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Commentary on Psalms 118 verses 19–29
We have here an illustrious prophecy of the humiliation and exaltation of our Lord Jesus, his sufferings, and the glory that should follow. Peter thus applies it directly to the chief priests and scribes, and none of them could charge him with misapplying it, Act 4:11. Now observe here,
I. The preface with which this precious prophecy is introduced, Psa 118:19-21. 1. The psalmist desires admission into the sanctuary of God, there to celebrate the glory of him that cometh in the name of the Lord: Open to me the gates of righteousness. So the temple-gates are called, because they were shut against the uncircumcised, and forbade the stranger to come nigh, as the sacrifices there offered are called sacrifices of righteousness. Those that would enter into communion with God in holy ordinances must become humble suitors to God for admission. And when the gates of righteousness are opened to us we must go into them, must enter into the holiest, as far as we have leave, and praise the Lord. Our business within God's gates is to praise God; therefore we should long till the gates of heaven be opened to us, that we may go into them to dwell in God's house above, where we shall be still praising him. 2. He sees admission granted him (Psa 118:20): This is the gate of the Lord, the gate of his appointing, into which the righteous shall enter; as if he had said, "The gate you knocked at is opened, and you are welcome. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Some by this gate understand Christ, by whom we are taken into fellowship with God and our praises are accepted; he is the way; there is no coming to the Father but by him (Joh 14:6), he is the door of the sheep (Joh 10:9); he is the gate of the temple, by whom, and by whom only, the righteous, and they only, shall enter, and come into God's righteousness, as the expression is, Psa 69:27. The psalmist triumphs in the discovery that the gate of righteousness, which had been so long shut, and so long knocked at, was now at length opened. 3. He promises to give thanks to God for this favour (Psa 118:21): I will praise thee. Those that saw Christ's day at so great a distance saw cause to praise God for the prospect; for in him they saw that God had heard them, had heard the prayers of the Old Testament saints for the coming of the Messiah, and would be their salvation.
II. The prophecy itself, Psa 118:22, Psa 118:23. This may have some reference to David's preferment; he was the stone which Saul and his courtiers rejected, but was by the wonderful providence of God advanced to be the headstone of the building. But its principal reference is to Christ; and here we have, 1. His humiliation. He is the stone which the builders refused; he is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, Dan 2:34. He is a stone, not only for strength, and firmness, and duration, but for life, in the building of the spiritual temple; and yet a precious stone (Pe1 2:6), for the foundation of the gospel-church must be sapphires, Isa 54:11. This stone was rejected by the builders, by the rulers and people of the Jews (Act 4:8, Act 4:10, Act 4:11); they refused to own him as the stone, the Messiah promised; they would not build their faith upon him nor join themselves to him; they would make no use of him, but go on in their building without him; they denied him in the presence of Pilate (Act 3:13) when they said, We have no king but Caesar. They trampled upon this stone, threw it among the rubbish out of the city; nay, they stumbled at it. This was a disgrace to Christ, but it proved the ruin of those that thus made light of him. Rejecters of Christ are rejected of God. 2. His exaltation. He has become the headstone of the corner; he is advanced to the highest degree both of honour and usefulness, to be above all, and all in all. He is the chief corner-stone in the foundation, in whom Jew and Gentile are united, that they may be built up one holy house. He is the chief top-stone in the corner, in whom the building is completed, and who must in all things have the pre-eminence, as the author and finisher of our faith. Thus highly has God exalted him, because he humbled himself; and we, in compliance with God's design, must make him the foundation of our hope, the centre of our unity, and the end of our living. To me to live is Christ. 3. The hand of God in all this: This is the Lord's doing; it is from the Lord; it is with the Lord; it is the product of his counsel; it is his contrivance. Both the humiliation and the exaltation of the Lord Jesus were his work, Act 2:23; Act 4:27, Act 4:28. He sent him, sealed him; his hand went with him throughout his whole undertaking, and from first to last he did his Father's will; and this ought to be marvellous in our eyes. Christ's name is Wonderful; and the redemption he wrought out is the most amazing of all God's works of wonder; it is what the angels desire to look into, and will be admiring to eternity; much more ought we to admire it, who owe our all to it. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness.
