It’s one of the clearest Old Testament prophecies about the Person and Work of Christ, isn’t it? Here’s Jesus, the perfectly righteous One going through the gates of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday (verses 19-20). Here’s the crowd crying out, “Hosanna” (which means “save now”), blessing Jesus as the One Who comes in the name of the Lord (verses 25 and 26; Matthew 21:9). And all the while, the religious leaders rejected Jesus (verse 22; Matthew 21:15), objecting to the way the crowd adored Him.

Truly, as verse 24 says, that was a day that the Lord had made, a day on which everything happened according to the plans that God had made, plans that the Psalmist had written down hundreds of years before Jesus was born.

And no, it’s not that the people in Jerusalem were consciously acting out the words of this prophecy. In fact, Jesus went so far as to quote verse 22 to His enemies (Matthew 21:42), condemning them for their opposition to Him and predicting His eventual triumph. But even though they continued to plot against Him, all they could do was to perform their part in carrying out God’s eternal decrees.

For no matter what dreams of freedom and prosperity the Palm Sunday crowd may have had, God had bigger ideas. For Jesus rode into Jerusalem, not to raise an army and drive out the Romans, but to become the perfect sacrifice for His people. He came not to sit on a throne in glory, but to be bound to the horns of the altar (verse 27), shedding His blood to atone for our sins.

And that sacrifice is the greatest evidence of God’s goodness, of God’s covenant-keeping love for us (verse 1). And because we know how loving God is, we can be sure that He will help us, no matter how great our distress may be (verse 5). Because we know how good God is, we can take refuge in Him, no matter how powerful our enemies may be (verse 8-9). After all, if God is for us, how can any mere mortal possibly do us harm (verse 6; Romans 8:31)?

So surely, the God Who can predict all the events of history, the God Who loved us enough to die for us is worthy of our trust. Surely, the God Who is our strength and our salvation is worthy of our songs of praise (verse 14). So let us give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His self-sacrificial, unconditional, steadfast, faithful love is everlasting (verse 29).

Psalm 118 (NASB)

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
3 Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
4 Oh let those who fear the LORD say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
5 From my distress I called upon the LORD; The LORD answered me and set me in a large place.
6 The LORD is for me; I will not fear; What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall look with satisfaction on those who hate me.
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in man.
9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD Than to trust in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.
11 They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.
12 They surrounded me like bees; They were extinguished as a fire of thorns; In the name of the LORD I will surely cut them off.
13 You pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation.
15 The sound of joyful shouting and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted; The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live, And tell of the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD has disciplined me severely, But He has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness; I shall enter through them, I shall give thanks to the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD; The righteous will enter through it.
21 I shall give thanks to Thee, for Thou hast answered me; And Thou hast become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone.
23 This is the LORD’s doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 O LORD, do save, we beseech Thee; O LORD, we beseech Thee, do send prosperity!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD; We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 The LORD is God, and He has given us light; Bind the festival sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 Thou art my God, and I give thanks to Thee; Thou art my God, I extol Thee.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.