Yesterday, the scripture was about rejoicing and being glad in the day that God has made (v24). Today, it is about giving thanks for salvation.
Two of today’s verses (v25, 26) are spoken by the crowds as Jesus went into Jerusalem on what is called Palm Sunday (Matt 21:9). Hosanna means “save now”.
This psalm and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem are very similar. In this psalm: the king has won a victory, he returns to Jerusalem to great celebration, and they cry to him as their rescuer, “save now”, keep on saving us. They celebrate God’s victory through His king with a sacrifice (v27).
On Palm Sunday: the crowds think He is the great King and Messiah who would save them from the Romans, the promised King of Psalm 118. So they cry out “save now”, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (v26), and they go up to Jerusalem ready for the Passover sacrifice, which is the reminder of deliverance from slavery in Egypt.
But they didn’t get it. He came to save not from the Romans that ruled them, but from sin. And He came not to offer a sacrifice of a lamb but to offer Himself as the Lamb, He came to be the sacrifice.
Now, 3000 years after Psalm 118 and 2000 years after the King did come, we don’t need to pray, save us now, because He has saved us. But we can praise Him, we can and must offer a sacrifice of praise.
And we can pray for those unsaved – Lord, save them now.
Praise the Lord for His great salvation.
The best is yet to come 