III. The joy wherewith it is entertained and the acclamations which attend this prediction.
1.Let the day be solemnized to the honour of God with great joy (Psa 118:24): This is the day the Lord has made. The whole time of the gospel-dispensation, that accepted time, that day of salvation, is what the Lord has made so; it is a continual feast, which ought to be kept with joy. Or it may very fitly be understood of the Christian sabbath, which we sanctify in remembrance of Christ's resurrection, when the rejected stone began to be exalted; and so, (1.) Here is the doctrine of the Christian sabbath: It is the day which the Lord has made, has made remarkable, made holy, has distinguished from other days; he has made it for man: it is therefore called the Lord's day, for it bears his image and superscription. (2.) The duty of the sabbath, the work of the day that is to be done in his day: We will rejoice and be glad in it, not only in the institution of the day, that there is such a day appointed, but in the occasion of it, Christ's becoming the head of the corner. This we ought to rejoice in both as his honour and our advantage. Sabbath days must be rejoicing days, and then they are to us as the days of heaven. See what a good Master we serve, who, having instituted a day for his service, appoints it to be spent in holy joy.
2.Let the exalted Redeemer be met, and attended, with joyful hosannas, Psa 118:25, Psa 118:26.
(1.)Let him have the acclamations of the people, as is usual at the inauguration of a prince. Let every one of his loyal subjects shout for joy, Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord! This is like Vivat rex - Long live the king, and expresses a hearty joy for his accession to the crown, an entire satisfaction in his government, and a zealous affection to the interests and honour of it. Hosanna signifies, Save now, I beseech thee. [1.] "Lord, save me, I beseech thee; let this Saviour be my Saviour, and, in order to that, my ruler; let me be taken under his protection and owned as one of his willing subjects. His enemies are my enemies; Lord, I beseech thee, save me from them. Send me an interest in that prosperity which his kingdom brings with it to all those that entertain it. Let my soul prosper and be in health, in that peace and righteousness which his government brings, Psa 72:3. Let me have victory over those lusts that war against my soul, and let divine grace go on in my heart conquering and to conquer." [2.] "Lord, preserve him, I beseech thee, even the Saviour himself, and send him prosperity in all his undertakings; give success to his gospel, and let it be mighty, through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds and reducing souls to their allegiance to him. Let his name be sanctified, his kingdom come, his will be done." Thus let prayer be made for him continually, Psa 72:15. On the Lord's day, when we rejoice and are glad in his kingdom, we must pray for the advancement of it more and more, and its establishment upon the ruins of the devil's kingdom. When Christ made his public entry into Jerusalem he was thus met by his well-wishers (Mat 21:9): Hosanna to the Son of David; long live King Jesus; let him reign for ever.
(2.)Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, do their part in this great solemnity, Psa 118:26. [1.] Let them bless the prince with their praises: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Jesus Christ is he that cometh - ho erchomenos, he that was to come and is yet to come again, Rev 1:8. He comes in the name of the Lord, with a commission from him, to act for him, to do his will and to seek his glory; and therefore we must say, Blessed be he that cometh; we must rejoice that he has come; we must speak well of him, admire him, and esteem him highly, as one we are eternally obliged to, call him blessed Jesus, blessed for ever, Psa 45:2. We must bid him welcome into our hearts, saying, "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; come in by thy grace and Spirit, and take possession of me for thy own." We must bless his faithful ministers that come in his name, and receive them for his sake, Isa 52:7; Joh 13:20. We must pray for the enlargement and edification of his church, for the ripening of things for his second coming, and then that he who has said, Surely I come quickly, would even so come. [2.] Let them bless the people with their prayers: We have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Christ's ministers are not only warranted, but appointed to pronounce a blessing, in his name, upon all his loyal subjects that love him and his government in sincerity, Eph 6:24. We assure you that in and through Jesus Christ you are blessed; for he came to bless you. "You are blessed out of the house of the Lord, that is, with spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph 1:3), and therefore have reason to bless him who has thus blessed you."
