Psalms 118:23 Meaning: The Marvel of the Rejected Stone
This is Yahweh’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
This is Jehovah’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes.
From Jehovah hath this been, It is wonderful in our eyes,
This is of Jehovah; it is wonderful in our eyes.
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 118:23, Understand the meaning of this verse: God's act of making the rejected stone the cornerstone is marvelous in our eyes, a miracle of reversal.
Context
Psalm 118 is a song of thanksgiving, part of the Egyptian Hallel used at Passover. The psalmist gives praise for deliverance, describing how enemies surrounded him but the Lord helped him. In verses 22, 23, he uses the image of a stone that builders rejected becoming the cornerstone, the most important stone in a building. This sudden reversal is traced directly to God. The surrounding verses speak of entering the gates of righteousness and giving thanks for salvation. Early Christians saw this as a prophecy of Christ's rejection by religious leaders and his exaltation by God (Acts 4:11). The verse stands as a statement of wonder at God's power to overturn human judgment.
Key Words
Two Hebrew words carry the weight of this verse. The phrase 'from Yahweh' (מֵ/אֵת יְהוָה) uses a preposition meaning 'from', not just that God did it, but that the whole event originated with Him. It did not happen by luck or human effort. The verb 'it has come' (הָיְתָה) describes something that has taken place, a completed act of God. But the key word is 'marvelous' (נִפְלָאת from פָּלָא), which in Hebrew means something extraordinary, beyond human ability, a miracle that leaves us in awe. The same word is used in Job 5:9 for God's wonders that cannot be explained by natural causes. So this is not a polite 'how nice', it is a gasp of wonder at what only God could do.
How Christians Read This Verse
Jewish interpreters of this psalm, as seen in the Targum, understood the rejected stone as a reference to David or the sons of Jesse, marveling that God raised up a king from a humble background. Christian commentators, from the New Testament onward, have read this as a direct prophecy of Jesus Christ, the stone rejected by the religious leaders yet made the cornerstone of the Church by God (Acts 4:11, 1 Peter 2:7). Both traditions agree on one point: what happened was entirely the Lord's doing, a work so surprising only God could have accomplished it. The verse invites readers across traditions to stand in awe of God's sovereign reversals.
A common misunderstanding
Some think 'marvelous in our eyes' refers to anything that seems impressive or surprising. In fact, the Hebrew word (from פָּלָא) describes something that surpasses human power and understanding, a miracle that points directly to God's intervention. The verse is not about general amazement but about recognizing a specific act of God: the rejected thing becoming the foundation.
Living This Out
This week, you may feel overlooked at work, in your family, or even in your church. Someone may have dismissed your ideas, your gifts, or your presence. Psalm 118:23 invites you to look again. What if God is doing something with that very rejection? He specializes in taking what people discard and making it essential. You do not have to force the reversal; you only have to trust the One who brings it about. Let the wonder of what God can do free you from the need to prove yourself. He is building something, and nothing is wasted.
Main takeaway: The stone that others throw aside becomes the cornerstone, this is the Lord's marvelous work.
For Families
For ages 5 to 8
God can take something that people say is not good and make it very important. That is what He did when the stone people said 'no' to became the most important stone in the building. We can trust God to use our lives in surprising ways.
For ages 9 to 12
When people reject you or your ideas, it hurts. But this verse shows us that God can take what others toss aside and make it the most important part of His plan. Jesus knew what it felt like to be rejected, yet God raised Him to be the cornerstone of the whole Church. You can trust that God sees your worth even when others don't, and He has a special place for you in what He is building.
Questions People Ask
What does 'the stone which the builders rejected' mean in context?
In ancient building, a cornerstone was the first stone set, determining the position of the whole structure. Builders would reject stones that did not seem to fit. The psalm uses this image to describe how God took what human leaders dismissed, perhaps a humble king like David, and in the New Testament, Jesus Himself, and made it the most important piece.
Why is this verse considered a prophecy about Jesus?
The New Testament writers, especially Peter in Acts 4:11 and 1 Peter 2:7, quote this verse directly about Jesus. They saw the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus by the religious leaders as the builders rejecting the stone, and His resurrection and exaltation as God making Him the cornerstone. For Christians, this verse foreshadows the central event of the gospel.
What does it mean that this is 'the Lord's doing'?
The phrase emphasizes that the reversal of rejection to exaltation is entirely God's work, not human effort. It traces the outcome back to God's sovereign action, as the Hebrew preposition 'from' suggests the origin is in God alone. It is a theme of grace: God chooses what the world overlooks.
How can I apply Psalm 118:23 to my daily life?
This verse invites you to trust God in seasons of rejection or disappointment. When you feel dismissed by others, remember that God can take that very situation and use it in a way that only He can. It encourages humility and faith, letting God define your value rather than human opinion.
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