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PSALM 118 - Repetitions 28 Feb 2020

The church in the picture has various repeated objects and patterns. The repetitions and symmetry create beauty in the design.

Similarly in the psalm, the repeated words create beauty. The repetitions also are important for easy memorization of some of the text. As with a good song, the words stick in the memory for a long time. They come back and come back in the mind long after the actual hearing of the song. Enjoy reading and perhaps memorizing some parts of psalm 118.

Psalm 118

1 Alleluia! Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his faithful love endures for ever.
2 Let the House of Israel say,
'His faithful love endures for ever.'
3 Let the House of Aaron say,
'His faithful love endures for ever.'
4 Let those who fear Yahweh say,
'His faithful love endures for ever.'
5 In my distress I called to Yahweh,
he heard me and brought me relief.
6 With Yahweh on my side I fear nothing;
what can human beings do to me?
7 With Yahweh on my side as my help,
I gloat over my enemies.
8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh
than to rely on human beings;
9 better to take refuge in Yahweh
than to rely on princes.
10 Nations were swarming around me,
in the name of Yahweh I cut them down;
11 they swarmed around me, pressing upon me,
in the name of Yahweh I cut them down.
12 They swarmed around me like bees,
they flared up like a brushwood fire,
in the name of Yahweh I cut them down.
13 I was pushed hard, to make me fall,
but Yahweh came to my help.
14 Yahweh is my strength and my song,
he has been my Saviour.
15 Shouts of joy and salvation,
in the tents of the upright,
'Yahweh's right hand is triumphant,
16 Yahweh's right hand is victorious,
Yahweh's right hand is triumphant!'
17 I shall not die,
I shall live to recount the great deeds of Yahweh.
18 Though Yahweh punished me sternly, he has not abandoned me to death.
19 Open for me the gates of saving justice,
I shall go in and thank Yahweh.
20 This is the gate of Yahweh,
where the upright go in.
21 I thank you for hearing me,
and making yourself my Saviour.
22 The stone which the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
23 This is Yahweh's doing,
and we marvel at it.
24 This is the day which Yahweh has made,
a day for us to rejoice and be glad.
25 We beg you, Yahweh, save us,
we beg you, Yahweh, give us victory!
26 Blessed in the name of Yahweh is he who is coming!
We bless you from the house of Yahweh.
27 Yahweh is God, he gives us light.
Link your processions, branches in hand,
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, I thank you,
all praise to you, my God.
I thank you for hearing me,
and making yourself my Saviour.
29 Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good,
for his faithful love endures for ever.

Excerpt from THE NEW JERUSALEM BIBLE, copyright (c) 1985 by
Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd. and Doubleday, a division
of Penguin Random House, Inc. Reprinted by Permission.

A church designed with repeated patterns

The repetition of towers and windows creates beauty.

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