3.Let sacrifices of thanksgiving be offered to his honour who offered for us the great atoning sacrifice, Psa 118:27. Here is, (1.) The privilege we enjoy by Jesus Christ: God is the Lord who has shown us light. God is Jehovah, is known by that name, a God performing what he has promised and perfecting what he has begun, Exo 6:3. He has shown us light, that is, he has given us the knowledge of himself and his will. He has shined upon us (so some); he has favoured us, and lifted up upon us the light of his countenance; he has given us occasion for joy and rejoicing, which is light to the soul, by giving us a prospect of everlasting light in heaven. The day which the Lord has made brings light with it, true light. (2.) The duty which this privilege calls for: Bind the sacrifice with cords, that, being killed, the blood of it may be sprinkled upon the horns of the altar, according to the law; or perhaps it was the custom (though we read not of it elsewhere) to bind the sacrifice to the horns of the altar while things were getting ready for the slaying of it. Or this may have a peculiar significancy here; the sacrifice we are to offer to God, in gratitude for redeeming love, is ourselves, not to be slain upon the altar, but living sacrifices (Rom 12:1), to be bound to the altar, spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, in which our hearts must be fixed and engaged, as the sacrifice was bound with cords to the horns of the altar, not to start back.
4.The psalmist concludes with his own thankful acknowledgments of divine grace, in which he calls upon others to join with him, Psa 118:28, Psa 118:29. (1.) He will praise God himself, and endeavour to exalt him in his own heart and in the hearts of others, and this because of his covenant-relation to him and interest in him: "Thou art my God, on whom I depend, and to whom I am devoted, who ownest me and art owned by me; and therefore I will praise thee." (2.) He will have all about him to give thanks to God for these glad tidings of great joy to all people, that there is a Redeemer, even Christ the Lord. In him it is that God is good to man and that his mercy endures for ever; in him the covenant of grace is made, and in him it is made sure, made good, and made an everlasting covenant. He concludes this psalm as he began it (Psa 118:1), for God's glory must be the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, of all our addresses to him. Hallowed by thy name, and thine is the glory. And this fitly closes a prophecy of Christ. The angels give thanks for man's redemption. Glory to God in the highest (Luk 2:14), for there is on earth peace, to which we must echo with our hosannas, as they did, Luk 19:38. Peace in heaven to us through Christ, and therefore glory in the highest.
And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? [Psalms 118:22-23] And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? [Psalms 118:22-23] Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.
Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? [Psalms 118:22-23] Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, And Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this? Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. [Psalms 118:22-23] Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner [Psalms 118:22-23], And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
For Jesus tells them [the disciples] that “the Son of man must suffer many things and be rejected,” before his coming, at which his kingdom will be really revealed. In this statement he shows that it was his own kingdom that his answer to them had contemplated and that was now awaiting his own sufferings and rejection. But having to be rejected and afterwards to be acknowledged and taken up and glorified, he borrowed the very word rejected from the passage where, under the figure of a stone, his twofold manifestation was celebrated by David—the first in rejection, the second in honor. “The stone,” he says, “that the builders rejected is become the headstone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing.” Now it would be idle, if we believed that God had predicted the humiliation, or even the glory, of any Christ at all, that he could have designed his prophecy for any but him whom he had foretold under the figure of a stone and a rock and a mountain.
Thus we find from this passage also, that Christ possessed a body of flesh, such as was able to endure the cross. “When, therefore, he came and preached peace to them that were near and to them which were afar off,” we both obtained “access to the Father,” being “now no more strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God” (even of him from whom, as we have shown above, we were aliens and placed far off), “built on the foundation of the apostles”—[the apostle added] “and the prophets”; these words, however, the heretic erased, forgetting that the Lord had set in his church not only apostles but prophets also. He feared, no doubt, that our building was to stand in Christ on the foundation of the ancient prophets, since the apostle himself never fails to build us up everywhere with [the words of] the prophets. For whence did he learn to call Christ “the chief cornerstone” but from the figure given him in the psalm: “The stone that the builders rejected is become the head [stone] of the corner”?
