Psalms 118:27
in Psalms 118The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Jehovah is God, and he hath given us light: Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
KJV
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
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This verse in Psalms 118
Commentary
15 notes on this verseGod is the Lord, which hath showed us light,.... These are the words of the people, acknowledging divine favours; particularly that the Lord had caused his face to shine upon them, as the priest wished for, Num 6:
This site's exposition
The LORD is God
on Psalms 118:27-29
The festal sacrifice is bound to the horns of the altar with cords, the animal tied at the corner where it is killed. The confession doubles, You are my God, twice over, and Exodus 15:2 closes the same way with I will exalt Him. Verse 29 is verse 1 again.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers4 voices
But let every one that cometh in the name of the Lord be received, and afterward ye shall prove and know him; for ye shall have understanding right and left. If he who cometh is a wayfarer, assist him as far as ye are able; but he shall not remain with you, except for two or three days, if need be. But if he willeth to abide with you, being an artisan, let him work and eat; but if he hath no trade, according to your understanding see to it that, as a Christian, he shall not live with you idle. But if he willeth not to do, he is a Christ-monger. Watch that ye keep aloof from such.
As for us, brothers, understanding these things, let us keep each to his own measure, the one who is considered a shepherd of souls as well as the one who is considered a sheep. Yet let us all pray to be sheep, for no one …
A commentator
Athanasius of Alexandria296–373
On the Incarnation of the Word 40 · Written before 373.
proposed
But if the Gentiles are honoring the same God who gave the law to Moses and made the promise to Abraham and whose word the Jews dishonored—why are they [the Jews] ignorant of, or rather why do they choose to ignore, that what the Lord foretold in the Scriptures has been revealed in the world and appeared to it in bodily form, as the Scripture said: "The Lord God has shined on us"; and again: "He sent his Word and healed them"; and again: "Not a messenger, not an angel but the Lord himself saved them"?
That Lord, who came in the Lord's Name, whom the builders refused, and who became the head Stone of the corner, that "Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ," is God, He is equal with the Father, He hath showed us light, that we might understand what we believed, and declare it to you who understand it not as yet, but already believe it.
The Medieval Church1 voice
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." "In the name of the Lord" signifies "in the name of God the Father," just as [our Lord] himself said elsewhere to the unbelieving Jews, "I have come in the name of my Father, …
8 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The Lord - Or, The mighty God, as this name of God signifies, and as he shewed himself to be by this, his wonderful work. Who - Who hath scattered our dark clouds, and put us into a state of peace, and safety, and happiness. The horns - These are supposed to be made for this very use, that the beasts should be bound and killed there.
13 Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall: but the L ORD helped me. 14 The L ORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation. 15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the L ORD doeth valiantly.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:88%@v13-15
1 ), to be bound to the altar, spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, in which our hearts must be fixed and engaged, as the sacrifice was bound with cords to the horns of the altar, not to start back. The psalmist concludes with his own thankful acknowledgments of divine grace, in which he calls upon others to join with him,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
The Nineteenth Century5 voices
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light, or "God is Jehovah, "the only living and true God. There is none other God but he. The words may also be rendered, "Mighty is Jehovah." Only the power of God could have brought us such light and joy as spring from the work of our Champion and King.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
showed us light--or favor (Ps 27:1; With the sacrificial victim brought bound to the altar is united the more spiritual offering of praise (Ps 50:14, 23), expressed in the terms with which the Psalm opened.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase+unbalanced-parens
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light, or "God is Jehovah, "the only living and true God. There is none other God but he. The words may also be rendered, "Mighty is Jehovah." Only the power of God could have brought us such light and joy as spring from the work of our Champion and King. We have received light, by which we have known the rejected stone to be the head of the corner, and this light has led us to enlist beneath the banner of the once despised Nazarene, who is now the Prince of the kings of the earth. With the light of knowledge has come the light of joy; for we are delivered from the powers of darkness and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Our knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ came not by the light of nature, nor by reason, nor did it arise from the sparks which we ourselves had kindled, nor did we receive it of men; but the mighty God alone hath showed it to us. He made a day on purpose that he might shine upon us like the sun, and he made our faces to shine in the light of that day, according to the declaration of the twenty-fourth verse. Therefore, unto him be all the honour of our enlightenment. Let us do our best to magnify the great Father of lights from whom our present blessedness has descended. "Bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
