The Meaning of Psalms 118:1 Explained

Psalms 118:1

KJV: O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

YLT: Give ye thanks to Jehovah, For good, for to the age is His kindness.

Darby: Give ye thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; for his loving-kindness endureth for ever.

ASV: Oh give thanks unto Jehovah; for he is good; For his lovingkindness endureth for ever.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

O give thanks  unto the LORD;  for [he is] good:  because his mercy  [endureth] for ever. 

What does Psalms 118:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 118:1-14 - Trust In God Brings Strength
It is generally agreed that this psalm dates back to the restoration from Babylon. It was probably used as a processional hymn for the first time at the great Feast of Tabernacles mentioned in Nehemiah 8:13-18. The structure of the psalm is as follows: Psalms 118:1-4, the summons of the full choir to the constituent parts of the procession; Psalms 118:5-14, the song of the soloist; Psalms 118:15-16, the answer of the choir; Psalms 118:17-19, the soloist. At this point the procession reaches the Temple gates. Psalms 118:20 is the response of priests and Levites, the custodians of the sacred edifice, who lay stress on the character of those who tread its courts. Psalms 118:21, the soloist; Psalms 118:22-27, the full chorus; Psalms 118:28, the soloist; Psalms 118:29, the concluding doxology.
Luther says of this psalm: "This is mine, the one which I love." As it was included in the great Hallel we infer that our Lord sang it as He went forth to die, Matthew 26:30. It will be sung once more on that coming day for which we wait. See Isaiah 25:9; Matthew 23:39. When we identify ourselves with God's great cause, we may absolutely count on God as our strength in the conflict, and our song in assured victory. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 118

1  An exhortation to praise God for his mercy
5  The psalmist by his experience shows how good it is to trust in God
19  Under the type of the psalmist the coming of Christ in his kingdom is expressed

What do the individual words in Psalms 118:1 mean?

Oh give thanks to Yahweh for [He is] good for ever His mercy [endures]
הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ

הוֹד֣וּ  Oh  give  thanks 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: יָדָה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast.
לַיהוָ֣ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
ט֑וֹב  [He  is]  good 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
לְעוֹלָ֣ם  ever 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.
חַסְדּֽוֹ  His  mercy  [endures] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.