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And when they drew near unto Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, unto the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying unto them, "Go into the village over against you, and straightway you shall find a donkey and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them unto me. And if any man say ought unto you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and straightway he will send them."

All this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken of by the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy king cometh unto you, meek, sitting upon a donkey, the colt, the foal of a donkey." The disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them, and brought the donkey and the colt. They put their clothes on them and set Jesus upon them. A very great multitude spread forth their garments in the way, and others cut down branches from the trees and strawed them in the way. The multitudes went before and that followed cried, saying, "Hosanna, son of David! Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!"

When he was coming to Jerusalem, the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"

Let's pray. Father, as we look into your word and consider this great word, this declaration, "Hosanna," even a prayer, "Save now, Lord." We thank you that you came. You who knew no sin became sin for us. You came to fulfill prophecy. You came to conquer death. And, Lord, you showed victory on the cross. But even more so, you showed victory as you rose from the dead, as we'll consider next week.

Lord, would you remind us this whole week that you are the only one who can answer the prayer, "Hosanna. Save now." Speak to us, we pray, by your word. We ask in Jesus' name. And all God's people agreed, saying, "Amen." You can be seated.

Amen. There are seven feasts that the children of Israel of old would celebrate, the feasts of the Lord.

At three of the festivals, the people were called upon to come up to Jerusalem. If possible, they would seek to go to Jerusalem for all of them. However, for some who lived in the outlying parts of Israel, it was difficult. Yet, at Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and Tabernacles, they would journey to Jerusalem.

As they ascended to the city, they always went up to Jerusalem, even if they lived in a higher region. They were going up to the temple, up to the house of the Lord. As they would ascend, they began with Psalm 113, singing or reciting the psalms known as the Psalms of Hillel, the Psalms of Praise, from Psalm 113 to Psalm 118. This praise is reflected in Matthew chapter 21, where we read, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." This is found near the end of Psalm 118, the last of the Psalms of Hillel.

It was ordained by God that they would be singing as they entered the city on that day, 2,000 years ago, with Jesus riding upon a donkey. They would be singing "Hosanna," which literally means "Save now, we pray."

Since today is Palm Sunday, I wanted to take some time to look at Psalm 118. If you would turn in your Bibles to the 118th Psalm, we can explore its significance. Martin Luther, the great reformer of the church, said of Psalm 118, "This is my Psalm, my chosen Psalm. I love them all. I love all Holy Scripture, which is my consolation in my life. But this Psalm is nearest my heart. I have peculiar right to call it mine. It has saved me from many pressing dangers, from which no emperor, nor king, nor sage, nor saint could have ever saved me. It is my friend, dearer to me than all honors and power of the earth."

Psalm 118, that great and last psalm of praise sung in the Hillel Psalms, begins with the words, "O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy endures forever."

Let Israel now say that his mercy endures forever. Let the house of Aaron say that his mercy endures forever. Let them that fear the Lord say, "His mercy endures forever." Oh, give thanks to the Lord! The psalmist shouts a call to praise. It is as if he himself cannot alone sufficiently express his thankfulness, and therefore he calls to all in attendance to worship with him and cry these praises to the Lord.

This same call of praise is seen in Psalm 105, 106, 107, and 136. But what is it that they were crying? "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good." Charles Spurgeon said, "This is reason enough for giving him thanks. Goodness is his essence and nature, and therefore he is always to be praised." Whether we are receiving anything from him or not, those who only praise God because he does them good should rise to a higher note and give thanks to him because he is good. In the truest sense, he alone is good. There is none good but God.

Therefore, in all gratitude to the Lord, we should have this royal portion of declaring his goodness. If others seem to be good, he is good. If others are good in measure, he is good beyond measure. When others behave badly to us, it should stir us up to the fact that he is good. And when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should all the more reverently bless him that he is good.

