Psalm 118 Easter Sunday: The Resurrection of Christ
Psalm 118 is one of the Bible’s great hymns of thanksgiving and triumph, concluding the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113–118). These psalms were traditionally sung by Jewish pilgrims during Passover to recall God’s deliverance from Egypt. The verses provided — “Give praise to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever,” the declaration that “the Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds,” the promise “I shall not die, I shall live,” and the celebrated line “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” — form a powerful song of reversal and victory. The recurring antiphon, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice in it and be glad,” captures the psalm’s joyful heart.
Scholars place its final composition in the post-exilic period (sixth to fifth century BC), though tradition associates it with Temple liturgy, possibly the dedication of the Second Temple. It likely functioned as an entrance or processional hymn for major festivals, with alternating voices of soloist, choir and congregation celebrating God’s steadfast mercy (hesed) and rescue from surrounding enemies.
In Christian interpretation, the psalm takes on profound messianic meaning. Jesus quoted the rejected stone verse during his final days (Matthew 21:42), applying it to his own rejection and vindication. The New Testament sees in it a prophecy of the Resurrection: Christ, rejected by the builders, becomes the cornerstone of a new people of God.
On Easter Sunday, at the Mass of the Resurrection of the Lord (the principal daytime celebration), these exact verses from Psalm 118 (1–2, 16–17, 22–23) serve as the responsorial psalm in the Catholic lectionary. The response is the triumphant “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad” (or Alleluia). While the Easter Vigil marks the first dramatic breaking of Lenten silence with the return of Alleluia after the long readings and the lighting of the Paschal candle, Easter Sunday morning carries forward that same psalm in the full light of day.
Here the psalm expresses the Church’s overflowing Easter joy to a wider assembly. It proclaims that the Resurrection is not merely an event of the night but the definitive new day of salvation. The “right hand” of the Lord has triumphed; death has been defeated; the rejected stone is now the foundation of the Church. The repeated refrain invites every believer — gathered in parish churches around the world — to rejoice in the reality of the risen Christ. “This is the day” becomes a call to live the Easter mystery: to declare the Lord’s deeds, to embrace new life in baptismal grace, and to exult in God’s enduring mercy made visible in the empty tomb.
Thus, on Easter Sunday, Psalm 118 sums up the Paschal victory in a single, memorable outburst of gladness, reminding the faithful that every Sunday is a little Easter, but this day above all is the one the Lord has made for rejoicing.