This joyful extract from Psalm 118, often called the great Easter Psalm, serves as the responsorial psalm at the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night. The antiphon consists of a triple “Alleluia,” repeated after each strophe, marking the dramatic return of this word of praise after the silence of Lent. The chosen verses (1-2, 16-17, 22-23) celebrate God’s enduring mercy, his mighty deeds, victory over death, and the marvellous reversal of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone.

Psalm 118 belongs to the final group of the Hallel psalms (Psalms 113–118), traditionally sung during the Jewish Passover and other major feasts. Its origins are ancient, with many scholars linking it to the post-exilic period or even attributing parts to King David, though the exact date remains uncertain. It is a thanksgiving hymn (todah) expressing gratitude for deliverance from distress and enemies. The psalmist, surrounded by hostile forces, cries out to the Lord and experiences dramatic rescue. The central image of the “stone that the builders rejected” (v. 22) likely referred originally to Israel itself or a rejected leader whom God exalted, becoming the cornerstone of a new structure. The psalm bursts with confidence in God’s steadfast love (hesed), which “endures for ever.”

In the liturgy of the Easter Vigil, this psalm holds profound significance. It follows the Epistle (Romans 6:3-11), which speaks of dying and rising with Christ in Baptism, and immediately precedes the Gospel of the Resurrection. The triple Alleluia announces the breaking of Easter joy after the long vigil through salvation history. The verses chosen highlight themes that illuminate the Paschal Mystery: “The Lord’s right hand has done mighty deeds” and “I shall not die, I shall live” point directly to Christ’s victory over the grave. Most strikingly, the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone is interpreted in the New Testament as a prophecy of Jesus (Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7). The one crucified and cast aside by the builders (the religious leaders) has been raised by God and made the foundation of the new Temple, the Church.

Sung in the candle-lit church as the assembly stands on the threshold of Easter, these words transform the Vigil into a celebration of resurrection. They invite the baptised and the whole community to rejoice that Christ’s triumph is theirs. The psalm bridges the Old Testament story of deliverance with the New: what God did for Israel, he has fulfilled supremely in Jesus. On this Holy Night, Psalm 118 proclaims that the day the Lord has made is here – the day of new creation, when death is conquered and mercy triumphs eternally. Its exuberant praise sets the tone for the entire Easter season, reminding every believer that we too shall live and declare the works of the Lord.