Psalm 118 27

Psalm 118:27 kjv

God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.

Psalm 118:27 nkjv

God is the LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

Psalm 118:27 niv

The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.

Psalm 118:27 esv

The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar!

Psalm 118:27 nlt

The LORD is God, shining upon us.
Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.

Psalm 118 verses

Psalm 118 27 Meaning

Psalm 118:27 proclaims God's manifest presence and calls for dedicated worship. It begins by unequivocally declaring "The Lord is God," emphasizing His sole divinity and active intervention. This divine light, symbolizing His favor, guidance, salvation, and truth, has illuminated His people. In response to this revelation and blessing, the verse then calls for a sacrificial act: to "bind the festival sacrifice with ropes to the horns of the altar." This act signifies complete devotion, commitment, and an offering of gratitude and thanksgiving in the proper sacred space, recognizing the covenant relationship with God who brings salvation and deliverance.

Psalm 118 27 Context

Psalm 118 is the final psalm in the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), which were traditionally sung at Passover, Pentecost, and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). It is a triumphal hymn of thanksgiving for deliverance and salvation. The psalm opens with a general call to give thanks to the Lord for His enduring steadfast love. The psalmist recounts a personal or national distress from which the Lord delivered them, attributing salvation solely to God. The immediate preceding verses (22-26) speak of "the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone," followed by "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." This sets a celebratory tone, envisioning a joyful procession of worshippers arriving at the Temple, acknowledging God's miraculous work. Verse 27 then logically follows as the participants arrive to offer their dedicated worship and sacrifice in response to God's revealed presence and deliverance. Historically, this psalm resonated deeply with Jewish worshippers making pilgrimage to the Temple for the major festivals.

Psalm 118 27 Word analysis

• The Lord (יְהוָה / Yahweh): This is the Tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name, emphasizing His unique and unchanging nature, His sovereignty, and His active presence in the lives of His people.

• is God (וְהוּא אֵל / we-hu El): El is a generic term for "God," but here in conjunction with Yahweh, it powerfully declares Yahweh as the one true, supreme, and ultimate divine being. This is a declaration of monotheism, asserting Yahweh's unparalleled authority and existence, potentially in polemic against surrounding polytheistic beliefs.

• and He has made His light (הֵאִיר לָנוּ / he'ir lanu): He'ir (Hiphil conjugation of אָוֹר / 'or, "to shine") signifies God causing light to shine actively and intentionally upon us. This light (אוֹר / 'or) symbolizes divine presence, favor, revelation, knowledge, blessing, guidance, prosperity, and salvation. It's a manifestation of God's grace and intervention.

• shine upon us (לָנוּ / lanu): The possessive "us" emphasizes a communal and personal experience of God's direct and beneficial illumination.

• Bind (אִסְרוּ / isru): This is a Qal imperative, meaning "tie," "fasten," or "bind securely." It's a direct command, calling for immediate and definite action. It suggests a formal, ceremonial act of commitment.

• the festival sacrifice (חַג בַּעֲבֹתִים / chag ba'avotim): chag (festival or feast) can refer to the festival itself, the pilgrimage procession, or specifically the offerings made during a festival. In the context of "binding," it strongly points to the sacrificial animal designated for the festival. ba'avotim (with ropes, cords, bands) specifies the means of binding, signifying the meticulous preparation and secure handling of the sacrifice according to cultic law. The "festival sacrifice" is an act of communal worship and dedication performed in gratitude during major pilgrimage feasts.

• with ropes (בַּעֲבֹתִים / ba'avotim): Implies securing, dedication, and following the prescribed ritual meticulously. It evokes imagery of a lamb or bull being brought forward for offering.

• to the horns of the altar (עַד קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ / 'ad qarnot ha-mizbeakh): The horns (קַרְנוֹת / qarnot) of the altar (מִזְבֵּחַ / mizbeakh) were prominent extensions at its four corners (Exod 27:2). They were highly sacred, often smeared with blood for atonement (Exod 29:12; Lev 4:7), and symbolized the altar's power and its function as a place of refuge (1 Kgs 1:50-51). To "bind to the horns" signifies bringing the offering to the very epicenter of divine-human encounter, a point of absolute dedication and sacred action. It could also refer to the worshippers (or animals for sacrifice) bringing the festal offerings right up to the very structure.

