Luther’s Personal Psalm - The One Year Book of Psalms

Psalm 118:1-9

1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2Let the congregation of Israel repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

3Let Aaron’s descendants, the priests, repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

4Let all who fear the LORD repeat:

“His faithful love endures forever.”

5In my distress I prayed to the LORD,

and the LORD answered me and rescued me.

6The LORD is for me, so I will not be afraid.

What can mere mortals do to me?

7Yes, the LORD is for me; he will help me.

I will look in triumph at those who hate me.

8It is better to trust the LORD

than to put confidence in people.

9It is better to trust the LORD

than to put confidence in princes.

Of the Psalms, Martin Luther said, “I love them all. . . . But this psalm [118] is nearest my heart, and I have a familiar right to call it mine. It has saved me from many dangers. . . . It is my friend, dearer to me than all the honors and power of the earth.”

The Reformer loved many parts of this psalm. He had a copy of verse 17 up on his wall and referred frequently to the messianic verses in the latter part of the psalm. But the psalm truly became “his” when he entered Worms with the promise that the Lord was for him.

Summoned to the city of Worms to face the charges against him, he was warned by friends not to go. But quoting Psalm 118:6, Luther said, “The Lord is for me, so I will not be afraid. I am determined to go though as many devils should oppose me as there are tiles upon all the houses.”

As he entered the assembly hall, an old soldier put his arm on Luther’s shoulder and said, “Little monk, you need more courage for your battle today than any soldier I know. But if God is for you, go ahead and do not be afraid.”

Later Luther made his famous statement: “I cannot and will not recant; here I stand, I can do no other.”

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear, for God hath willed his truth to triumph through us.

The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;

His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure;

One little word shall fell him.

MARTIN LUTHER

Fascinating Fact

The eighth verse of this psalm is the middle verse in the Bible, with 31,174 verses on either side of it. Curiously, the middle verse in the Bible is located between the shortest chapter in the Bible and the longest chapter in the Bible. But it is far better to learn the truth of this verse than to spend your time counting to double-check this fascinating fact!

Bible Networking

Compare the song sung by the Levites in Ezra 3:10-11 with the opening verses of this psalm.