20260715 [새벽묵상] 죽음에서 구원하시는 여호와께 감사하라 Give Thanks to the Lord Who Saves from Death (시/Ps 118:8~29)

118:8 여호와께 피하는 것이 사람을 신뢰하는 것보다 나으며

118:9 여호와께 피하는 것이 고관들을 신뢰하는 것보다 낫도다

118:10 뭇 나라가 나를 에워쌌으니 내가 여호와의 이름으로 그들을 끊으리로다

118:11 그들이 나를 에워싸고 에워쌌으니 내가 여호와의 이름으로 그들을 끊으리로다

118:12 그들이 벌들처럼 나를 에워쌌으나 가시덤불의 불 같이 타 없어졌나니 내가 여호와의 이름으로 그들을 끊으리로다

118:13 너는 나를 밀쳐 넘어뜨리려 하였으나 여호와께서는 나를 도우셨도다

118:14 여호와는 나의 능력과 찬송이시요 또 나의 구원이 되셨도다

8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

    than to trust in humans.

9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord

    than to trust in princes.

10 All the nations surrounded me,

    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

11 They surrounded me on every side,

    but in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

12 They swarmed around me like bees,

    but they were consumed as quickly as burning thorns;

    in the name of the Lord I cut them down.

13 I was pushed back and about to fall,

    but the Lord helped me.

14 The Lord is my strength and my defense;

    he has become my salvation.

118:15 의인들의 장막에는 기쁜 소리, 구원의 소리가 있음이여 여호와의 오른손이 권능을 베푸시며

118:16 여호와의 오른손이 높이 들렸으며 여호와의 오른손이 권능을 베푸시는도다

118:17 내가 죽지 않고 살아서 여호와께서 하시는 일을 선포하리로다

118:18 여호와께서 나를 심히 경책하셨어도 죽음에는 넘기지 아니하셨도다

118:19 내게 의의 문들을 열지어다 내가 그리로 들어가서 여호와께 감사하리로다

118:20 이는 여호와의 문이라 의인들이 그리로 들어가리로다

118:21 주께서 내게 응답하시고 나의 구원이 되셨으니 내가 주께 감사하리이다

15 Shouts of joy and victory

    resound in the tents of the righteous:

“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!

16     The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;

    the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”

17 I will not die but live,

    and will proclaim what the Lord has done.

18 The Lord has chastened me severely,

    but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open for me the gates of the righteous;

    I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord

    through which the righteous may enter.

21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me;

    you have become my salvation.

118:22 건축자가 버린 돌이 집 모퉁이의 머릿돌이 되었나니

118:23 이는 여호와께서 행하신 것이요 우리 눈에 기이한 바로다

118:24 이 날은 여호와께서 정하신 것이라 이 날에 우리가 즐거워하고 기뻐하리로다

22 The stone the builders rejected

    has become the cornerstone;

23 the Lord has done this,

    and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 The Lord has done it this very day;

    let us rejoice today and be glad.

118:25 여호와여 구하옵나니 이제 구원하소서 여호와여 우리가 구하옵나니 이제 형통하게 하소서

25 Lord, save us!

    Lord, grant us success!

118:26 여호와의 이름으로 오는 자가 복이 있음이여 우리가 여호와의 집에서 너희를 축복하였도다

118:27 여호와는 하나님이시라 그가 우리에게 빛을 비추셨으니 밧줄로 절기 제물을 제단 뿔에 맬지어다

26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

    From the house of the Lord we bless you.

27 The Lord is God,

    and he has made his light shine on us.

With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession

    up[c] to the horns of the altar.

118:28 주는 나의 하나님이시라 내가 주께 감사하리이다 주는 나의 하나님이시라 내가 주를 높이리이다

28 You are my God, and I will praise you;

    you are my God, and I will exalt you.

118:29 여호와께 감사하라 그는 선하시며 그의 인자하심이 영원함이로다

29 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever.