• Word-Group Analysis:

  • "The Lord is God, and He has made His light shine upon us": This first part is a declarative statement of God's identity and action. It sets the theological foundation: God is the singular deity, and He has graciously manifested His presence and blessing (light) to His people. It expresses divine initiative and revelation, serving as the basis for the subsequent command. This 'light' encapsulates salvation, truth, and deliverance that culminates in the coming of the Messiah.
  • "Bind the festival sacrifice with ropes to the horns of the altar": This is an imperative command calling for a ritual response. It is the human action flowing from the divine blessing previously declared. It represents a full, consecrated offering in thanksgiving. The meticulous act of binding and reaching the altar's horns signifies complete dedication and adherence to God's prescribed worship, symbolizing the full surrender of what is precious in recognition of divine favor. This also prophetically foreshadows the ultimate binding and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the spotless lamb, who fulfilled all temple sacrifices on the 'altar' of the cross.

Psalm 118 27 Bonus section

• The declaration "The Lord is God" echoes similar affirmations of exclusive loyalty to Yahweh, such as Deuteronomy 4:35 and 1 Kings 18:39, where the people confirm His unique divinity in opposition to idols.
• While primarily referring to an animal sacrifice, some ancient Jewish traditions and interpretations of chag (חַג) can also be seen as "binding the feast" in the sense of 'holding it firm' or 'adorning it.' This could refer to the pilgrims themselves, adorned with branches (like the lulav and etrog used during Sukkot), proceeding in joyful procession right up to the altar area, ready for worship. However, the mention of "ropes" leans strongly towards a literal sacrificial animal.
• The placement of this verse within Psalm 118, immediately following the affirmation of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone (Messianic prophecy) and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," ties the commanded sacrificial act directly to the triumphant welcome of the King-Messiah and the resulting salvation.
• The "horns of the altar" in biblical times also represented a place of refuge for those fleeing (e.g., Adonijah in 1 Kgs 1:50-51). This connection underscores the safety and security found in bringing one's sacrifice and oneself into God's holy presence, symbolizing that through sacrifice, atonement and reconciliation are found.

Psalm 118 27 Commentary

Psalm 118:27 succinctly captures the dynamic relationship between God's gracious intervention and humanity's required response of worship. The opening affirmation, "The Lord is God," is a powerful, almost creedal, declaration. It contrasts Yahweh with any false deities or human powers, proclaiming His absolute supremacy and sole right to adoration. The subsequent phrase, "and He has made His light shine upon us," describes God's active, benevolent involvement in His people's lives, akin to the priestly blessing in Numbers 6:25. This "light" is the tangible manifestation of His favor, revealing His truth, providing guidance, and signifying salvation and prosperity after a period of darkness or distress.

This divine grace compels a specific, dedicated response: the binding of "the festival sacrifice... to the horns of the altar." This is not a passive response but an active, physical, and costly act of worship. The "festival sacrifice" refers to offerings presented during pilgrim festivals, like Sukkot (Tabernacles), where the whole community participated in joyful celebration and dedication. Binding the sacrifice "with ropes" suggests adherence to precise ritual and ensures the offering's secure and complete presentation. Reaching "the horns of the altar" signifies bringing the offering to the holiest part of the sacrificial system, emphasizing total consecration and communion with God. This ritual act symbolizes the complete surrender of the worshipper's life and gratitude in response to God's magnificent salvation.

From a Christian perspective, this verse holds profound prophetic implications. "The Lord is God" points to the God revealed ultimately in Jesus Christ. "He has made His light shine upon us" finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who is "the light of the world" (Jn 8:12), bringing spiritual illumination and salvation to all. The call to "bind the festival sacrifice... to the horns of the altar" points to the perfect, ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Himself. He is the true Lamb of God, "bound" not with ropes, but by His obedient will, unto the ultimate altar of the cross, fulfilling all prior types and shadows of animal sacrifice, securing eternal redemption. Thus, for believers today, the sacrifice called for is not of animals, but a spiritual one—presenting ourselves as living sacrifices (Rom 12:1) in grateful response to the light of Christ.