We must never tolerate an instant's unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord, said Spurgeon. Whatever else may be questionable, this is absolutely certain: Jehovah is good. His dispensations may vary, but his nature is always the same and is always good. And so we sing, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good." Four times in Psalm 107, the psalmist says, "Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness and his wonderful works."

And for His wonderful works to the children of men. Oh, that this world would praise the Lord for His goodness and His wonderful works! His wonderful works are displayed in the next phrase: His mercy endures forever.

In Exodus chapter 34, Moses desired that he might see God. The Lord told him, "You cannot see me and live." However, the Lord made a provision for Moses so that he might see something of His glory. The King James Version describes it as something of the afterglow of God. Moses was hid in the cleft of the rock, and the Lord passed by him. He was able to see something of God's glory. More than that, God declared His name to Moses. In a sense, He defined His nature, because a name is synonymous with a nature. In Exodus 34, verse 6, He said, "The Lord, the Lord God merciful." The very first word He used to describe His nature and character is the word merciful.

There are many attributes of God, and they are surely innumerable. It would take us all eternity to discover the attributes of God more fully. He is just, He is righteous, and He is holy. Yet, here He is described as merciful, gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. His mercy, we are told, endures forever because He endures forever, and He is merciful.

What other things does the Bible say endure forever? Psalm 111 states that His righteousness endures forever. Psalm 111 also says that His praise endures forever. Psalm 117 declares that His truth endures forever. Psalm 119 affirms that His righteous judgments and His word endure forever. Remember, Psalm 135 says His name endures forever. In 1 Peter chapter 1, Peter states that the word of the Lord endures forever.

But more than any other thing, the Scriptures say 41 times that God's mercy endures forever. We should be thankful for that. While it is true that God's justice endures forever and His righteous judgments endure forever, are you not thankful today that His mercy endures more than any other thing? We are so in need of His mercy. He goes on to say, "Let Israel say, His mercy endures forever."

And the house of Aaron says his mercy endures forever. Those who fear God, his mercy endures forever. Israel, those governed by God, ought surely to say that God's mercy endures forever. The priests, the sons of Aaron, it is a given that they would say his mercy endures forever. But anyone who fears the Lord, and we know the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, should say together that his mercy endures forever.

The psalmist continues in Psalm 118, verse 5: "I called upon the Lord in my distress, and the Lord answered me and set me in a large place." The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me? The Lord takes my part with those who help me. Therefore, I shall see my desire upon those who hate me. I called to the Lord, and he answered. God is to be praised and glorified for his goodness and his enduring mercy. His goodness and enduring mercy are evidenced in the fact that when we call, he answers.

The prophet Jeremiah, with the Lord speaking through him in Jeremiah 33, said, "Call to me and I will answer you, and I will show you great and mighty things that you do not know." What a great and glorious promise that is! God gives us the assurance that if we call to him, he will answer us. I wonder, are we fully taking advantage of that promise? Many call upon the Lord in their distress. Even some who do not truly know the Lord will call out when they are going through difficulty. However, those who fear the Lord call out at all times upon the Lord in every season.

Notice what the psalmist says: "The Lord answered me, and he set me in a large place." Would you underline that in verse 5? He set me in a large place. You see, God does not merely answer us with words, although that, for our comfort and joy, might truly be enough. If he just spoke a word of encouragement, that might suffice. But God goes even further than that. He actively works in our lives at our petition and our request. We see that throughout the Scriptures, but we see it clearly in David's life. That great king, the psalmist David, in Psalm 18, verse 3, says that he called to the Lord, and the Lord saved him. In Psalm 55, the same thing occurs: he called to the Lord, and the Lord saved him.

Psalm 86 tells us that he called to the Lord, and the Lord saved him. I think of Elijah, the prophet in 1 Kings chapter 18, where there was a contest between God, the one true God, and Baal. Elijah was the only prophet of the Lord present, while there were over 400 prophets of Baal. At a certain point, he said, "Okay, you call out to your God, and I will call out to my God. Whichever God shows up by fire, he is God."

