Psalm 118:22-23
The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ was repeatedly rejected by the very people to whom He came: the religious leaders, the scribes, and even many within Israel who anticipated a political messiah rather than a suffering servant.
In Matthew 21:42, Jesus explicitly applies Psalm 118:22 to Himself: Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? Jesus identifies Himself as the cornerstone of God’s new covenant, a foundational stone upon which the spiritual house of God is built. Paradoxically, He was scorned, misunderstood, and ultimately crucified by those who should have recognized Him.
1 Peter 2:6-7 asserts: “For it stands in Scripture: ‘See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.’ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.’” The apostle here emphasizes both the nature of Christ’s rejection and His exaltation.
The rejection and subsequent elevation of Christ were acts orchestrated by God. The marvellous work of the Lord lies in His ability to transform human failure, misunderstanding, and sin into the fulfillment of His redemptive plan. Acts 4:11-12 presents Christ as the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. The rejected stone, through God’s providence, becomes the foundation for our salvation.
The rejection and exaltation of Jesus teach us about perseverance, faith, and the recognition of divine wisdom over worldly one. We are called to align with the cornerstone, embracing Christ as the foundation of our spiritual lives.
The declaration that the Lord has done this invites worship and awe, reminding us that God’s redemptive purposes prevail through apparent setbacks and rejections.
Ask God to:
- give you faith to trust that God is at work, even when you cannot see it.
- help you to align every area of your life upon You as the chief cornerstone.
- let your life respond in worship, gratitude, and trust.
