Mazmur 118:21-25

118:21 I will give you thanks, for you answered me,

and have become my deliverer.

118:22 The stone which the builders discarded ¹ 

has become the cornerstone. ² 

118:23 This is the Lord’s work.

We consider it amazing! ³ 

118:24 This is the day the Lord has brought about. ⁴ 

We will be happy and rejoice in it.

118:25 Please Lord, deliver!

Please Lord, grant us success! ⁵ 

[118:22]  ¹ tn Or “rejected.”

[118:22]  ² tn Heb “the head of the corner.”

[118:22]  sn The metaphor of the stone…the builders discarded describes the way in which God’s deliverance reversed the psalmist’s circumstances. When he was in distress, he was like a stone which was discarded by builders as useless, but now that he has been vindicated by God, all can see that he is of special importance to God, like the cornerstone of the building.

[118:23]  ³ tn Heb “it is amazing in our eyes.” The use of the plural pronoun here and in vv. 24-27 suggests that the psalmist may be speaking for the entire nation. However, it is more likely that vv. 22-27 are the people’s response to the psalmist’s thanksgiving song (see especially v. 26). They rejoice with him because his deliverance on the battlefield (see vv. 10-12) had national repercussions.

[118:24]  ⁴ tn Heb “this is the day the Lord has made.” Though sometimes applied in a general way, this statement in its context refers to the day of deliverance which the psalmist and people celebrate.

[118:25]  ⁵ sn A petition for deliverance and success seems odd in a psalm thanking God for deliverance, but it is not unique (see Ps 9:19-20). The people ask God to continue to intervene for them as he has for the psalmist.