This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
This celebratory psalm is often read at worship services and ceremonies. It’s an uplifting verse that should give us an incredible hope that we can have in God.
While I remember this verse from my childhood, I never heard it explained. There’s so much powerful truth in the Psalm 118:24 meaning that I don’t want you to miss. If you spend a few minutes looking at this psalm I think you will be greatly encouraged by these words.
Table of Contents
The Context Of Psalm 118:24
Before we can look at the meaning of Psalm 118:24 we need to first look at the context in which this verse was written.
Psalm 118 is the last of the Hallel psalms which were psalms of praise. It describes festival processions and were sung by Jewish people at annual festivals and passover meals. Some theologians believe the background of this psalm might date back to the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in Nehemiah’s time.
Regardless of the exact details it is clear that the setting of this psalm is God’s restoration for his people. The tone is joyful and thankful, and we see a placing of trust in God for provision. It was written to be a celebratory psalm of thanksgiving.
Because this psalm was typically sung at passover it’s quite possible that Jesus sang this psalm with his disciples in the upper room.
The Psalm 118:24 Meaning
Now that we’ve looked at the context, let’s dive a little further into the Psalm 118:24 meaning.
This Is The Day That The Lord Has Made
What is the day that the Lord has made? In short, today is the day. But so was yesterday and so will tomorrow. God is the one who formed the sun, the moon, and the stars. He is the one that created today and sustains the day.
While the above is true, we can get more specific. If you remember the context of Psalm 118:24 we know the Psalmist is singing praises about God’s deliverance. He is declaring this is a day that the Lord will deliver his people, it is inevitable.
The point of this opening phrase is that God created today, and he will create tomorrow as well. Not only that, we can trust in his deliverance. He will come through for his people.
Let Us Rejoice And Be Glad In It
Because this is the day that the Lord has made, we should rejoice and be glad in it.
Why should we rejoice? Because God made the day, and we can have hope that he will save us. This verse should be a proclamation that stirs up faithfulness and hope in what God has done and will do.
That’s exactly how the Jewish people used these words. They looked to their past and saw how God had delivered their ancestors and cared for them. And then they looked to their future, praising God and placing their trust in him.
When we hear this verse we should do the same. We should rejoice and be glad in our days because we know that God will come through for us.
How To Apply The Meaning Of Psalm 118:24 To Your Life
Now that we’ve look at the meaning of Psalm 118:24 I want to end by looking at three ways we can apply this verse to our lives.
Psalms 118:24 Calls Us To Rejoice
The message of this verse is clear: rejoice. God has been faithful to his people in the past, and he will remain faithful to his people going forward. This is the day that the Lord has made, therefore we rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 challenges us to look past our current circumstances and towards what God has done and will do. When we do that we can find joy in the Lord.
Psalms 118:24 Changes Our Perspective
Throughout the Bible we see that peace is not found in the absence of storms, but in the presences of Jesus. This is the opposite of how our world operates; we strive for peace by eliminating the storms. Not only is this not effective, it means that we miss the peace and joy that God has for us in all times.
Psalm 118:24 changes our perspective from avoiding storms to looking at Jesus in the middle of storms. When we do this we can rejoice and be glad because God is with us and he will rescue us.
Psalms 118:24 Lifts Our Eyes To The Future
Finally, Psalm 118:24 lifts our eyes to the future. In this life we will struggle and we will face hardships. But it’s temporary; God will lead his people into a new heaven and a new earth where there will be no more pain and suffering. We have an incredible hope to hang on to.
While we can rejoice and be glad today, we also have an incredible hope of what God will do tomorrow. We look forward to the future and the complete deliverance that God will bring.
So remember, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
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BA in Biblical Studies - Ozark Christian College (2012)
MA in Theology - Regent University (2019)
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