The Hymn Yeshua Sang With His Disciples

By Isaiah Pauley

  

I’m excited to share with you a beautiful connection between Psalm 118 and Yeshua Messiah.

Yeshua and His disciples were eating a Passover meal together. We call it the Last Supper. After partaking of bread and wine, the Bible briefly mentions the hymn Yeshua sang with His disciples.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Mark 14:26 ).

What were they singing on such an occasion? Well, that’s where Psalm 118 comes into play.

My commentary explains, “The following psalms, 113-118, are identified by ancient Jewish tradition as a sequence for us in religious festivals, particularly at the Passover meal. This sequence is often referred to as the Egyptian Hallel, or ‘Egyptian Praise.’ To this day, most Passover liturgies call for the reading or singing of Psalms 113-114 before the meal and 115-118 afterward.”

In other words, after eating the Passover meal in Mark 14, it’s likely that Psalm 118 had a place in the hymn Yeshua sang with His disciples. And when I read Psalm 118, this makes perfect sense.

Psalm 118 is a congregational hymn. It’s liturgical in nature and made for more than one voice. It begins, “Oh give thanks to Yehovah, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let the house of Aaron [the priests] say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let those who fear Yehovah say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever’” (v. 1-4 ).

After an introduction of praise, the author describes his distress (v. 5), acknowledges that Elohim is on his side (v. 6-7), recognizes Yehovah as his refuge (v. 8-9), and worships Elohim for helping him succeed despite the enemies that had surrounded him (v. 10-13).

Then, he says, “Yehovah is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: ‘The right hand of Yehovah does valiantly, the right hand of Yehovah exalts, the right hand of Yehovah does valiantly!’” (v. 14-16 ).

The songwriter continues by speaking life over death, even though Elohim’s discipline had come upon him (v. 17-18). Then, he asks Yehovah to open the gates of righteousness—the gate of Yehovah. And only those who are righteous may enter (v. 19-20).

Now, pay attention to what the psalmist says next: “I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is Yehovah’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that Yehovah has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O Yehovah! O Yehovah, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yehovah! …” (v. 21- 26 ).

These verses are full of depth, imagery, and power. And Yeshua Messiah is definitely present. So are we. Let me show you.

Remember, Psalm 118 was sung during Passover. Scholars believe that Yeshua and His disciples followed this tradition by singing it at the conclusion of their Passover meal in Mark 14. The Passover festival can be traced back to Exodus 12 when Elohim had the Israelites mark their doorposts with lamb blood in order to escape Yehovah’s wrath on Pharaoh.

You see, Yeshua has become our Passover lamb. By His shed blood on the cross, Elohim “passes over” our sin and offers us mercy and grace. Psalm 118 is the story of Elohim’s salvation through the perfect Passover lamb—Yeshua Messiah.

Yeshua sang about Himself and His people as He joined with His disciples in song after the Passover meal. You see, He experienced distress in Gethsemane shortly after singing (Mark 14:34). But He acknowledged the Father on His side and took refuge in Him (v. 36). And despite the enemies who surrounded Him and killed Him on a cross, Yeshua claimed victory over death and made a way for Elohim’s people to enter the “gates of righteousness”—Messiah Himself.

After all, Yeshua claims, “‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No ones comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6 ). He is our Passover lamb. He is the rejected stone that is now our cornerstone (Psalm 118:22; Acts 4:11). And copying the words of the psalmist in Psalm 118, the Israelites sing, “‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Yehovah!’” (Mark 11:9 ) as Yeshua enters Jerusalem shortly before Passover.

Who knew that a psalm written hundreds upon hundreds of years before the coming of Messiah would include such detail and power? Who knew that Yeshua would later sing that hymn about Himself and our redemption?

The hymn Yeshua sang with His disciples is the hymn we sing today. One of praise and redemption. It’s a song of life defeating death. All because of Yeshua, the Lamb of Elohim.