Likewise at the setting of the sun and at the end of the day necessarily there must again be prayer. For since Christ is the true Sun and the true Day, as the sun and the day of the world recede, when we pray and petition that the light come on us again, we pray for the coming of Christ to provide us with the grace of eternal light. Moreover, the Holy Spirit in the Psalms declares that Christ is called the Day. He says, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is wonderful in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us exalt and rejoice therein.” Malachi the prophet also testifies that he is called the Sun when he says, “But to you who fear my name, the Sun of justice shall arise with healing in his wings.” But if in holy Scripture Christ is the true Sun and the true Day, no hour is appointed for Christians, by whom God should be adored frequently and always, so that we who are in Christ, that is, in the true Sun and in the true Day, should be insistent throughout the whole day in our petitions and should pray. When, by the law of nature, the revolving night, recurring in its alternating cycle, follows the day, there can be no harm from the darkness for those who pray, because to the sons of light even in the night there is day. For when is he without light who has light in his heart? Or when does he not have sun and day, to whom Christ is Sun and Day?
[Christ] ordained that the former law should stand till he came, and he was revealed as the originator of the second law of the new covenant preached to all nations, as being responsible for the law and influence of the two religions, I mean Judaism and Christianity. And it is wonderful that divine prophecy should accord:“Behold, I lay in Zion a stone, choice, a cornerstone; precious, and he that believes on him shall not be ashamed.”
Who could be the cornerstone but he, the living and precious stone who supports by his teaching two buildings and makes them one? For he set up the Mosaic building, which was to last till his day, and then fitted on to one side of it our building of the gospel. Hence he [Christ] is called the cornerstone. And it is said in the Psalms:
“The stone that the builders refused, the same is become the head of the corner. This is of the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”
This oracle too indubitably indicates the Jewish conspiracy against the subject of the prophecy, how he has been set at naught by the builders of the old wall, meaning the scribes and Pharisees, the high priests and all the rulers of the Jews. And it prophesied that though he should be despised and cast out he would become the head of the corner, regarding him as the originator of a new covenant, according to the preceding proofs.
But I must proceed to my former statement that Christ is called the stone in the prophets. For in ancient times David said concerning him, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the building.” And how did the builders reject this stone that is Christ? How else than that they so rejected him before Pilate and said, “This man shall not be king over us.” And again in that parable that our Lord spoke that a certain nobleman went to receive kingly power and to return and rule over them; and they sent after him envoys saying, “This man shall not be king over us.” By these things they rejected the stone that is Christ. And how did it become the head of the building? How else than that it was set up over the building of the Gentiles and on it is reared up all their building. And who are the builders? Who but the priests and Pharisees who did not build a sure building but were overthrowing everything that he was building, as is written in Ezekiel the prophet: “He was building a wall of partition, but they were shaking it, that it might fall.” And again it is written, “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land, that I might not destroy it, but I did not find one.” And furthermore Isaiah also prophesied beforehand with regard to this stone. For he said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chosen stone in the precious corner, the heart of the wall of the foundation.’ ” And he said again there, “Every one who believes on it shall not fear. And whosoever falls on that stone shall be broken, and every one on whom it shall fall, it will crush.” For the people of the house of Israel fell on him, and he became their destruction forever. And again “it shall fall on the image and crush it.” And the Gentiles believed on it and do not fear.
“A stone was placed at the entrance to the tomb.” Thus, one stone [was placed] against another stone, so that [this] stone might be keeping guard over “the stone that the builders rejected.” This [stone], lifted “up by” [human] hands, had to keep guard over that which was “detached, without [human] hands”; this [stone], on which “the angel was sitting,” [had to keep guard] over that which “Jacob had placed under his head"; this [stone] with its seal [had to keep guard] over that which, through its seal, watches over the faithful. Thus did the gate of life go forth from the gate of death. “For this is the gate of our Lord, through which the just enter.” When it was closed, it delivered those closed in. Through its death the dead lived. Through its voice the silent cried out. Through its resurrection, there was an earthquake. Its emergence forth from the tomb introduced the Gentiles into the church.
But who is this whom we speak of? "The Stone which the builders rejected" [Psalm 118:22]; for "It has become the head Stone of the corner" to "make in Himself of two one new man, so making peace; and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body;" [Ephesians 2:15-16] circumcision, to wit, and uncircumcision.
The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the head of the corner.
