have written a reflection for each psalm.
Advent of 2025 year A.
I use the Vanderbilt Divinity Library’s resource for lectionary readings and the PCUSA planning calendar to make text selections.
Year A Psalms
1st Sunday in Advent Psalm 122, 2nd Sunday in Advent Psalm 72, 3rd Sunday in Advent Psalm 146, 4th Sunday in Advent Psalm 80, Christmas Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, 1st Sunday after Christmas Psalm 148, 2nd Sunday after Christmas Psalm 147, 1st Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 29, 2nd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 40, 3rd Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 27, 4th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 15, 5th Sunday after Epiphany Psalm 112, Transfiguration Sunday Psalm 2 or Psalm 99.
1st Sunday in Lent Psalm 32, 2nd Sunday in Lent Psalm 121, 3rdSunday in Lent Psalm 95, 4th Sunday in Lent Psalm 23, 5th Sunday in Lent Psalm 130, 6th Sunday in Lent Psalm 118 or Psalm 31.
Holy Week: Monday Psalm 36, Tuesday Psalm 71, Wednesday Psalm 70, Thursday Psalm 116, Friday Psalm 22, Saturday Psalm 31.
Easter Psalm 118 or Psalm 114, 2nd Sunday of Easter Psalm 16, 3rd Sunday of Easter Psalm 116, 4th Sunday of Easter Psalm 23, 5th Sunday of Easter Psalm 31, 6th Sunday of Easter Psalm 66, Ascension of the Lord Psalm 47 or Psalm 93, 7th Sunday of Easter Psalm 68, Pentecost Psalm 104.
1st Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 8, 2nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 33 or Psalm 50, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 116 or Psalm 100, 4th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 86 or Psalm 69, 5th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 13 or Psalm 89, 6th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 45 or Psalm 145, 7th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 119 or Psalm 65, 8th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 139 or Psalm 86, 9th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 119, 10th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 17 or Psalm 145, 11th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 85, 12th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 133 or Psalm 67, 13th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 124 or Psalm 138, 14th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 26, 15thSunday after Pentecost Psalm 149 or Psalm 119, 16th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 114 or Psalm 103, 17th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 105 or Psalm 145, 18th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 78 or Psalm 25, 19th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 19 or Psalm 80, 20th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 106 or Psalm 23, 21st Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 99 or Psalm 96, 22nd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 90 or Psalm 1, 23rd Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 107 or Psalm 43, 24th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 78 or Psalm 70, 25th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 123 or Psalm 90, 26th Sunday after Pentecost Psalm 100 or Psalm 95.
Sources and notes:
“Psalm 118 is the final Egyptian Hallel psalm. It is an interesting and rather lengthy composition with a significant history of transmission and use in Jewish and Christian religious life.” W p. 143
“The consensus of most scholars is that Psalm 118 was used in early Jewish life in liturgical processions, perhaps as an entrance liturgy into the temple in Jerusalem, in much the same way that Psalms 15 and 24 may have been used. According to the Mishnah the procession around the altar that took place on seven successive days during the feats of Tabernacles was accompanied by the recitation of Psalm 188:27. In the New Testament, Psalm 118 is the most quoted and referenced psalm from the Hebrew Bible.” W pp. 143-144
“All four of the gospel writers use the words of Psalm 118:26, “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD,” in their Palm Sunday narratives.” W p. 144
“Psalm 118 is presented as the voice of an individual psalm singer, but that individual voice is woven into and “anchored in” the liturgy of the gathered worshiping community. We hear the individual in the first twenty-three verses of the psalm thanking YHWH for deliverance from a situation of personal peril, and then, beginning in verse 24, the community adds its voice to that of the individual in a context of corporate worship.” W p. 145
“In verses 2-4 three groups of people are singled out to join in the words of thanks: Israel, the house of Aaron, and the ones who fear YHWH–the same three groups who are called on in Psalm 115:9-11. Whereas the groups are called in Psalm 115 to “trust in the LORD” as their “help and shield,” in Psalm 118 they are called to “say” that “YHWH’s steadfast love endures forever”. W p. 146