                시편 118편은 ‘할렐 시편’의 마지막 시편입니다. 이 할렐 시편들은 하나님을 예배하고 찬양하는 자리로 공동체를 초대하는 시편들이지요. 어제의 본문이었던 시편 117편에서는 이스라엘이 경험한 하나님의 사랑, 그리고 118편에서는 화자가 경험한 하나님의 신실하신 사랑이 너무나 커서 공동체가 함께 찬양하는 것을 나누었습니다. 오늘의 본문도 큰 맥락에서 그와 같은 범주 안에 있지요. 다만 오늘 우리는 화자의 고백을 통해 그가 겪었던 구원이 어떤 것이었는지 좀 더 구체적으로 볼 수 있습니다. 그리고 그 개인적인 구원의 고백을 통해 예배의 자리로 공동체를 초대하는 모습 또한 볼 수 있습니다. 오늘은 “죽음에서 구원하시는 여호와께 감사하라”는 제목으로 말씀을 나누기 원합니다.

Introduction: Inviting the Community to Praise

Psalm 118 is the final chapter of the "Hallel Psalms." These specific psalms are designed to invite the faith community to gather, worship, and praise God. Yesterday, we looked at how the immense love of God experienced by Israel in Psalm 117, and the faithful love experienced by the individual psalmist in the first part of Psalm 118, naturally compel the entire community to praise Him together.

Today’s text falls into that same grand theme. However, through the psalmist's confession today, we are given a much more detailed look at the specific deliverance he experienced. We also see how he uses his personal testimony of salvation to invite the entire congregation into the place of worship. Today, I want to share a message titled, "Give Thanks to the Lord Who Saves from Death."

                먼저 화자는 여호와만이 그의 구원자 되심을 절절히 고백하고 있습니다. 8-9절이 그렇습니다. 화자는 공개적으로 여호와께 피하는 것이 사람이나 권력자들을 신뢰하는 것보다 낫다고 말하고 있지요. 그러나 우리는 압니다. 눈에 보이지 않는 하나님께 피하는 것보다 눈에 보이는 힘있고 능력있는 사람들을 의지하는 것이 쉽다는 것을 말이지요. 그렇다면 화자는 어떻게 이런 고백을 할 수 있는 것일까? 그는 외부의 적과 내부의 적을 모두 경험하고 오직 하나님만이 그를 도우시며 그의 구원이 되심을 깨달았기 때문입니다. 10-12절은 그가 경험한 외부의 적을 말하고 있습니다. 자세히 보시면 뭇 나라가 그를 에워싼 상황들이 점점 더 악화되고 있습니다. 10절, “뭇 나라가 나를 에워쌌으니.” 11절, “그들이 나를 에워싸고 에워쌌으니.” 12절, “그들이 벌들처럼 나를 에워쌌으나.” 그러나 화자는 10-12절 말씀 내내 “여호와의 이름으로 그들을 끊으리로다”라는 말씀을 반복하고 있습니다. 그는 여호와의 구원을 신뢰하고 있는 것이지요. 외부의 적이 자신을 포위하여 도저히 빠져나갈 수 있는 상황이 아닌데도 그가 경험한 하나님의 구원은 그들의 이런 포위를 “가시덤불의 불같이 타 없애”버리셨습니다. 자, 13절은 내부의 적을 말하고 있습니다. “너는, 나를 밀쳐 넘어뜨리려 하였으나” 여기서 말하는 ‘너’는 가까운 사람이겠지요. 그런데 이렇게 나와 가까운 사람이 나를 죽이려 한다는 것입니다. 그러나 그때에도 “여호와께서는 나를 도우셨도다” 라고 고백하고 있지요. 화자는 이렇게 외부의 적이 나를 포위하더라도, 또 내부의 적이 나를 죽이려 할지라도 하나님만이 자신의 구원되심을 경험한 것입니다. 그 고백이 바로 14절의 말씀이지요. 14절을 함께 한 번 읽어보겠습니다. “여호와는 나의 능력과 찬송이시요 또 나의 구원이 되셨도다” 아멘. 그는 여호와께서 나의 구원이 되셨다고 고백하고 있습니다. 이 고백에는 자신이 스스로를 구원하거나 아니면 사람이 자신을 구원했다는 언급은 찾을 수 없지요. 오직 여호와만이 그의 능력과 찬송과 구원 되시는 것입니다.

