This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made: Meaning

You've probably sung it on a bright Sunday morning. But the day the psalmist was actually celebrating had nothing to do with good weather — and everything to do with a rescue that looked impossible.

"This is the day that the Lord has made" is one of the most upbeat verses in Scripture, but its familiar use as a cheerful slogan hides a deeper and more defiant meaning. Recovering the original "day" it pointed to gives the verse far more weight. It's one of our famous bible verses explained.

Here is the surprising context, what "the day" really refers to, and how to rejoice in it for the right reasons.

The verse and what comes right before it

The full line reads: "The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad" — or in the familiar form, "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). To understand it, you have to read the verses just before it, which describe a stunning reversal: "The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."

Psalm 118 celebrates a deliverance against all odds — a rescue so unlikely it could only be God's doing. "This day" is the day of that victory. The rejoicing isn't generic cheerfulness; it's the specific joy of people who watched God turn rejection into triumph.

The "day" the New Testament saw in it

The early church read this psalm as pointing straight to Jesus. The "stone the builders rejected" became, in the New Testament, an image of Christ — rejected and crucified, then raised as the cornerstone of everything. Seen that way, "the day the LORD has made" reaches its fullest meaning in the day of resurrection, the ultimate reversal.

So the verse isn't merely "God made today, so cheer up." It's closer to: God has accomplished an impossible rescue; therefore rejoice. The gladness is grounded in what God has done, not in our mood or circumstances.

A note on "rejoice... be glad"

The Hebrew pairs two verbs for rejoicing, stacking them for emphasis — something like "let us be glad and let us be joyful." It's not a gentle suggestion to look on the bright side; it's a summoned, deliberate celebration. And crucially, it's a choice: "let us rejoice." The psalmist isn't describing a feeling that happened to arrive; he's calling people to actively choose joy in response to what God has done. That distinction matters on the days we don't feel cheerful. The command isn't "feel happy"; it's "choose to rejoice in this — in what God has accomplished" — and that choice is available regardless of mood.

How to use this verse honestly

This means you can pray Psalm 118:24 even on a hard day. You're not pretending the day is pleasant; you're choosing to rejoice that God is at work and has already done the decisive thing. Every day belongs to the God who turns rejected stones into cornerstones. That's a reason to be glad that doesn't depend on the weather, your circumstances, or your feelings.

Living "this is the day that the Lord has made"

On hard mornings as much as bright ones, you can pray this is the day that the Lord has made — not because the day is easy, but because the God who turns rejected stones into cornerstones is at work in it.

Frequently asked questions

What does "this is the day that the Lord has made" mean?
In Psalm 118:24 it refers to a specific day of God's impossible rescue and victory, calling people to rejoice in what God has done. It is grounded in God's action, not in pleasant circumstances or a cheerful mood.

What "day" is Psalm 118 talking about?
The day of a stunning, against-all-odds deliverance described in the surrounding verses ("the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone"). The New Testament sees its fullest meaning in the resurrection of Jesus.

Is the verse just telling us to be happy?
No. It calls for deliberate rejoicing in what God has accomplished, not generic cheerfulness. The Hebrew stacks two words for rejoicing and frames it as a chosen response — "let us rejoice" — available even on hard days.

Can I pray this verse on a bad day?
Yes. You're not pretending the day is easy; you're choosing to rejoice that God is at work and has already done the decisive thing. The gladness rests on God's action, not your circumstances.

Written by Hannaniah, an ordained minister and seminary professor based in California. For more, see Psalm 118 on Bible Gateway or Bible Hub.