If you've read the story, you know the conclusion. All day long, the prophets of Baal called out to Baal, to the mocking of Elijah, who said, "Maybe he is on vacation and cannot hear you. Perhaps he is relieving himself and cannot hear you." They cut themselves, cried out louder and louder, and jumped up and down, doing everything they could to get Baal to respond with fire, but he did not. In contrast, Elijah merely called upon the Lord, and God brought fire.

Have you experienced the Lord working in your life? Not just the encouraging word of the Lord, but the actual working of the Lord in your life? If you haven't, perhaps it's an indication that you have not called upon Him. He says, "Call to me, and I will answer you."

The psalmist continues in verses 8 and 9, saying, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." The Lord is not the only place where men direct their confidence and trust, but He surely is the best. Man trusts in so many things. We might say it like this: there are many wells from which men draw. However, every other well besides the Lord ultimately is found to be empty, dry, unsatisfactory, and bitter.

Remember the story of the woman at the well in John chapter 4? She sought fulfillment in many different things. There is a well of salvation, as Isaiah spoke of it in Isaiah chapter 12. We'll look at it a little more fully in just a minute.

But notice that the psalmist here says, "It is better to trust in the Lord." Would you circle the word "in" there? You see, never does the Bible say, "Trust the Lord," for He wholly is trustworthy. There is no need to declare to people, "Well, you should trust the Lord because He is worthy of our trust." However, we are exhorted many times to trust in the Lord. In doing so, we are to do so without a divided heart.

James spoke about this in the book of James. He that asks, let him ask in faith without wavering, for he that wavers is like an unstable man—a divided heart. Solomon, in Proverbs chapter 3, said, "Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Lean not on your own understanding." The Hebrew word translated "trust" here could also be rendered as "seeking for refuge in" or "to flee to for protection." We are to flee to Him for protection. It is better to trust in the Lord.

John Calvin said, "All make this acknowledgment." Yet, there is scarcely one among a hundred who is fully persuaded that God alone can afford him sufficient help. I would say that every believer here in this room today will agree that the Lord is the one to whom we will put our trust. But I'll be the first to confess that we are tempted. I myself am tempted to put my confidence in other things. Are you not as well?

When we experience a physical infirmity, something that seems to keep coming up and being a problem, we will sooner call the doctor than call out to the Lord. Typically, we will call out to Him, but oftentimes He is the last one to whom we turn. Or when there is a financial problem, we are so quick to turn to friends or family for help, or maybe even to a credit card for a temporary measure. We think, "Well, we need some practical help here." We fail to recognize that He is sufficiently available for us.

Another interesting thing about Psalm 118, verses 8 and 9, is that it is reported by those who count such things that there are 31,174 verses in the King James Bible. These two verses, Psalm 118, verses 8 and 9, are the center verses of the Bible.

That position should be reason enough to give them prominence. As we are told, it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men. It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in princes. It is likely that the author of Psalm 118 was King David. He himself was king, and how refreshing it would be to hear a politician of our day give this honest declaration: it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in men.

If your confidence is in the political structure of this world, it will fail. Kingdoms fall, and you will be left in despair if that is where your confidence lies. But the kingdom of the Lord endures forever. The Bible says in Isaiah chapter 9, "Of the increase of His government, there shall be no end." Those men and women of faith in the Old Testament, as Hebrews chapter 11 tells us, looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. They knew that this world was not all there was, and certainly not all there will be.

The psalmist continues in verse 10: "All nations compass me about, but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them. They compassed me about; yea, they compassed me about, but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns. For in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me."

Surrounded and hemmed in, in times such as these, we truly see the salvation of the Lord. That's when we have the opportunity to see Him move in a powerful way. It's not entirely a bad thing to find yourself in trials that corner you against a wall, because it is there where we stand and see the salvation of the Lord.

