Palm Sunday (Psalm 118) Message Study Questions

Message Summary

On Palm Sunday, Psalm 118 reminds us of a greater victory. It inspires us to lift our eyes from our current circumstances.

Palm Sunday is an important day for Christianity; it initiates Holy Week, the final week of Jesus’ ministry. During this historic week, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and was celebrated and cheered. He taught in the temple throughout the week, was arrested Thursday night and crucified on Friday. Then Sunday came and He rose from the dead.

Holy Week took place during Passover, an annual festival where the Jewish people remember how God saved them, as recorded in the book of Exodus. Psalm 118 looks back at the Israelites’ freedom from slavery and joy of the promise land. It also looks ahead at the coming of Jesus who brought a spiritual exodus for us all. His sacrifice takes us out of spiritual slavery and leads us into the Promise Land of an eternity in the fullness of Our Lord. God is good. His love is forever.

1. What does the statement, “God is good” mean to you? Can you share your reaction to that statement?

2. What is your foundation? What do you build your life upon?

Consider This

This majestic Messianic psalm covers Millennia of time and the promise and delivery of the eternal salvation of God’s people. From the salvation of Israel by the parting of the Red Sea in Exodus, to the Passover celebration in Solomon’s Temple, to the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, to the Second Coming of Christ.

1. Read Psalm 118:1-4, 29. What statement is repeated five times here? What does it mean to you personally?
   

2. Why is thanksgiving and praise to God important? How important is it to you?
   

3. The psalmist says that “it is better to take refuge in the Lord rather than to trust in man” (118:8-9). Are you ever tempted to trust in yourself, or someone else, rather than God? Why or why not?
   

4. Twice the psalmist says that God has become his salvation (118:14, 21). What does this mean? Why is it significant that, in Christianity, salvation comes from God, instead of from ourselves? How does this differ from other religions and belief systems?
   

5. Referring to some Old Testament history, the Apostle Paul said, “Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
   

   • Compare Psalm 118:14 to Exodus 15:1-2a and in the NT Matthew 1:21.
   • How does Psalm 118 give both echoes of the Salvation of Israel in the Exodus and the ultimate salvation of humankind in the New Testament?
   • To what event(s) do you think Jesus was referring to in Matthew 23:39?
     

6. What impresses you about the songs of victory (Verses 14-18)? How does worship play out in your daily routine?
   

7. Who do you think is the victor of verses 19-20? Why was he welcomed (see Hebrews 2:9-10, 9:24)?
   

8. In 118:22, the psalmist says that “the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”. How does this verse describe the person and work of Jesus? (Acts 4:8-12, 1 Peter 2:4-8)
   

9. Who is “the one who comes in the name of the LORD” in verse 26? (see Matthew 21:9)

   • How much understanding do you think the crowd of Matthew 21:9 had about the person and mission of Jesus?
   • How about people today?

10. Read Hebrews 1:1, 14. What are the differences between Psalm 118:27 and this NT passage? Do you think the sacrifice of Psalm 118:27 foreshadows the sacrifice of Jesus?
    

11. What was the Psalmist teaching us about God?
    

12. How would you explain who Jesus is to a friend who asked?
    

Moving Forward – Application

1. Read Psalm 118 this week and write down things that help you grow closer to God and deal with adversities.

2. Memorize Psalm 118:8 and apply it to whatever you have to face this week.

3. Think about an offering of praise you could give to the Lord this week.

4. How is the Lord good, and for what can you give thanks to Him this week?