The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psalm 118:22 is one of Scripture’s clearest prophecies of the rejection and exaltation of Jesus Christ. There is no need to guess at its meaning, for the Lord Himself applied it to His rejection by Israel’s rulers (Matthew 21:42), Peter applied it directly to the crucified and risen Christ (Acts 4:10-11), and Peter later used it again concerning Christ and believers (I Peter 2:4-7). The verse presents a stunning reversal. Men appointed to build rejected the very Stone God chose, but their judgment could not stand. The rejected Christ became the chief Stone in God’s building.
“The stone.” Jesus Christ is the Stone. Christ Himself settled the identification when He questioned the chief priests and elders: “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?” (Matthew 21:42). Peter was equally plain before the rulers: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acts 4:11). God gave the figure, and the New Testament names the Person.
Scripture uses the Stone to declare strength, permanence, divine choice, and the place Christ holds in God’s purpose. Isaiah had foretold, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16). Peter joins that prophecy to Psalm 118 and identifies the chosen Stone as Christ (I Peter 2:6-7). Men may judge Him worthless, but God calls Him chosen and precious. Human rejection cannot alter divine valuation.
“The builders.” The builders were especially the religious rulers entrusted with Israel’s worship and instruction. Jesus spoke these words immediately after the parable of the wicked husbandmen, and the chief priests and Pharisees perceived that He spoke of them (Matthew 21:33-45). They had Scripture, temple, priesthood, law, and public authority. Of all men, they should have recognized the Messiah. Their religious office did not make their judgment safe. Men may possess titles, learning, authority, long tradition, and public respect while being terribly wrong about Christ. Religious position must always remain beneath Scripture.
“Refused.” To refuse the Stone is to reject Him as unfit for the place God assigned Him. Israel’s rulers examined Jesus, heard His doctrine, saw His works, challenged His authority, plotted against Him, condemned Him, and delivered Him to be crucified. Pilate found no fault in Him worthy of death, yet the rulers cried for His removal (Luke 23:13-25). Their refusal was deliberate. They did not overlook Christ through lack of evidence; they opposed Him despite abundant witness.
Their rejection reached its dreadful height at Calvary. Peter later charged Jerusalem, “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15). They chose Barabbas and rejected Christ. They treated God’s precious Stone as refuse. Human judgment has rarely appeared more confident, and never been more wrong.
The verse exposes the danger of judging Christ by human preference. The builders refused Him because He did not fit the structure they wanted. He exposed hypocrisy, condemned false religion, refused their traditions when those traditions contradicted God, and claimed authority they would not yield. Men still refuse Christ for the same reason: they will not have Him rule them. A Christ reduced to sentiment may be tolerated; the Lord who commands repentance, obedience, truth, and worship is refused.
“Is become.” Here is the divine reversal. The builders refused Him, but He is become what God appointed. Their verdict did not determine His place. They condemned Him; God raised Him. Peter preached, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:23-24). God made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). Earth rejected; heaven enthroned.
“The head stone.” Christ is not one stone among many of equal rank. Paul says the household of God is built upon Him: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20). Christ holds the place of chief importance, authority, and strength in the building God establishes. Therefore no church, pastor, council, tradition, family, nation, or religious institution may take His place. Doctrine must agree with His word, worship must submit to His command, and church order must acknowledge His authority.
“Of the corner.” The corner stone governs the building joined to it. Paul continues, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). Jew and Gentile believers are joined in one spiritual house under one chief Corner Stone. Peter likewise says that believers come to Christ as to a living stone, and as lively stones are built up a spiritual house (I Peter 2:4-5). Christ is chosen first and chief; believers are built in relation to Him. The church does not give Christ His place. Christ gives the church its place.
The same Stone also divides men. Peter says that Christ is precious to those who believe, but to the disobedient He is the stone the builders disallowed, “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” (I Peter 2:8). No man finally occupies neutral ground toward Christ. The rulers’ rejection did not diminish Christ; it revealed them.
This was the LORD’S doing (v.23). God’s judgment triumphed over man’s. Men with religious authority examined Christ and refused Him; God raised and exalted Him as the chief Corner Stone. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The judgment of the builders was overturned, and the Stone they refused now rules the house of God.
Honour the Stone God has honoured. Do not measure Christ by the preferences of religious men, however learned or respected. Submit every doctrine, every practice of worship, and every part of life to Him, and build on the Stone God has made the head of the corner.