The stone that the builders rejected, this very one has become the head of the corner.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 118:22 proclaims a profound divine reversal: what human wisdom and authority deemed worthless or insignificant, God sovereignly elevates to a position of supreme importance and indispensable function. This verse, originally rooted in Israel's experience of miraculous deliverance and vindication, carries immense prophetic weight, foreshadowing the ultimate rejection and subsequent exaltation of God's chosen Messiah, who becomes the very foundation and unifying element of His redemptive plan for all humanity.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 118 is the concluding psalm of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), a collection of psalms traditionally sung during major Jewish festivals, most notably Passover. It functions as a psalm of corporate and individual thanksgiving, celebrating God's enduring covenantal love (hesed) and His powerful, unfailing deliverance of His people from various adversaries. The psalm opens with a universal call to praise God for His steadfast mercy (verses 1-4), then transitions into a personal testimony of the psalmist's deep distress and God's miraculous saving intervention (verses 5-18). Verses 19-21 express a fervent desire to enter the gates of righteousness to offer thanksgiving, setting the stage for the dramatic declaration of the rejected stone's exaltation in verse 22. The psalm culminates in a joyous acclamation, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" (verse 26), and a final, triumphant call to praise. The strategic placement of verse 22 within this celebratory and vindicatory context underscores God's unexpected and triumphant overturning of human judgment.
Historical & Cultural Context: The Hallel psalms were an integral part of Jewish liturgical worship, particularly during the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover, Weeks, Tabernacles). The imagery of "builders" and a "stone" would have resonated deeply with an ancient Israelite audience intimately familiar with construction practices in the ancient Near East. In this context, a "cornerstone" or "head stone of the corner" was absolutely critical for the stability, alignment, and overall integrity of a building. It could refer to the foundational stone laid at the corner, which set the precise angle and strength for the entire structure, or a capstone/keystone that locked an arch or the top of a wall, providing essential support. The "builders" likely represent those in positions of authority—whether political, religious, or societal—who held the power to decide what was valuable, essential, or suitable for their grand designs. Their "refusal" of the stone implies a deliberate misjudgment based on human criteria, perhaps seeing it as flawed, unsuitable, or simply unnecessary for their architectural vision. The psalm's original historical context may have referred to Israel itself, or a specific leader, who was seemingly insignificant, weak, or rejected by powerful nations or even internal factions, yet whom God miraculously preserved, vindicated, and elevated to a position of prominence.
Key Themes: This verse powerfully encapsulates several overarching themes prevalent throughout Psalm 118 and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it highlights Divine Reversal and Sovereignty, demonstrating God's inherent ability to overturn human judgments and elevate the seemingly insignificant or rejected, asserting His ultimate control over history and human affairs. This theme is beautifully echoed in passages like 1 Samuel 2:7-8 where God "raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap." Secondly, it speaks to God's Vindication of the Oppressed, showing that those who place their trust in the Lord, even when surrounded by overwhelming adversaries (as vividly described in Psalms 118:10-14), will ultimately experience His powerful salvation and deliverance. Thirdly, and perhaps most significantly from a Christian theological perspective, it carries profound Messianic Prophecy, foreshadowing the rejection of God's chosen Messiah by the religious authorities and His subsequent exaltation to the supreme position in God's redemptive plan, a theme explicitly taken up by Jesus Himself in Matthew 21:42 and by the apostles in their preaching.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 118:22 is profoundly rich in Symbolism, employing the concrete imagery of construction to convey deep theological truths. The "stone" symbolizes an entity or person—initially deemed insignificant or rejected by human authorities—yet chosen and ultimately exalted by God. The "builders" symbolize those in positions of power, influence, or religious authority who operate according to human wisdom, criteria, and worldly designs. The "head stone of the corner" symbolizes a position of supreme importance, authority, and indispensability, whether as a foundational element that dictates the entire structure's alignment or a unifying capstone that completes and secures it. The verse also employs powerful Irony: what the skilled and discerning "builders" considered worthless or unfit, the divine Architect declares essential and supreme. This ironic reversal underscores God's sovereignty and His consistent tendency to confound human expectations, demonstrating His power most profoundly through perceived weakness or rejection. The entire declaration functions as a powerful Metaphor for divine vindication, unexpected exaltation, and the triumph of God's purposes over human opposition.