PSALM 118 [†]  f Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

2  g Let Israel say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

3  g Let the house of Aaron say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

4  g Let those who fear the LORD say,

“His steadfast love endures forever.”

5[^][†]  h Out of my distress I  i called on the LORD;

the LORD answered me and set me  j free.

6[^][†]  k The LORD is on my side;  l I will not fear.

What can man do to me?

7  m The LORD is on my side as my helper;

I shall  n look in triumph on those who hate me.

8[†]  o It is better to take refuge in the LORD

 p than to trust in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD

 p than to trust in princes.

10[†]  q All nations surrounded me;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

11 They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

12  r They surrounded me like bees;

they went out like  s a fire among thorns;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

13 I was  t pushed hard, [1] so that I was falling,

but the LORD helped me.

14[†] The LORD is my strength and my song;

 u he has become my salvation.

15 Glad songs of salvation

are in the tents of the righteous:

 v “The right hand of the LORD  w does valiantly,

16 the right hand of the LORD exalts,

the right hand of the LORD  w does valiantly!”

17[†]  x I shall not die, but I shall live,

and  y recount the deeds of the LORD.

18 The LORD has  z disciplined me severely,

but he has not given me over to death.

19[†]  a Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD;

 b the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that  c you have answered me

 u and have become my salvation.

22[^][†]  d The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone. [2]

23 This is the LORD’s doing;

it is marvelous in our eyes.

24[†] This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25[†] Save us, we pray, O LORD!

O LORD, we pray, give us success!

26[^][†]  e Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!

We  f bless you from the house of the LORD.

27[†] The LORD is God,

and he has made  g his light to shine upon us.

Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,

up to  h the horns of the altar!

28[†] You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God; I will  i extol you.

29  j Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Aleph