Show Don't Tell: Psalm 118

Instead of saying "God delivers and the Messiah is rejected then exalted," walk through the temple gates. Final Hallel psalm, sung at Passover—Jesus sang this before Gethsemane. "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say: 'His love endures forever.' Let the house of Aaron say: 'His love endures forever.' Let those who fear the LORD say: 'His love endures forever.'" Four-fold refrain. "When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place." Cramped to spacious. "The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?... It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes." Human help compared unfavorably—twice. "All the nations surrounded me, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down. They swarmed around me like bees, they blazed like fire among thorns, but in the name of the LORD I cut them down." Three 'surrounded,' three 'cut down.' Bees swarming, fire blazing. "I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation." Then the gates: "Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter." Temple procession entering. The cornerstone: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Jesus applied this to himself. "This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Every Sunday's anthem. "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD." Palm Sunday cry.