“The words of verse 14 repeat exactly the words that Moses, Miriam, and the children of Israel sing in Exodus 15:2 after they have crossed the Reed Sea; likewise the words of verses 15b and 16 echo those of Exodus 15:6 and 12 in a threefold summer of the might of the reign hand of YHWH. The singer of Psalm 118 likens the help rendered in the present situation to the help God gave the Israelites in the Exodus from Egypt, and in verse 17 the psalmist affirms, “I shall not die, but I shall live, and recoup the deeds of the LORD.” The psalm singer has escaped; the enemy has perished; a new life lies ahead.” W p. 147
“In the ancient Israelite context of Psalm 118 we may understand the “stone the builders rejected” as the psalm singer, who has not been rejected but has become a chief cornerstone, an essential element in the construction of the life of the ancient Israelite faithful.” W p. 148
“Psalm 118 is a rich composition, sung first as an individual hymn of thanksgiving in a corporate worship setting adopted by the ancient Israelites as a song of celebration for the feast of Tabernacles, and for Christians man of its verses suggest the life and times of Jesus. Erich Zenger says this about psalm 118: “As a voice in opposition to the threatening power of hatred and violence, the psalm evokes the experience of Israel and the church that the ‘true’God is ‘good,’…and that his ‘love,’ that is, his mercy, endures forever.”” W p.149
“As is usually the case in the psalms, the rightness of the righteous is a matter of relation to the LORD. The morality involved is a morality of trust. The righteous are right in knowing that it is better to take refuge in the LORD than trust in morals. They fear the LORD (v. 4), rejoice over his victories (vv. 15-16), and cry out to him for salvation (v. 25). As a group, they are the opposite of the wicked nations that do not fear God (9:17).” Mays p. 377
“The normal human predicament is that, because we must die, teh expectation of our final negation infects our liven in all kinds of conscious ad subliminal ways. The church has found in verse 17 the expression of the transformation worked by the resurrection in one’s fundamental stance in life. The way in which believers face every threat and crisis and need is colored by teh knowledge that God has not given us over to death.” Mays p. 380
“The marvelous thing is that the one whom our human instincts and wisdom reject, God has nonetheless, in spite of us and for our salvation, made the chief cornerstone.” Mays p. 381
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Brueggemann, Walter. 2014. From Whom No Secrets Are Hid: Introducing the Psalms. Edited by Brent A. Strawn. 1st ed. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
Brueggemann, Walter. Davis Hanskins, Editor. 2022. Our Hearts Wait: Worshiping Through Praise and Lament in the Psalms Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville KY.
Brueggemann, Walter. (2002). Spirituality of the psalms. Augsburg Pub. House.
Brueggemann, Walter. (1984). The Message of the Psalms: A Theological Commentary. Minneapolis: Augsburg.
Chilson, Richard, ed. You Shall Not Want: A Spiritual Journey Based on the Psalms. Ave Maria Press, 2009.
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Cudjoe-Wilkes and Wilkes Cudjoe-Wilkes, G., Wilkes, A. J., & Moss, O. (2022). Psalms for black lives: Reflections for the work of Liberation. Upper Room Books.
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NIB Keck, Leander E. 2015. The New Interpreters Bible Commentary. Vol. 3. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Lewis, C. S. (2017). Reflections on the Psalms. Harper One, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.
Mays, James Luther. 1994. Psalms. Louisville, KY: John Knox Press.
McCann, J. C. (1993). A theological introduction to the book of Psalms: The Psalms as Torah. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
McCann, J. C., & Howell, J. C. 2001. Preaching the Psalms. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.
Merrill, N. C. (2020). Psalms for praying an invitation to wholeness (10th Anniversary Edition ed.). London, England: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Miller, Patrick D. 1986. Interpreting the Psalms. Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press.
Morgan, Michael. 2010. The Psalter for Christian Worship Revised Edition. Westminster John Knox Press.
Schlimm, Matthew Richard. 2018. 70 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know. Nashville, TN: Abington Press.
Spong, M. (Ed.). (2020). The words of her mouth: Psalms for the struggle. Cleveland, OH: The Pilgrim Press.
WBC Tate, Marvin E. 1990. Word Biblical Commentary: Psalms 51-100. Edited by David Allan. Hubbard and Glenn W. Barker. Vol. 20. Waco, TX: Word.
Weems, Ann. 1995. Psalm of Lament. Westminster John Knox Pres
OTL Weiser, Artur. 1998. Old Testament Library: Psalms. Translated by Herbert Hartwell. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Manchester University Press.
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