1. Only the Lord is My Savior

First, the psalmist passionately confesses that the Lord alone is his true Savior. Look at verses 8 and 9. He publicly declares that taking refuge in the Lord is far better than trusting in humans or relying on powerful rulers.

But we all know how challenging this is in reality. It is always much easier to rely on visible, influential people than to take refuge in an invisible God. How, then, could the psalmist make such a bold confession? It is because he physically experienced both external and internal enemies, and through those trials, he realized that God alone was his helper and salvation.

Verses 10 through 12 describe the external enemies he faced. Notice how his situation with the surrounding nations progressively worsens:

• Verse 10: “All the nations surrounded me...”

• Verse 11: “They surrounded me on every side...”

• Verse 12: “They swarmed around me like bees...”

Yet, throughout these verses, the psalmist repeats a powerful declaration like a battle cry: "but in the name of the Lord I cut them off." He completely trusted in the Lord’s deliverance. Even though external forces surrounded him with no human way out, God broke the siege and destroyed them "as quickly as burning thorns."

Furthermore, verse 13 addresses his internal enemies. It says: “I was pushed back and about to fall...” The word "you" here likely refers to someone close to him—someone from the inside trying to destroy him. Yet, even in that painful moment of betrayal, he confesses: "but the Lord helped me." Whether surrounded by foreign nations or attacked from within by close associates, the psalmist experienced God as his ultimate Savior.

This leads to his beautiful confession in verse 14. Let us read it together:

“The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

Amen! He confesses that the Lord has become his salvation. In this statement, there is absolutely no mention of self-salvation or human rescue. The Lord alone is his strength, his song, and his salvation.

                자 그렇다면 이제 이렇게 구원을 경험한 화자가 해야 하는 일이 무엇일까요? 17절 말씀입니다. 함께 읽어보겠습니다. “내가 죽지 않고 살아서 여호와께서 하시는 일을 선포하리로다” 이 말씀을 통해서 우리는 화자가 거의 죽을 뻔 하였던 것을 알 수 있습니다. 18절 말씀에도 그가 죽음에 매우 가까웠던 것을 언급하고 있지요. 그러나 하나님의 구원으로 그는 이제 살았습니다. 그때 그가 할 일이 무엇이라고 말하고 있습니까? “여호와께서 하시는 일을 선포하리로다” 그리고 19절에서 명령합니다. “내게 의의 문들” 즉 성전으로 향하는 문을 열지어다 라고 명령합니다. “내가 그리로 들어가서 여호와께 감사하리로다” 자 우리는 이제 죽음에서 구원을 경험한 화자가 성전으로 들어가서 여호와께 감사한다는 것을 알았습니다. 바로 여기에서 전환이 일어납니다. 15절 말씀과 20절 말씀이 이 전환을 보여주고 있습니다. 14절에서 나의 구원이 되신 여호와. 그런데 15절에서 “의인들의 장막에는 기쁜 소리, 구원의 소리가 있다”고 고백합니다. 19절에서 “내가 그리로 들어가서 여호와께 감사하리로다” 고백했는데 20절은 “의인들이 그리로 들어가리로다” 라고 말하고 있지요. 바로 개인의 구원, 나의 구원이 공동체 구원, 의인들의 구원으로 그 개념이 확장되고 있는 것입니다. 그래서 그들의 감사 또한 마찬가지로 이제는 개인의 감사가 혼자만의 감사가 아니라 공동체가 함께 감사하는 것으로 그 영역이 넓어지고 있는 것입니다. 그래서 21절은 “나의 구원이 되셨으니 내가 주께 감사하리이다”라고 고백하고 있지만 이것은 한 개인의 감사가 아니라 공동체가 함께 감사함을 말하고 있는 것이지요. 바로 이것이 27절과 28절에서 잘 드러나고 있습니다. 27절을 함께 읽어보겠습니다. “여호와는 하나님이시라 그가 우리에게 빛을 비추셨으니 밧줄로 절기 제물을 제단 뿔에 맬지어다” 하나님께서 우리에게 빛을 비추셨습니다. 그렇기에 우리는 제물을 가지고 하나님께 예배하러 성전 제단으로 나아가는 것입니다. 그런데 28절은 그 하나님이 나의 하나님이라고 고백하고 있습니다. 함께 한 번 읽어보겠습니다. “주는 나의 하나님이시라 내가 주께 감사하리이다. 주는 나의 하나님이시라 내가 주를 높이리이다.” 죽음에서 우리를 건져내신 하나님의 구원을 경험한 우리 각 사람은 성전에 나아와 주께 감사하며 주를 높여야 합니다. 그리고 그 각 사람의 감사와 예배가 한데 모여 우리 공동체의 감사와 예배가 되는 것이지요.

