Psalms 117 – 118
Psalm 117:2 is the end of a very short Psalm, but is a reoccurring theme for the next Psalm:
For great is his steadfast love towards us,
and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever. Praise the Lord!
We often say words like this but often in our lives it becomes difficult to believe. Sure our faith that God exists, but the love and faithfulness we read about in verses like these seems missing. Our faith may also drift or we justify that God is too busy for little ole us. But then that “puts God in a box” again by thinking He is too big for us. Guess what this verse tells us how great he is, he is so big He can care and love on each and every one of us. The difference is He loves on us like a father and sometimes that is not always what we want!!
Verse 118:1 basically repeats the previous verse from Psalm 117:
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures for ever!
I think this theme gets repeated so much in the Bible because we constantly need reminders that God does not only exist, but care about each of us! His love is not a fleeting love, like that for the latest and greatest toy. Remember how in Toy Story Andy loved Woody, but eventually that love moved to another toy (Buzz). Can you think of this in your life? I know for many it’s still easy today! We cannot apply that same definition of love to how God loves us. When you have children you will quickly understand God’s love. It’s something you cannot control or end, no matter how ugly the relationship gets. That was the light bulb moment for me in understanding how God could love us “for ever”!
Verse 118:22 is a pivotal verse since we see it in the New Testament:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
This first was said by Jesus to Peter that he would be the cornerstone of the church. We find Jesus was using these writings to show the disciples He did not occur by chance and was foretold thousands of years prior.
In the Psalm it’s talking about David’s bloodline being the cornerstone, but David was not rejected. Where this ties into the story even great is when you look at the man who was heralded as a king only to be savagely beaten and hung on a cross for our sins. Jesus was really who the Psalmist was foretelling. He was rejected only to become the cornerstone of our salvation! How cool is that?!?