But notice the psalmist says, "In the name of the Lord I found salvation. I saw my enemies subdued." Surrounded, seemingly helpless and hopeless, we may find our confidence in the things of this world shaken, but we will never find our confidence in the Lord shaken.

In Psalm 20, the psalmist said in verse 7, "There are those who put their confidence in the things of this world, but we are to remember the name of the Lord our God." Isaiah the prophet, in Isaiah chapter 26, one of my 31,000 favorite verses, said in verse 3, "Thou will keep him in perfect peace." In Hebrew, the perfect peace is "shalom, shalom." Peace, peace. You will keep him in peace, peace.

You see, in Hebrew, words are repeated for emphasis. Isaiah says, "You will maintain him. You will sustain him. You will keep him in peace, peace. Shalom, shalom." Who will be stayed in that place? The person whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.

Now, if that's the case, if God will sustain you in a place of perfect peace if you trust Him, what is the logical application that flows from that? Well, verse 4 of Isaiah 26 gives it: "Trust ye in the Lord forever." If it is true that He will sustain us in a place of shalom, shalom, if we trust in Him, then the logical application is to trust in the Lord forever. For in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

Again, Solomon in Proverbs 18, verse 10 said, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and they are safe." Salvation is found in Him.

At the end of verse 13, the psalmist in Psalm 118 says, "Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall, but the Lord helped me." The psalmist is speaking of his enemies here, saying that they have sought to overthrow him by violence, but the Lord was his help. The Lord was literally his salvation.

Again, I ask, have you experienced the help of the Lord in this way? If not, it may be an indication that your confidence and your trust are in the wrong place today. In verse 14, he continues, "The Lord is my strength and song and has become my salvation." The Lord, my strength, my song, my salvation. It is perhaps this very passage.

Isaiah the prophet was considering when the Lord spoke to him in Isaiah chapter 12. Would you turn in your Bibles to the 12th chapter of Isaiah? If you're in the Psalms, just turn to the right a few books.

Isaiah chapter 12 says in verse 1, "In that day, you shall say, O Lord, I will praise thee. Though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and you comfort me." Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, and has also become my salvation. These are the very same words we read in Psalm 118, verse 14. The prophet continues, "Therefore, with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of salvation." An unending source our Lord is.

In that day, you shall praise the Lord, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, and make mention that His name is exalted. Sing unto the Lord, for He has done excellent things. This is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitants of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

I have no doubt that Isaiah knew Psalm 118, verse 14 well, and the Lord spoke to him there in Isaiah chapter 12. However, I think that David was likely considering the song that the nation of Israel sang in Exodus chapter 15 when he wrote this psalm. Exodus chapter 15, verse 2 says, "The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation."

Why was Israel singing a song in Exodus 15? Well, in Exodus chapter 14, God had caused the children of Israel to walk upon the Red Sea on dry ground, and God defeated their enemies in their wake. As they came into the wilderness, seeing their enemies of Egypt destroyed, they declared, "The Lord is my strength, my song, and He has become my salvation."

You see, the awesome thing about that declaration is that it gives God all glory. It ascribes nothing to myself.

It was the Lord that strengthened. It was the Lord that helped. It was the Lord that gave victory. He ought to be our all in all, our everything, because He has done all for us. We have nothing wherein we can boast because He has won our salvation.

Continuing on in the Psalms, Psalm 118, verse 15, it says, "The voice of rejoicing in salvation is in the tabernacle of the righteous. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly. I shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord. The Lord has chastened me sore, but He has not given me over unto death."

You see, when you recognize that God is your strength, your song, and your salvation, then you have the voice of rejoicing in salvation. Notice that three times the psalmist says, "The right hand of the Lord." He emphasizes that the right hand did valiantly and is exalted.

In the New Testament, Jesus is seen seated at the right hand of God the Father. In Acts chapter 2, it is declared that He ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father. In Acts chapter 7, He is not seated but standing as Stephen is martyred. In Romans chapter 8, Paul speaks of Jesus' position there at the right hand of glory.

