God Chooses the Rejects

Psalm 118:22-23

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Psalm has 29 verses, almost all of them praise God. It is a song of joy and celebration for all the wonderful things God has done for Israel. The singer is ascending up the path to the top of the Temple Mount where the Temple of Solomon stands. In verse 20, they reach the gates of the temple and sing,

“This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.” So it sounds as though the cornerstone of the Temple is the one that was rejected by the builders, but chosen by God.

Perhaps it was, but this verse is usually interpreted metaphorically, the “stone” (or “stones”) that the builders reject are the people who are rejected by their society, the ones who are ignored, belittled, laughed at, and taken advantage of. These are the ones that God chooses, these are the ones that God uses to build the temple of faith. Rejected by human society and regarded as worthless, they are chosen by God and become priceless.

This happens over and over in the Bible, and it is still happening today. If we want to look for God we will find her among the people that our society (and perhaps we ourselves?) ignores and looks down on. And when we see it happening, then we too can sing, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.”

Blessings,

David