2. From Personal Testimony to Corporate Worship

What must a person who has experienced such a great deliverance do next? Look at verse 17. Let us read it together:

“I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord has done.”

Through these words, we realize that the psalmist was on the very brink of death. Verse 18 also mentions how close he came to dying. But by God’s grace, he survived. And what does he say his duty is now? "I will proclaim what the Lord has done."

Then, in verse 19, he commands: “Open for me the gates of the righteous”—meaning the gates leading into the temple courts. Why? “I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.”

Right here, a powerful transition takes place. We see this shift in verses 15 and 20:

• In verse 14, he confesses: “The Lord has become my salvation.” But in verse 15, it expands: “Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous.”

• In verse 19, he says: “I will enter and give thanks.” But in verse 20, it shifts: “The righteous may enter through it.”

The concept of personal, individual salvation breaks open into community salvation—the salvation of the righteous. Consequently, personal thanksgiving expands into corporate thanksgiving. Gratitude is no longer a solitary act; it becomes a shared celebration.

We see this beautifully illustrated in verses 27 and 28. Let us read verse 27 together:

“The Lord is God, and he has made his light shine on us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.”

God has made His light shine on us. Because of this shared light, we bring our sacrifices and approach the altar of the temple together. Yet, in verse 28, this corporate worship beautifully reconnects with a deeply personal confession. Let us read verse 28 together:

“You are my God, and I will praise you; you are my God, and I will exalt you.”

Each of us who has experienced God’s deliverance from death must enter the temple to personally thank and exalt Him. When these individual expressions of gratitude and worship gather in one place, they combine to become the grand worship of our community.

                말씀을 맺습니다. 오늘 본문의 화자는 하나님께서 외부와 내부의 적으로부터 그를 죽음에서 건지심을 직접 경험하였습니다. 그래서 그는 의인들의 장막, 여호와의 집에서 하나님께 감사하였습니다. 우리도 마찬가지입니다. 오늘 말씀에 나오는 건축자의 버린 돌이 집 모퉁이의 머릿돌이 되는 여호와의 기이한 행하심은 바로 예수 그리스도의 죽으심과 부활을 예표하는 말씀입니다. 우리 또한 죽을 수 밖에 없는 사람들이었으나 예수님께서 십자가에서 돌아가심으로 말미암아 죽음에서 구원을 얻었습니다. 우리도 의인들의 장막에서 또 하나님의 성전에서 하나님께 감사해야 할 줄 믿습니다. 우리 각 사람이 하나님께 감사하며 하나님을 높일 때에 기쁜 소리와 구원의 소리가 우리 공동체 안에 가득하게 될 것입니다. 기도하시겠습니다.

Conclusion: The Ultimate Cornerstone

Let us conclude. The psalmist directly experienced God delivering him from death, rescuing him from enemies both outside and inside. Because of this, he entered the house of the Lord to give thanks in the tents of the righteous.

The same is true for us today. The famous verse in this passage about the stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone (v. 22) is a profound prophecy foreshadowing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We were once people destined for eternal death. However, because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, we have received ultimate deliverance from death.

Therefore, we must stand in the tents of the righteous—in the sanctuary of God—and offer our deepest thanks. As each of us lifts up our personal gratitude and exalts His name, shouts of joy and victory will completely fill our faith community. Let us pray.