Psalms 118:25 · Bible study
Psalms 118:25 Commentary: The Cry of Hosanna
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Discover the meaning of 'Hosanna' in Psalm 118:25, a plea for deliverance and prosperity that prefigures Christ's entry.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A liturgical prayer for God's salvation and prosperity, later used as 'Hosanna' for Jesus.
- Key words: Save (H3467 yasha), Prosperity (H6743 tsalach), Please (H577 anna, H4994 na).
- Main debate: Whether the prosperity refers to material success or spiritual well-being.
- Theological theme: God as the source of deliverance and blessing.
- Best use: Teaching on prayer, liturgy, and messianic prophecy.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
O LORD, save us, we pray. We beseech You, O LORD, cause us to prosper!
WEB World English Bible 2000
Save us now, we beg you, Yahweh! Yahweh, we beg you, send prosperity now.
KJV King James Version 1769
Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
I beseech Thee, O Jehovah, save, I pray Thee, I beseech Thee, O Jehovah, prosper, I pray Thee.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
Oh save, Jehovah, I beseech thee; Jehovah, I beseech thee, oh send prosperity!
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
My soul hath cleaved to the pavement: quicken thou me according to thy word.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Oh Jehová, salva ahora, te ruego: oh Jehová, ruégote hagas prosperar ahora.
Ah, SENHOR, salva-nos! Ah, SENHOR, faze -nos prosperar!
O Éternel, accorde le salut!
O HERR, hilf! o HERR, laß wohl gelingen!
Och HEERE! geef nu heil; och HEERE! geef nu voorspoed.
Deh, o Eterno, salva! Deh, o Eterno, facci prosperare!
Proszę, Panie! zachowajże teraz; proszę Panie! zdarz teraz.
Душа моя повержена в прах; оживи меня по слову Твоему.
耶和華啊， 求 你拯救！耶和華啊， 求 你使我們亨通！
Send salvation now, O Lord; Lord, send us your blessing.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 118:25
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 118:25 is the liturgical source of the New Testament cry 'Hosanna.' Adam Clarke notes its use at the Feast of Tabernacles with green branches, while Albert Barnes emphasizes its appropriation by the crowds at Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. The Cambridge Bible sees it as a prayer that God would carry forward the work He has begun. John Gill connects it directly to the acclamation of David as king and its prophetic fulfillment in Christ. The plea for 'prosperity' (Hebrew hatzlicha) is understood as a request for continued divine favor, not merely material wealth. This verse functions both as a liturgical cry for immediate deliverance and as a prophetic anticipation of messianic salvation.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Direct messianic prophecy: Barnes and Gill argue that the psalm anticipates Christ, relying on New Testament use in Matthew 21:9.
- Historical-liturgical prayer: Cambridge Bible and Keil see it as a general temple prayer later applied to Jesus, grounded in the post-exilic context.
- Material vs. spiritual prosperity: The root 'tsalach' allows both readings, with debates over whether the focus is on national restoration or spiritual blessing.
What is clear: It is a prayer for God's salvation and favor, used in worship and adapted in the New Testament.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning of 'prosperity' | The Hebrew 'hatzlicha' (grant success) involves God's favor on human efforts. | Some interpret it as material abundance and national success, while others see it as spiritual well-being and the success of God's kingdom. |
| Messianic interpretation | The New Testament applies this verse to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:9, Mark 11:9, as noted in commentaries). | Some commentators (Barnes, Gill) believe the psalm was directly prophetic of Christ, while others (Cambridge Bible, Keil) see it as a general liturgical prayer later applied to the Messiah. |
| Liturgical origin | The verse was used in temple worship, specifically in the Hallel psalms sung at festivals. | The specific feast is debated: most point to the Feast of Tabernacles (Clarke), but some suggest Passover or Dedication based on associated traditions. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The historical setting of Psalm 118:25 is most commonly associated with the Feast of Tabernacles, as Adam Clarke and other commentators note. During this festival, worshippers carried lulav (branches of myrtle, willow, and palm) and chanted the 'Hallel' psalms (113, 118). Verse 25 served as a climactic prayer: 'Save now, we beg you, Yahweh.' The Hebrew particle na (please) is repeated for urgency. The psalm may have been composed for a specific event, such as the dedication of the Second Temple after the Babylonian exile (as Keil and Delitzsch suggest) or for David's coronation (as Calvin and Gill propose). In either case, its liturgical use was established. The request for 'prosperity' (from the root tsalach, meaning to succeed or advance) reflects a desire for God's blessing on the community's endeavors, whether in rebuilding, reigning, or worship.
The psalm likely accompanied a procession to the Temple, with the congregation calling out verse 25. The 'gates of righteousness' (v.19) open for the righteous to enter, leading to this prayer for salvation and prosperity. This liturgical setting underscores its communal nature: the people speak as one body, begging for God's intervention. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowd's cry 'Hosanna' (from hoshiah na) carried the full weight of this history, invoking God's salvation and prosperity in a new context.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 118:25. The Hebrew text is consistent across manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls where this psalm is preserved. The Masoretic Text stands stable, and the minor differences in English translations (e.g., KJV's 'send now prosperity' vs. BSB's 'cause us to prosper') reflect translation choices rather than manuscript divergence.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, Psalm 118:25 was integral to the Hallel sung at major festivals, especially the Feast of Tabernacles, where it was accompanied by processions of branches. The phrase hoshiah na (save now) became the exclamation 'Hosanna.' In Christian reception, this verse provided the words for the Palm Sunday crowds as Jesus entered Jerusalem. The early church read it as a prophecy of Christ's salvation and kingship. Liturgically, 'Hosanna' entered the Sanctus in many Christian traditions, sung during the Eucharist as a cry of praise and supplication. The verse continues to be used in prayer and song across denominations, linking Israel's worship with the church's hope.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Urgent Cry: 'Save now' reflects an immediate need for deliverance. The repetition of 'we beg you' heightens the stakes, this is not casual prayer but a desperate plea.
