Scripture Daily

Context No. 3601 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 118:17-29: in context

17I will not die, but live, and declare the LORD’s works. 18The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to the LORD. 20This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous will enter into it. 21I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23This is the LORD’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! 25Save us now, we beg you, LORD! LORD, we beg you, send prosperity now. 26Blessed is he who comes in the LORD’s name! We have blessed you out of the LORD’s house. 27The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar. 28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you. 29Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

This psalm rings with resurrection hope and thanksgiving. I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. Though the LORD had disciplined him severely, he did not hand him over to death. And then comes the verse Jesus applied to himself: the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this is the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

What the builders discard, God makes the very foundation. And the psalm bursts into joy: this is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Every day the Lord gives is his gift, a day for rejoicing and thanksgiving. Together these verses point straight to Christ, the rejected stone become the cornerstone, and to the resurrection life that dares to say, I shall not die but live. The One rejected and put to death was raised as the foundation of everything, and because he lives, we too can say, I shall live, and rejoice in the day the Lord has made.

Do I live in the resurrection hope of "I shall not die but live," rejoicing in each day the Lord has made and resting on Christ, the rejected stone become the cornerstone?

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