We also find references in Ephesians chapter 1, Colossians chapter 3, Hebrews chapters 1, 8, 10, and 12, and 1 Peter chapter 3. When we read that the right hand of the Lord is exalted and has done valiantly, we are speaking of Jesus, the Messiah.

Why is He exalted? Paul answers that question for us in the book of Philippians, chapter 2. He says that Jesus, although He was equal with God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation. He became a man, took on the form of a servant, and humbled Himself to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

In verse 9, we read, "Wherefore, because of this, God has also highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name." Jesus is exalted. He is to be praised because He is victorious. The psalmist also includes an interesting word at the end of that section.

In Psalm 118, it says, "The Lord has chastened me sore, but he has not given me over to death." Hebrews chapter 12 states that "whom the Lord loves, he chastens." Every believer has experienced the chastening or the discipline of the Lord. If you have not received or experienced the chastening of the Lord and you are a believer, you will. Or it may indicate that you are not truly a son; you have not truly received.

We may experience the chastening of the Lord as He sanctifies us and cleanses us, but we will never endure His wrath, as we saw last week in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 9. Yes, we may experience chastening, but we will never endure wrath.

The psalmist says in verse 19 of Psalm 118, "Open to me the gates of righteousness; I will go in unto them, and I will praise the Lord." This gate of the Lord is the one into which the righteous shall enter. It is thought that the pilgrims coming into Jerusalem during the feast days would recite this exact portion of Psalm 118 as they entered the gates of Jerusalem past the city walls. They would say, "Open to me the gates of righteousness, and I will go in unto them, and I will praise the Lord," because that was their purpose for going. They were going to praise the Lord.

We also recognize that Jesus is the one who first opened the gates of righteousness for you and me through His death, burial, and resurrection. It is, therefore, the gate of the Lord through which all must enter if they will be saved. In John chapter 10, Jesus said, "I am the door," or in another translation, "I am the gate." "By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved." Salvation is only found by going in through the door, which is Christ.

That's why Jesus said in John 14, verse 6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by me." Some people will say, "Well, that's very narrow. How arrogant of you to say that Jesus is the only way." It may seem arrogant if you think so, but actually, it's just a declaration of fact. He is the only way. You can try to go other ways, but Jesus said some try to go over the wall, and those are found to be thieves and liars. There is only one way. The Lord has passed that way.

Spurgeon said that not only did God set the gate wide open, but He also secured an entrance for all those who are made righteous in His righteousness. All the righteous must and shall enter therein. He is the only way.

Continuing on in verse 21, the psalmist declares, "I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation." The worshiper must decide to praise the Lord. There are certainly times when we do not feel like praising God. There are days when we wake up, and as it has been said before, our flesh wakes up first. Perhaps the alarm clock goes off, and it's still dark outside. If you're anything like me, you might think, "Oh, I'm not a morning person." The flesh wakes up first, and you figure, "Well, I haven't had enough sleep," or "I don't feel well," or "I have too much to do today," or "I have to see that person I don't like." Whatever it may be, we often don't want to worship God.

That's why the author of the book of Hebrews said in Hebrews 13:15 that we offer a sacrifice of praise. Sometimes, it truly is a sacrifice to praise God. On your way to church, a thought might go through your mind: "Well, I'll just skip worship and that whole greeting thing. I don't like that. I'll skip that part and just come for the message." It is indeed a sacrifice of praise.

There are circumstances that make it difficult to worship. Perhaps you've gone through a severe trial, a physical trial, the death of a loved one, or something that made it very difficult for you to worship. You may have found yourself in the deep valley of depression, not wanting to praise God. The enemy loves to bring a believer to a despairing position where they refuse to praise the Lord. David said in another psalm, "Yet I shall praise him."

