Bible Strands
Psalms 118:27
The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses the worshiping assembly during a festival procession, immediately after announcing blessing for those who come in the LORD's name. The speaker directs the congregation to perform a specific liturgical action in response to God's manifest presence.
The words — The Hebrew imperative אִסְרוּ ('isru) commands to "bind" the חַג (chag) "festival sacrifice" with עֲבֹתִים ('avotim) "cords" to the altar's horns. This phrasing prescribes the exact physical handling of a ritual offering during the celebration.
The thread — The statement "The LORD is God; He has made His light to shine upon us" parallels the lamp-lighting declaration in Psalms 18:28 and points toward the Johannine claim in John 8:12. The implied call to witness aligns with the priestly commission to proclaim God's virtues in 1 Peter 2:9.
Why it lands — The verse requires immediate physical compliance with a worship directive while affirming God's active illumination. It asks the reader to acknowledge divine presence and respond with concrete ritual action rather than abstract acknowledgment.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.
Cross-references
- Psalms 18:28 For You, O LORD, light my lamp; my God lights up my darkness.
- John 8:12 Once again, Jesus spoke to the people and said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
- 1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- Esther 8:16 For the Jews it was a time of light and gladness, of joy and honor.
- Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.
- Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
- 1 Kings 18:39 When all the people saw this, they fell facedown and said, “The LORD, He is God! The LORD, He is God!”
- Psalms 37:6 He will bring forth your righteousness like the dawn, your justice like the noonday sun.
- 1 Kings 8:63 And Solomon offered as peace offerings to the LORD 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the Israelites dedicated the house of the LORD.
- Malachi 4:2 “But for you who fear My name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings, and you will go out and leap like calves from the stall.