The Psalm Sang at the Last Supper

We find the account of The Last Supper in all four Gospels (Mt. 26: 17-30, Mk. 14:12-26, Lk. 22: 7-39, Jn: 13: 1 - 17:26). This was the passover meal that Jesus ate with his disciples just before going to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, where he was betrayed by Judas and arrested. This day is commemorated in Christian tradition on the Thursday before Easter, and often referred to as Maundy Thursday. We recall that it is during this supper that many iconic events take place. Jesus established the tradition of communion by telling the disciples to take the bread and wine as symbols of his body and blood, which would be broken and poured out as a sacrifice for many. Jesus also revealed that one of his disciples would betray him. He was crucified the next day, which we now refer to as Good Friday. 

At the end of the Passover meal, Matthew and Mark state that the disciples sang a hymn with Jesus before departing. While Scripture doesn’t explicitly state which hymn was sang, Jewish tradition reveals that the Passover meal was concluded by singing the last portion of the Hallel. The Hallel is comprised of Psalms 113 through 118. It is a joyous celebration of praise and thanksgiving to God. Why is this significant to the events of Holy Week? By looking at these Psalms, we see that there were many references to the eventual salvation of the Lord’s people brought by the death and resurrection of Christ. This is especially true of Psalm 118, which served as the conclusion of the Passover meal.

The singing of Psalm 118 is incredibly profound when considering the events that were taking place around Jesus and His disciples. It praises God for His goodness and protection. The last nine verses are of particular importance to Holy Week and are often sung twice to conclude the hymn. Upon Jesus’s triumphal entry (celebrated today as Palm Sunday), the crowds shouted verse 26, which says “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Hallel would have been on the minds of the people during Passover Week. Jesus knew this when He was challenged by the chief priests later that day, and he ascribed verses 22 through 23 to Himself: “The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see” (Psalm 118: 22-23, Matt. 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17). He reveals that He is the Cornerstone that would be rejected, but would become the firm and eternal foundation upon which our salvation is built. During Jesus’s triumphant entry to Jerusalem, Verse 27 speaks of taking the sacrifice and binding it to the altar. We know that Jesus was about to lay down His life as a sacrifice for all mankind. The last two verses offer praise to God.

It is incredible to think that Jesus and the disciples were singing these words in the last hours before the crucifixion and resurrection. The disciples did not understand what was about to happen, but Jesus certainly did. The salvation of which the Jewish people had been singing for hundreds of years was about to unfold before them. Jesus was the one who came in the name of the Lord. He was the stone that was rejected but would become the cornerstone. He was the sacrifice that was about to be given for the sins of all mankind. How wonderful it is for us to reflect upon the words of Psalm 118 that were sung that evening. As they sang in verse 23, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.”

by Jimmy Cox