“And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:9).

This was the shout of the throngs as Jesus entered Jerusalem for His last week of public ministry. Even though the multitudes were shouting His adoration, these were the same throngs that would be calling for His crucifixion just a few days later. Nevertheless, as they welcomed Him into Jerusalem that day, little did they know that they were fulfilling an ancient prophecy: “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: . . . Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 118:25,26), they cried.

This psalm is one of the Messianic psalms, and the plea, “Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD,” is essentially the meaning of “Hosanna.” The crowds were acknowledging Jesus as the promised Messiah, the Son of David, and the “chief priests and scribes . . . were sore displeased” at this (Matthew 21:15). But this also had been predicted in the psalm: “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Psalm 118:22,23).

As a result of this repudiation by these leaders of His people, the Lord wept over Jerusalem and was forced to prophesy its coming judgment, quoting once again this ancient prophecy: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, . . . Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37–39).

One day He will, indeed, be made the great “head stone of the corner,” and all His people will acknowledge Him. In the meantime, the prayer of the prophecy is appropriate for each unsaved person to pray today: “Save now, O LORD.” HMM