Psalm 118:24 Text
King James Version (KJV)
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
World English Bible (WEB)
This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
What Psalm 118:24 Means
This line is often sung as a cheerful morning verse, and that use is not wrong, but the original setting is more specific. The day in question is probably the day God's salvation was celebrated, since the verses just before speak of a stone the builders rejected becoming the cornerstone. The psalm is a thanksgiving for rescue. Saying the day is one the LORD has made points to God as its giver and invites a response of gladness. The words rejoice and be glad together suggest a deliberate choice as well as a feeling. KJV and WEB agree closely, with WEB using Yahweh for the divine name. A common misreading turns the verse into pressure to feel happy every day regardless of what is happening. The psalm itself speaks of distress and deliverance, so joy here is rooted in God's help, not in pretending hard days are easy.
Context of Psalm 118:24
Psalm 118 is the last of the Hallel psalms (113 to 118), which Jewish worshippers sang during festivals such as Passover. The author is not named, though some connect it with King David or later leaders after the exile. It describes a procession to the temple and gives thanks for deliverance from enemies. Verse 22 about the rejected stone comes just before this verse, and verse 25 follows with a prayer for salvation. To read the whole book, see random verse from Psalms.
How to Apply Psalm 118:24
Start the morning by naming one thing in the day that you did not make and cannot take credit for, such as breath, a meal or a friend. Say thanks for it out loud. You are not required to feel cheerful. Gratitude can be a quiet, honest practice even on a tired or difficult day.
Related Verses
- Psalm 100:4-5 – Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
- Nehemiah 8:10 – Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
- Lamentations 3:22-23 – It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
- Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Looking for more verses on this theme? Browse Bible Verses About Joy, each with a short note on its context.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this is the day the LORD has made mean?
It means every day is a gift from God, and in the psalm, one particular day of rescue is being celebrated. The verse invites people to receive the day with gratitude and joy, trusting that God is involved in it, whether the day brings ease or challenge.
Is Psalm 118:24 about Sunday or the resurrection?
In its original setting it was a festival song, not about a particular weekday. Early Christians connected the rejected stone in verse 22 with Jesus, and many churches therefore sing the psalm at Easter. That reading is a Christian interpretation layered over the psalm's first meaning.
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