Psalms 118:27

27. God is the Lord El is Jehovah; that is, The Mighty One is Jehovah; or, transposing the order, Jehovah is God, as in 1 Kings 18:19. El, ( אל ,) was the general Semitic name of God, and also of heathen gods. But the Hebrews distinguished their El by qualifying words: “El of Israel,” the “ almighty El,” the “ everlasting El,” the “living El,” the “El eloheem Jehovah,” the God of gods is Jehovah,” (Joshua 22:22,) while the idols of the heathen were called “ strange gods,” “ no gods,” “nothings,” “vanities.” The idea of the text is, that the God who had saved them was no other than Jehovah, the only true God, and to him alone the praise was due. In an idolatrous world this distinction must be for ever guarded.

Showed us light Caused prosperity and cheer. Light is the emblem of knowledge, favour, prosperity. Esther 8:16; Psalms 97:11; Psalms 112:4.

Bind the sacrifice The animals led into the sacred enclosure for sacrifice were thus secured.

Even unto the horns of the altar A much disputed clause. Ainsworth thinks it “intends many sacrifices,” as if the animals were to be “bound all over the court until you come ‘even unto the horns of the altar.’” So also Delitzsch, supposing the allusion to be to Ezra 6:17. Thrupp would make ( עד , ( adh), unto, depend on the verb shine, in the first hemistich, which, in Hiphil, means to make light, to kindle, (Malachi 1:10,) and translates: “And hath kindled for us the flame even unto the horns of the altar,” leaving “bind the sacrifice with cords” as parenthetical. But this, besides making bad syntax, fails to make sense. Stanley, followed by Hengstenberg, simply considers the allusion to be to tying the animal to the horns of the altar preparatory to sacrifice, and this is the natural, easy sense. The altar was four square, built of shittim wood, overlaid with brass, and the interior space filled with stones and earth, on which the sacrifice was burned. At each corner was an upward projection called a “horn.” Exodus 27:1-2; Exodus 24:25. The binding the animal to the “horns” of the altar was a token and pledge that he was surely devoted, and was an accepted victim, ready to be offered.