Psalm 118:22-24

"The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."

While this passage is full of wonderful truth, an important concept is what is in the middle, that it is the LORD’s doing. What exactly, though, does this passage mean? It is clearly metaphorical language, at least to a point. For the dealings of men in construction and what they may or may not do with a particular piece of rock is not what is really being spoken of. That the LORD had a hand in the event must be true and factual and taken at face value. But what of the rest of it?

In Matthew 21, Jesus speaks to the religious leaders of His day, called the Pharisees, and refers to this very passage. He says, "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 marvelous in our eyes?" What Jesus has to say about what this means must be helpful. In the context of His words in this passage He is explaining that Psalm 118 is a reference to Himself! He was speaking of how He would be humbled, but then exalted. He even goes on to use this passage to explain the character of His coming kingdom.

Peter also applied this passage to the LORD Jesus Christ in Acts 4:10, 11, when he said, "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." Peter takes it a little further and calls his audience the builders, showing a little more clearly what this is about.

Even today we refer to various individuals as builders, speaking of their role in society. We understand this concept. In Jesus’ day the builders were the religious leaders in Jerusalem. They were certainly in a position to influence the aspirations of any man that came along. Just like today this influence could be used for the exalting, or the ruin, of someone trying to make his way to the top. The LORD Jesus Christ made it clear that He was God’s Son. The Pharisees didn’t miss this. But He did not fit the vision of someone that they see as having sufficient influence. In fact, Jesus insulted them, calling them liars. Not a very politically savvy move!

So the characters are set. Through these other passages we know who the builders were, and Whom the rejected stone was. It does not take much thought to see that the rejection of the stone by the builders, as expressed in Psalm 118, was a picture of the coming rejection of the LORD Jesus Christ, the culminating act of which was His crucifixion. But the turning of events is also predicted. The rejected stone would become the corner stone. In construction the corner stone was the most perfect of them all. And it w3as selected not so much for its beauty as for its trueness. For the whole of the structure depended upon the precision of the corner stone. If the corner stone was off in some way, the building would be faulty, even dangerously so. Every other stone in the building was placed with the corner stone as a reference. This rejected stone, meaning the LORD Jesus Christ, would be exalted to the highest place. As Philippians 2 tells us, "(Jesus) became obedient unto death, even death of a cross. Wherefore God has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name that is above all names..."

But let us not forget that it is the LORD’s doing. We should not think that we ourselves had anything to do with Jesus’ work on the cross. It was not our idea, neither would we have even thought of such a thing. With only one exception the religions of the world teach ways to make humans come up to some measure in the eyes of God. But the God of the Bible determined before even creating the universe that He would settle the problem of mankind’s sin. And the method He chose was to send His Son to die. This is the LORD’s doing.

Peter tells us in 1 Peter 1:18-21, "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." God has really done it all! Also, in Acts 4:12 Peter said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

In Psalm 32:1, 2 David says, "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." What a wonderful thing to be forgiven by God! And, it is the LORD’s doing!

Such deep transgressions to forgive!
Such guilty sinners thus to spare!
This is Thy grand prerogative,
And in this honor none shall share:

Who is a pardoning God like thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?
Who is a pardoning God like thee?
Or who has grace so rich and free?

HJK