Psalm 118 is the central chapter in the entire Bible. The Bible has 594 chapters before Psalm 118 and 594 chapters after Psalm 118. Psalm 117, which is before Psalm 118 is the shortest chapter in the Bible and Psalm 119, which is after Psalm 118 is the longest chapter in the Bible. Add up all of the chapters in the Bible and you get 1,188 with Psalm 118 verse 8 being the central verse of the Bible. Psalm 118 is known as a Processional Hymn for the Feast of Shelters which is known to us now as Thanksgiving; a liturgy accompanying a procession of the king and its people into the Temple. In the Psalms the people and the king give thanks to God for his deliverance, and it became the focus of the service of worship. A Psalm of celebration, and God, who is their faithful deliverer is being honored and praised. Psalm 118 verse 8 is also the central verse. The central theme can be exemplified as give thanks to God for two reasons: because He is good and His grace lasts forever. Psalm 118 from The New Jerusalem Bible is a hymnal as well as it is a thanksgiving praise, consisting of a subdivision of Hallel Psalm. Psalm 118 is a subdivision of the Hymns; songs of praise to God, making it a …show more content…
The speaker in Psalm 118, asks for acceptance into the house of the Lord to begin his praise and to give the Lord thanks, making Psalm 118 also a Thanksgiving Psalm. The psalmist declares intention to praise God for having answered His people's prayer and having become their salvation: “Open for me the gates of saving justice, I shall go in and thank Yahweh. / This is the gate of Yahweh, where the upright go in. / I thank you for hearing me, and making yourself my Saviour” (New Jerusalem Bible, Ps. 118.19-21). Psalm 118 also encompasses other themes, but Hymns with a subdivision of Hallel and Thanksgiving being the major categories of this