God is the Lord - Rather אל יהוה El Yehovah, the strong God Jehovah. Which hath showed us light - ויאר לנו vaiyaer lanu, “And he will illuminate us.” Perhaps at this time a Divine splendor shone upon the whole procession; a proof of God’s approbation. Bind the sacrifice with cords - The Chaldee paraphrases this verse thus: “Samuel the prophet said, Bind the little one with chains for a solemn sacrifice, until ye have sacrificed him and sprinkled his blood on the horns of the altar.” It is supposed that the words refer to the feast of tabernacles, and חג chag here means the festival victim. Several translate the original “keep the festival with thick boughs of the horns of the altar.” In this sense the Vulgate and Septuagint understood the passage. David in this entry into the temple was a type of our blessed Lord, who made a similar entry, as related Mat 21:8-10.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
God is the Lord - Still the language of the priests in their official capacity. The meaning here seems to be “God is Yahweh;” or, Jehovah is the true God. It is an utterance of the priesthood in regard to the great truth which they were appointed specifically to maintain - that Yahweh is the true God, and that he only is to be worshipped. This truth it was appropriate to enunciate on all occasions; and it was especially appropriate to be enunciated when a prince, who had been rescued from danger and death, came, as the restored leader of the people of God, to acknowledge his gracious intervention. On such an occasion - in view of the rank and character of him who came - and in view of what God had done for him - it was proper for the ministers of religion to announce in the most solemn manner, that Yahweh was the only true and living God. Which hath showed us light - Who has given us light in the days of our darkness and adversity; who has restored us to prosperity, and bestowed on us the blessings of safety and of peace. Bind the sacrifice with cords - Come freely with the sacrificial victim; with the offering which is to be presented to God in sacrifice. The word - חג châg - commonly means a festival or feast, Exo 10:9; Exo 12:14; and then it means a festival-sacrifice, a victim, Exo 23:18; Mal 2:3. The Septuagint and Vulgate render it, “Prepare a solemn feast.” Our translation probably expresses the true sense. The word rendered cords, means properly anything interwoven or interlaced. Then it means a cord, a braid, a wreath; and then a branch with thick foliage. Different interpretations have been given of the passage here, but probably the word is correctly rendered cords. Unto the horns of the altar - altars were often made with projections or “horns” on the four corners. Exo 27:2; Exo 30:2; Exo 37:25; 1Ki 2:28. […]
The words behind it
10 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֵ֤ל׀ | ʾel | [is] God | H410 → | 241 times |
| יְהוָה֮ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַיָּ֪אֶר | vaiyaer | and he has given light | H215 → | 43 times |
| לָ֥נוּ | lanu | to us | ||
| אִסְרוּ־ | ʾisru- | bind | H631 → | 72 times |
| חַ֥ג | chag | a festival sacrifice | H2282 → | |
| בַּעֲבֹתִ֑ים | baavotim | with ropes | H5688 → | 24 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | to | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת | karnot | [the] horns of | H7161 → | 76 times |
| הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃ | hamizbeach | the altar | H4196 → | 401 times |
אֵ֤ל׀[is] God
ʾelH410 →241 times
יְהוָה֮Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַיָּ֪אֶרand he has given light
vaiyaerH215 →43 times
לָ֥נוּto us
lanu
אִסְרוּ־bind
ʾisru-H631 →72 times
חַ֥גa festival sacrifice
chagH2282 →
בַּעֲבֹתִ֑יםwith ropes
baavotimH5688 →24 times
עַד־to
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
קַ֝רְנ֗וֹת[the] horns of
karnotH7161 →76 times
הַמִּזְבֵּֽחַ׃the altar
hamizbeachH4196 →401 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
it leads to
- Exodus 19:5–6
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Deuteronomy 7:6
For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for His prized possession out of all peoples on the face of…
- Revelation 1:6
who has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen.
- Revelation 5:10
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth.”
- Exodus 19:5–6
Through
John 8:12Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
it leads to
- John 12:46
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in Me should remain in darkness.
- John 9:5
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
- John 12:35
Then Jesus told them, “For a little while longer, the Light will be among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you. The one who walks in the…
- John 12:46
Through
Isaiah 60:1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
it leads to
- Ephesians 5:14
So it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
- Ephesians 5:14
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms

This page draws on 14 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Athanasius of Alexandria, On the Incarnation of the Word 40; Augustine of Hippo, On the Psalms, Psalm 118; Bede, Homilies on the Gospels 2:3; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Didache, The Didache, Chapter 12; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Pachomius the Great, LIFE OF PACHOMIUS (FIRST GREEK) 135.
