Psalm 118:24 invites you to see each day as something God has made and given, and to respond with joy instead of dread. The verse is a declaration of gladness: the day itself is a gift from the LORD, so you can choose to rejoice in it rather than only endure it. The words come from the closing section of Psalm 118, a song of thanksgiving sung by worshipers as they gathered at the temple in Jerusalem.
This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Psalm 118:24 (WEB)
What Psalm 118:24 Means
The phrase “this is the day” points to a specific day, the one you are standing in right now, not an idealized future. The psalmist names it as “the day that the LORD has made,” which means the day did not arrive by accident. Its shape, its timing, and what it holds are all within God’s care, so the day is presented as a deliberate act of his.
The verse then moves from observation to response: “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Joy here is not a feeling you must manufacture on demand. It is a decision to receive the day with gratitude because of who gave it. The psalm is not promising that every hour will be pleasant. It is teaching the community to look at ordinary time through the lens of God’s faithfulness.
What the verse does not say is equally important. It does not claim that the day will be free from pain, loss, or disappointment. The surrounding psalm is itself shaped by real danger and distress. What the verse offers is a way of interpreting the day, not a guarantee about its contents.
The Context of Psalm 118:24
Psalm 118 belongs to the Psalter, the collection of Hebrew songs and prayers that Christians know as the book of Psalms. The psalm is anonymous, and it is often read as a liturgical song for a festal procession, perhaps connected with the Feast of Tabernacles or a similar celebration. Its voice is communal (“we”) mixed with the personal testimony of one worshiper who has been in trouble and was rescued by God.
Verses 21 through 27 form a unit of thanksgiving and celebration. Just before verse 24, the psalmist speaks of a stone rejected by the builders that became the cornerstone, and of a marvelous work that is the LORD’s doing. Just after, the people cry out for salvation and blessing as they approach the altar. Read in that setting, the day in verse 24 is a day of deliverance that the community is ready to celebrate, which gives the call to rejoice a concrete foundation.
Key Phrases in Psalm 118:24
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
(WEB)
This passage speaks of God’s mercies being new every morning, which deepens the idea that each day is a fresh gift. It pairs well with Psalm 118:24 by grounding daily gladness in the steady faithfulness of God rather than in the day’s circumstances.
Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
(WEB)
This verse asks God to satisfy his people with his steadfast love so that they may rejoice and be glad all their days. It shows the same pairing of rejoicing and gladness, and it turns that joy into a prayer that God would fill the days themselves.
A Short Prayer From Psalm 118:24
Lord, you have made this day, and I am grateful that it did not come from my own hands or my own plans. Help me to receive it as your gift instead of a burden to get through. Where I am tired, steady my heart. Where I am worried, remind me of your faithfulness. Teach me to notice the ways you are present in ordinary moments, and let my gladness be real and not forced. Thank you for this day. Amen.