Here we read, "I will praise the Lord." It makes a determined decision of the will to praise God. Why? Because thou hast heard me. The worshiper worships because the Lord has heard his cry, and the only right response is to praise Him. Notice he says, "You are become my salvation." Psalm 68:20 makes a declarative statement: God is salvation.

He is the God of salvation. It is a truth, a fact, that God is salvation. But has He become your salvation? The salvific work that Christ did must be applied by faith, or He is not your salvation. The work that Jesus did 2,000 years ago on the cross is sufficient to save all mankind. It is a sufficient atonement for all mankind, but it is only effective in those who secure it by faith.

So, I ask, has He become your salvation? Or are you one who has rejected, as we see in verse 22 of Psalm 118, the stone which the builders rejected that has become the headstone of the corner? This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

There is a story, a tradition told among the Jews, that during the building of the first temple under King Solomon, there was to be no sound of hammers and chisels on the temple mount. Therefore, they would quarry the rocks some miles away, and all the work on those stones would be done at the quarry. Then, those rocks would be brought to the temple quarters, to the temple mount.

Tradition holds that there was a stone brought there that was out of order. The builders at the temple mount did not fully know where it was supposed to go, so they set it aside. Over time, it was in the way, and the builders pushed it over the side into the Kidron Valley. When it came time, after the foundation was set, to set the cornerstone of the temple—the stone from which everything else would be set, an essential part of the structure—they couldn't find the cornerstone.

It was said that they sent word to the quarry and asked, "Where's the cornerstone?" The quarry replied, "We already sent it to you." They searched and searched, and they finally found that the stone which the builders had rejected was the cornerstone.

Now, that tradition is of unknown origin. I have had a hard time over the years trying to substantiate it, but if it be the case, if it be true, what an amazing foreshadowing of the stone, Jesus, the rock of our salvation.

Jesus himself referred to this passage just after his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he began to be inspected by the religious leaders there. He declares in Matthew chapter 21, verse 42, "Did you never read the Scriptures? The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our sight." This is clearly a prophetic declaration that Jesus, the Messiah, when he came for salvation, would be rejected. The builders would reject him.

Matthew chapter 21, Mark chapter 12, and Luke chapter 20 all reference this theme. The Apostle Peter referred to this passage when he was preaching the gospel in Acts chapter 4. Notice what he said in verse 11: "This is the stone which was set at naught of you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner." Here, Peter identified the people of Jerusalem as the builders, and Jesus as the stone. He states, "You have rejected him."

The Apostle Paul also referenced this verse in his letter to the Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 2. Additionally, Peter again referred to it in 1 Peter chapter 2. Speaking about this stone, he said in verse 7, "Unto you therefore which believe, he is precious. But unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner."

To some, Jesus, the stone, is a stumbling stone, a rock of offense. The Apostle Paul made this statement clear in Romans chapter 9. He said, "Wherefore, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, they have stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it is written, behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, a rock of offense, and whosoever believes on him should not be ashamed."

Some look upon Jesus, the only sure foundation, and they say no; they stumble at him and what he has done. They refuse to receive the gracious gift and become rejecters. However, it does not diminish the fact that he is the only way. As Paul said, it remains true regardless of their rejection.

To the church at Corinth in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, it is stated that there is no other foundation that can be laid but that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. He is the only foundation. Any other foundation is shifting sand. When the storm of God's wrath comes, that structure will be wiped away. It would be wise, therefore, as Jesus says at the end of Matthew chapter 7, to build upon the rock.

The psalmist in verse 24 says, "This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." He continues, "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord. O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord." This portion was sung as Jesus was descending the Mount of Olives on that day, riding on a donkey, while people cast palm branches before him and even laid their clothes on the ground. They cried, "Save now, we pray," literally, "Hosanna."

If you had been there on that day, even if you couldn't have spoken or understood Hebrew, you would have heard them saying, "Hosanna, Hosanna. Save now, we pray." There is only one who can answer that prayer: the Rock of Ages. He is the only one.

