Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

There is a similar scene in many great action or hero movies. The evil antagonist has been conquered, but at what appears to be at the cost of the life of the conquering hero. The people who have been rescued from danger stare sadly at the rubble of a completed battle sure that their deliverer has not survived.

But, wait! What is that! Is that movement? Do you hear a voice calling out? Do you see a hand waving? Is that a figure moving in the distance? Look, someone is returning! It is the hero, the victor, the one who conquered is still alive!

That is the tone and purpose of Psalm 118. A king, a leader, or a representative of God’s people has defied death and has returned safely to the holy city.

Psalm 118 is the last of a group of psalms known as “the Egyptian Hallel” songs (Psalms 113-118). These joyous psalms were used annually as part of the Passover observance. They are rooted in the themes of deliverance from bondage, exile, and death.

The Psalm begins with a call to worship (v. 1-4). All of God’s people are to give thanks and say together, “God’s faithful love lasts forever!” The assigned lectionary reading for this first Sunday of Easter ends with the first call for Israel to proclaim God’s faithfulness.

The Psalm then turns into a celebratory testimony from the one who was surrounded by the possibility of death, but who took refuge in and found deliverance from the LORD (v. 5-18). The lectionary reading for the day picks up the latter half of the witness’ account of rescue.

Words of testimony from the one delivered from death now turn into a call to open up the gates (likely of Jerusalem) so that the one blessed by the LORD might enter (the Temple?) and give appropriate worship and praise (v. 19-21).

It appears that the concluding verses from the lectionary passage are the beginning of a community response to God’s deliverance of the chosen one (v. 22-24). Similar images of rejected stones becoming central to God’s activity are not unfamiliar to the Old Testament (Isa. 8:14-15; 28:16). Although it appeared that this mysterious leader or warrior had been lost and rejected, it is now clear that because of the LORD’s favor and grace, this delivered one ought to be the very centerpiece of God’s new work among the people. What looked like defeat has turned into victory. Thus, rather than mourning, this has become for the people a day of rejoicing!

The identity of the original conqueror for whom this psalm was written is lost to history. Despite a great deal of scholarly speculation, the psalm itself is not interested in making the identity of the triumphant one clear. It would appear, in fact, that the psalm had become a way of celebrating several such people in Israel’s history and perhaps even a way of observing God’s deliverance of the whole community.

What is clear, however, is the way the writers of the New Testament could think of no one who lived so perfectly into this psalm’s underlying narrative than the rejected, crucified, and now risen king, Jesus. In all four Gospels, Psalm 118:26 is used by the Jerusalem crowds to welcome Jesus triumphantly into Jerusalem. In particular, 1 Peter 2:4-8 uses this psalm as a messianic hope and expectation fulfilled in the triumphant return from the dead of Christ Jesus.

Resurrection Sunday is the day to celebrate the work of the divine in making the rejected one the very cornerstone of a new creation. The one who on Palm Sunday rode into the city in humility and was just a few days later rejected by the religious and civil leaders alike, is now been made the triumphant Lord of all creation. This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.