Psalm 118

Here's my attempted reconstruction of the voices in Psalm 118. There seem to be 4:

1. the voice of the choirmaster, framing the song
2. the voice of the priesthood or religious leaders, instructing and blessing Israel
3. the voice of Israel, narrating her history and thanks,
4. the voice of the assembly, confessing faith

It's a great Psalm. It has the form of a choreographed liturgy, seemingly oriented around (and culminating in) the sacrifice at a great gathering (perhaps at a feast-day). Bounded by the all-encompassing instruction to give thanks for the Lord's love, it has a narration of Israel's history in the first person. The response of the gathered assembly, as the heirs and posessors of that history, is to affirm the Lord's work and to seek further blessing. The priests, speaking from the Temple, give it, thus sealing YHWH's name to Israel (read the dialogue; it's fascinating - Israel coming in the name of the Lord sets up all the resonances of that in Christ's ministry). The assembly and priests then interact around the sacrificial event, togther portraying it as the Lord's light shining within Israel, whose response of ritual confession reminds me somewhat of an inverted Shema.

Also very stimulating is Jesus' rather loaded appropriation of this Psalm to position himself as, simultaneously, the true Israel named of YHWH, and in some sense the glory of the Temple - YHWH Himself! (See Matt 23-24, and esp. 23:29-24:3). But that's another story...

CHOIRMASTER:
Give thanks to the LORD , for he is good; his love endures forever.

PRIESTHOOD:
Let Israel say: "His love endures forever."
Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever."
Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."

ISRAEL:
In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free.

The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man.
It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.

All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them off.
They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out as quickly as burning thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off.

I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things! The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things!" I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

The LORD has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD . This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

ASSEMBLY:
The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

O LORD, save us; O LORD , grant us success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD .

PRIESTHOOD:
From the house of the LORD we bless you. [the Hebrew for 'you' is plural]

ASSEMBLY:
The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us.

PRIESTHOOD:
Bind the festal sacrifice with ropes and take it up to the horns of the altar. [marginal reading of this verse]

ISRAEL:
You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.

CHOIRMASTER:
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.