Notice that the psalmist says, "This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Every day is certainly a day that the Lord has made, and we ought to rejoice in every day that God has given to us as a creation of the Lord. However, when the psalmist specifically mentions, "This is the day that the Lord has made," he is referring to the day when the Messiah entered into Jerusalem.

When we think of that day and the work that Jesus did for us during that Passion Week, it should cause us to rejoice in every day. I remember teaching on the psalms a few years back, providing an overview of the psalms. Before we started our study, we sang a cappella, and one of the songs we sang was, "This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

How many of you have sung that song before? While we were singing it, I stopped in the middle and asked, "Do you know what this is talking about?" I explained that it refers to Palm Sunday, the day Jesus entered into Jerusalem, which is the day we are really singing about. One of the ladies in the Bible study came up to me afterward. She had been a believer for a very long time, and she said, "You know what?"

I always had a hard time with that song because I would come to church sometimes, and they would sing it. I would have had a bad day or whatever it was, and I didn't want to sing it, thinking, "This is not a good day." But now I understand. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, we pray. We beseech you, send now your salvation, your prosperity.

Jesus came to Jerusalem 2,000 years ago on the day that we celebrate as Palm Sunday. When he came, the people cried, "Save now." Jesus wept over the city. In Luke chapter 19, verse 41, it says he wept as he came near and beheld the city, saying, "If you had known, if you had known, even thou at least in this day, the things which belong unto your peace, but now they are hid from your eyes."

You see, there was such joy and jubilation on that day, rejoicing as they cried, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." But Jesus wept. Why? Because he knew the very same crowd of people, within five days, would be crying, "Crucify him." Public opinion can change quickly. He knew that these very same people who were crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord," would be the builders that would reject him.

And yet, it is a triumphal entry. Why? A triumphal entry in that the following Sunday, he would rise from the dead as the conquering King, conquering death and rising again, which we're going to consider next week.

In verse 27, the psalmist says, "God is the Lord, which has showed light unto us. Bind the sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee. Thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever."

Remember, Alfred Edersheim, a Jewish historian of the 18th century, tells us that these words, Psalm 118, verse 27, would be recited as the Passover lamb was being killed. God is the Lord.

And has showed light unto us. Bind the sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the altar. It is believed that at that very moment, when they would have been reciting this and sacrificing that lamb, Jesus would have been bound to the cross.

Thou art my God, I will praise thee. Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. We read in verse 27, "God is the Lord." It's a declarative fact: God is the Lord. He is. Although many atheists and foolish scientists declare there is no God, God is. All of creation resounds to this simple fact: God is.

But is He your God? Thou art my God. He is, and your lack of faith will not diminish that fact. But has He become your God? Do you praise Him? Has He become your God? Do you exalt Him? If that is the case, if you have received and exalted Him today, then give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever.

But if you have rejected Him, the Scriptures say that he who rejects that stone, that stone will fall upon him and grind him to powder. Receive the gracious and merciful gift that is only found in Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life, the gate by which man can receive salvation. By grace, through faith, this is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Let's stand together and pray. Father, You are to be praised, honored, and worshipped, for You have made the way open to us. You call us to come before Your presence, to enter into Your gates with thanksgiving, into Your courts with praise, to be thankful unto You and to bless Your name.

We do come before You today, remembering that You came for a purpose, and the purpose was the cross. Jesus, You didn't shy away from Jerusalem, but You set Your face.

Like flint towards Jerusalem, you would not be detoured from what was going to take place there. Though mere men would have run the other way, like Jonah when you called, you went to the cross, choosing to suffer.

Although in your flesh, in the Garden of Gethsemane, you cried, "Let this cup pass from me," you still submitted yourself so that we could have fellowship with you. We thank you that you who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might receive your righteousness.

Lord, we praise you today. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you.