Rejection Becomes Rejoicing

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” – Psalm 118:22-24 Every Sunday for almost 60 years, someone has gotten up on the pulpit of our church and commenced service by exclaiming, “This is the day that God has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Although many know that this verse is from Psalm 118, few are familiar with its context. Strangely enough, this powerful proclamation was made in response to the builders of the temple rejecting a stone that ultimately became the cornerstone. But what does this have to do with being joyful? To better understand, it’s helpful to picture a group of architects and builders standing around picking out the most perfect and pristine stones from a