- The Request for Success: 'Send prosperity' is a prayer for God's blessing on His people, asking that their work align with His will and flourish.
- The Fulfillment in Christ: This cry becomes 'Hosanna' at Jesus' entry, showing God's ultimate salvation. The rejected stone (v.22) becomes the cornerstone, linking deliverance to the Messiah's work.
Five-point outline
- The Liturgical Setting: A community prayer in worship, likely during a festival procession.
- The Vocabulary of Urgency: The Hebrew particles anna and na (both meaning 'please' or 'we beg you') create an intense, repeated appeal.
- The Theological Scope: Salvation and prosperity as God's work, deliverance from trouble and blessing for the future.
- The Historical Application: Used in different eras: at Temple festivals, at David's coronation, and at Jesus' entry.
- The Contemporary Meaning: How we join this prayer today, trusting God for help and favor in our own contexts.
Illustration hooks
- The Urgency of 'Now': Think of a moment when you needed help immediately, a medical emergency, a crisis. This verse captures that same sharpness in prayer.
- Prosperity Beyond Money: Consider a community project that finally succeeds after setbacks. The 'prosperity' here is about God's enabling, not just financial gain.
- From Liturgy to Life: The cry 'Hosanna' began as a festival chant and later burst out on the streets of Jerusalem. How does our Sunday worship shape our Monday prayers?
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is 'prosperity' in this verse about money, health, or something deeper?
- How do we pray 'save now' when we don't see immediate answers?
- What does it mean that Jesus is the 'cornerstone' from v.22, and how does that connect to this prayer?
Leading a Discussion
Psalm 118:25 invites us into a moment of communal prayer. As you discuss, consider the interplay between urgency and trust in this plea. The people cry for deliverance and success, grounded in God's proven mercy (v.29).
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 118:25 in several translations. What stands out about the repetition of 'we beg you' and 'now'?
- How does the surrounding context (vv.22-24) shape the meaning of verse 25? What does the 'cornerstone' have to do with this prayer?
- In your own words, what is the congregation asking for when they say 'send now prosperity'? How does this connect to the idea of God's favor?
- How does the New Testament use of this verse (e.g., Matthew 21:9 as recorded in the commentaries) change or expand its meaning?
- What might it look like to pray this verse in your personal life or church community today? When would you use such urgent language?
- This psalm is often called a 'Hallel' psalm of praise. How does a prayer for help fit within a song of thanksgiving?
- The verse uses two different Hebrew words for 'please' (anna and na). Why do you think the language is so intense? How does that shape your own prayer practice?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Psalms 20:9 | Save, Yahweh! Let the King answer us when we call! |
| Psalms 22:21 | Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. |
| Psalms 69:1 | For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Lilies.” By David. Save me, God, for the waters have come up to my neck! |
| Psalms 69:13 | But as for me, my prayer is to you, Yahweh, in an acceptable time. God, in the abundance of your loving kindness, answer me in the truth of your salvation. |
| Psalms 90:17 | Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us. Establish the work of our hands for us. Yes, establish the work of our hands. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke traces the word "Hosanna" to the Hebrew phrase "Hoshiah na," meaning "Save now, I beseech thee," sung during the Feast of Tabernacles. He notes that Jewish children later used this same acclamation when Jesus entered Jerusalem, linking the Old Testament festival cry directly to the New Testament welcome of Christ.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes stresses that the New Testament crowds borrowed the psalm's language for their "Hosanna" shouts, but that borrowing does not prove the psalm originally pointed to the Messiah. He sees the words as festival language, naturally applied when Jesus came. The omitted plea for "prosperity" is nonetheless a fitting prayer for the blessings Christ brings.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that David calls Israel to ponder how God alone gave him the throne, not human policy or force. He reads David's deliverances as proof of divine appointment. For Calvin, this earthly kingdom prefigures Christ's eternal spiritual kingdom, which David's reign represented.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator stresses that the word "now" in the plea for prosperity is not a time marker but a particle of earnest supplication. This entreaty asks God to continue and carry forward the work He has begun, echoing Nehemiah's prayer for the Lord to prosper His servant.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
O Lord, I praie thee, saue now: O Lord, I praie thee nowe giue prosperitie.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that "Hosanna" literally means "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord." This cry was used both when David became king over all Israel and when Jesus entered Jerusalem, expressing the people's heartfelt prayer for the king's deliverance and success, with all his enemies defeated and his kingdom prospering.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB points out that the Hebrew word "Hosanna" originally meant "Save now" as a prayer, but over time it became an exclamation of praise. The same expression that once begged for deliverance now acclaims it as granted.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argue that the builders who rejected the cornerstone are Israel's own leaders and people, not the heathen. The despised stone represents Israel's own lowly beginnings and the nation's rise from humiliation. This history culminates in Christ, the rejected One who becomes the glorious cornerstone of the church.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange treats the psalm as a liturgical temple song composed for the Feast of Tabernacles after the completion of the Second Temple. He assigns its strophes to different groups within the congregation and insists the original meaning is tied to that specific historical setting, not to Maccabean victories or a direct messianic prophecy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry reads these verses
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley identifies the "we" in this verse as spoken by the Levites, whom the speaker addressed in an earlier verse. He clarifies that the Levites, not the people in general, are the ones making this statement.