The imagery is of people selecting stones with which to build a house and deliberately bypassing, even condemning, Jesus Christ as a possible suitable stone for inclusion in the wall of the house. Jesus had referenced that rejection in Mark 12:10–11. Israel’s builders confirmed that rejection when they had Jesus arrested, condemned, and crucified (see again, Acts 4:10–11). He was discarded as unsuitable.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,