Short answer: Psalm 118:24 means that a specific day of God's saving action calls for deliberate rejoicing. While it's often applied to any new day as a gift, in context it celebrates a particular day of victory and deliverance God accomplished — and the response it commands is a chosen gladness, not just a good mood.
The context
Psalm 118 is a psalm of thanksgiving, the last of the "Hallel" psalms (113-118) sung at Passover and major feasts. It celebrates deliverance: "Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me" (v.5). Just before verse 24, it speaks of "the stone which the builders refused" becoming "the head stone of the corner" (v.22) — a verse the New Testament applies directly to Jesus (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11). So "the day the Lord has made" originally pointed to a definite day of God's marvelous rescue, not merely to sunrise in general.
What it means, phrase by phrase
"This is the day which the Lord hath made" (KJV; WEB: "This is the day that Yahweh has made"). "This" points to a particular day — the day of God's saving victory just described. God made it; it is his handiwork, his appointed moment of deliverance. Christians have long connected this to the day of Christ's resurrection, the ultimate day of victory.
"we will rejoice and be glad in it." The response is twofold — rejoice (an outward celebration) and be glad (an inner joy) — and it is stated as a resolve: "we will." Joy here is a decision to respond rightly to what God has done, not a feeling that happens to arrive.
Cross-references
- Psalm 118:22 — "The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
- Matthew 21:42 — Jesus applies verse 22 to himself.
- Philippians 4:4 — "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice."
- Lamentations 3:22-23 — God's mercies "are new every morning."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 — "Rejoice always… give thanks in all circumstances."
How to apply it today
Even though the verse originally celebrated a specific day of deliverance, the principle extends generously: every day comes from God's hand and is worth receiving with gladness. On hard days, "we will rejoice" reminds you that joy can be a chosen response rooted in what God has done, not a hostage to circumstances.
A simple practice: begin the morning by naming this day as God-made and choosing one thing to be glad about in it. For Christians, the deepest reason for that gladness is the "day" of the resurrection — the victory that colors every other day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does "this is the day" mean every single day? In its original context, "this day" referred to a specific day of God's deliverance and victory celebrated in Psalm 118. But because every day is God's gift, the verse is faithfully applied more broadly as a call to receive each day with joy and gratitude.
How does Psalm 118 connect to Jesus? Just two verses earlier, Psalm 118:22 speaks of the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone — a passage Jesus and the apostles apply directly to him (Matthew 21:42, Acts 4:11). Many Christians therefore read "the day the Lord has made" as pointing to the day of Christ's resurrection.
Is the joy in this verse a feeling or a choice? The wording "we will rejoice and be glad" presents joy as a deliberate response to what God has done. It doesn't deny real emotions, but it teaches that gladness can be chosen in view of God's saving acts, even when circumstances are difficult.