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The theological significance of Psalms 118:22 lies in its powerful declaration of God's sovereign ability to reverse human judgments and to elevate the rejected to positions of supreme importance within His divine plan. This principle is deeply woven throughout biblical theology, demonstrating that God's ways are often contrary to human wisdom and that His power is perfected in weakness. It speaks to the theme of divine election and vindication, where God chooses and exalts those whom the world dismisses, thereby revealing His glory and confounding the proud. This verse serves as a foundational prophetic utterance, pointing forward to the ultimate "stone" whom God would set in place as the cornerstone of His eternal kingdom, a truth that finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 118:22 offers profound encouragement and a vital reorientation of perspective for believers today. It reminds us that God's valuation of people and purposes often differs radically from the world's. If we have ever felt overlooked, rejected, or deemed insignificant by others—whether in personal relationships, professional pursuits, or ministry—this verse reassures us that our ultimate worth is not determined by fallible human opinion but by God's sovereign, loving gaze. It calls us to place our trust not in the approval of human "builders" or the prevailing wisdom of the age, but in the divine Architect who consistently elevates the humble and uses the unexpected to accomplish His greatest works. Furthermore, it challenges us to recognize and esteem those whom the world might dismiss, for they may be precisely the "stones" God intends to use in crucial ways within His unfolding kingdom. Ultimately, this verse directs our gaze to Christ, the ultimate rejected-yet-exalted stone, upon whom our entire faith, hope, and eternal security are built, inviting us to align our lives with His foundational truth and embrace His counter-cultural values.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "head stone of the corner" and why is it significant in ancient construction?
Answer: The "head stone of the corner" (Hebrew: ro'sh pinnâh) refers to the most crucial stone in ancient construction, signifying a position of supreme importance. Its exact function could vary: it might be the foundational cornerstone, laid first to determine the precise alignment and stability of the entire building; or it could be the capstone or keystone, which binds an arch together, supporting the weight above and completing the structure. Most commonly, it refers to the binding stone that joins two walls at a crucial corner, providing essential strength, precision, and integrity for the building's overall structure. Its significance lies in its indispensability: without it, the structure cannot stand or be properly aligned. Its elevation in Psalms 118:22, from a state of rejection, signifies a dramatic reversal to a position of ultimate importance, authority, and honor.
Who are the "builders" mentioned in this verse, and what does their refusal imply?
Answer: The "builders" represent those in positions of authority, wisdom, or influence who are responsible for discerning what is valuable and essential for a grand design or societal structure. In the original context of Psalm 118, they could refer to the powerful nations surrounding Israel, or to internal religious and political leaders who might have dismissed or oppressed a particular individual (like the psalmist or a specific leader) or even the nation of Israel itself. Their "refusal" implies a deliberate act of dismissal, a judgment that the stone was unsuitable or unnecessary for their purposes. From a New Testament perspective, as interpreted by Jesus and the apostles, the "builders" clearly refer to the Jewish religious authorities of their day who rejected Jesus as the Messiah, despite His divine claims and miraculous works. This interpretation is explicitly seen in Matthew 21:42 and Acts 4:11, where Peter identifies Jesus as "the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone."
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 118:22 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the preeminent "stone" whom the "builders"—primarily the religious and political authorities of His day—rejected, despised, and ultimately crucified. Despite their refusal and His ignominious death on the cross, God sovereignly exalted Him, raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His own right hand, thereby making Him the "head stone of the corner." This divine reversal is explicitly affirmed by Jesus Himself, who quotes this very psalm in His parable of the wicked tenants, declaring, "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone" (Matthew 21:42 and Mark 12:10-11). The apostles, particularly Peter, consistently applied this prophecy to Christ in their early preaching, boldly declaring Him to be the rejected stone who became the cornerstone of salvation, as powerfully articulated in his sermon before the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:10-12, where he states there is "no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Paul further develops this rich theology, identifying Christ as the chief cornerstone upon whom the entire church, God's spiritual temple, is built, with believers as living stones being built into a holy dwelling place for God (Ephesians 2:20). Thus, Jesus, once rejected and despised by human authorities, now stands as the indispensable foundation, the unifying element, and the ultimate authority of God's redemptive work, the very "stone" upon which all true faith, eternal life, and the entire edifice of God's kingdom are immutably established.