The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
Psalm 118:22 is one of Scripture’s clearest prophecies of the rejection and exaltation of Jesus Christ. There is no need to guess at its meaning, for the Lord Himself applied it to His rejection by Israel’s rulers (Matthew 21:42), Peter applied it directly to the crucified and risen Christ (Acts 4:10-11), and Peter later used it again concerning Christ and believers (I Peter 2:4-7). The verse presents a stunning reversal. Men appointed to build rejected the very Stone God chose, but their judgment could not stand. The rejected Christ became the chief Stone in God’s building.
“The stone.” Jesus Christ is the Stone. Christ Himself settled the identification when He questioned the chief priests and elders: “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?” (Matthew 21:42). Peter was equally plain before the rulers: “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner” (Acts 4:11). God gave the figure, and the New Testament names the Person.
Scripture uses the Stone to declare strength, permanence, divine choice, and the place Christ holds in God’s purpose. Isaiah had foretold, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste” (Isaiah 28:16). Peter joins that prophecy to Psalm 118 and identifies the chosen Stone as Christ (I Peter 2:6-7). Men may judge Him worthless, but God calls Him chosen and precious. Human rejection cannot alter divine valuation.
“The builders.” The builders were especially the religious rulers entrusted with Israel’s worship and instruction. Jesus spoke these words immediately after the parable of the wicked husbandmen, and the chief priests and Pharisees perceived that He spoke of them (Matthew 21:33-45). They had Scripture, temple, priesthood, law, and public authority. Of all men, they should have recognized the Messiah. Their religious office did not make their judgment safe. Men may possess titles, learning, authority, long tradition, and public respect while being terribly wrong about Christ. Religious position must always remain beneath Scripture.
“Refused.” To refuse the Stone is to reject Him as unfit for the place God assigned Him. Israel’s rulers examined Jesus, heard His doctrine, saw His works, challenged His authority, plotted against Him, condemned Him, and delivered Him to be crucified. Pilate found no fault in Him worthy of death, yet the rulers cried for His removal (Luke 23:13-25). Their refusal was deliberate. They did not overlook Christ through lack of evidence; they opposed Him despite abundant witness.
Their rejection reached its dreadful height at Calvary. Peter later charged Jerusalem, “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses” (Acts 3:14-15). They chose Barabbas and rejected Christ. They treated God’s precious Stone as refuse. Human judgment has rarely appeared more confident, and never been more wrong.
The verse exposes the danger of judging Christ by human preference. The builders refused Him because He did not fit the structure they wanted. He exposed hypocrisy, condemned false religion, refused their traditions when those traditions contradicted God, and claimed authority they would not yield. Men still refuse Christ for the same reason: they will not have Him rule them. A Christ reduced to sentiment may be tolerated; the Lord who commands repentance, obedience, truth, and worship is refused.
“Is become.” Here is the divine reversal. The builders refused Him, but He is become what God appointed. Their verdict did not determine His place. They condemned Him; God raised Him. Peter preached, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it” (Acts 2:23-24). God made the crucified Jesus both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36). Earth rejected; heaven enthroned.
“The head stone.” Christ is not one stone among many of equal rank. Paul says the household of God is built upon Him: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20). Christ holds the place of chief importance, authority, and strength in the building God establishes. Therefore no church, pastor, council, tradition, family, nation, or religious institution may take His place. Doctrine must agree with His word, worship must submit to His command, and church order must acknowledge His authority.
“Of the corner.” The corner stone governs the building joined to it. Paul continues, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). Jew and Gentile believers are joined in one spiritual house under one chief Corner Stone. Peter likewise says that believers come to Christ as to a living stone, and as lively stones are built up a spiritual house (I Peter 2:4-5). Christ is chosen first and chief; believers are built in relation to Him. The church does not give Christ His place. Christ gives the church its place.
The same Stone also divides men. Peter says that Christ is precious to those who believe, but to the disobedient He is the stone the builders disallowed, “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” (I Peter 2:8). No man finally occupies neutral ground toward Christ. The rulers’ rejection did not diminish Christ; it revealed them.
This was the LORD’S doing (v.23). God’s judgment triumphed over man’s. Men with religious authority examined Christ and refused Him; God raised and exalted Him as the chief Corner Stone. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The judgment of the builders was overturned, and the Stone they refused now rules the house of God.
Honour the Stone God has honoured. Do not measure Christ by the preferences of religious men, however learned or respected. Submit every doctrine, every practice of worship, and every part of life to Him, and build on the Stone God has made the head of the corner.