This Is the Day the Lord Has Made (Psalm 118:24)
A short verse with a great history: the song of the rejected-stone, sung by the temple crowds and quoted by Christ himself. Day 11 of the Bible in One Year plan.
The verse
"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 (ESV)
The line that anchors the verse:
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:22-23 (ESV)
Context
Psalm 118 is the last of the Hallel psalms (113-118), the songs Israel sang at Passover and the great feasts. Jesus and the disciples likely sang it the night of the Last Supper (Matthew 26:30). The psalm celebrates a deliverance — the worshipper has been pressed by enemies, has cried out, has been rescued — and then turns into a procession into the temple gates. "Today is the day the Lord has made" is the worshipper's exclamation as he steps into the courts of the LORD. It is not a vague morning slogan; it is the cry of a saved man entering the place where his salvation is celebrated.
Verses 22-23 give the precise reason for the joy. There was a stone the builders did not want; God turned it into the cornerstone. The day of God's reversal — the day the rejected becomes central — is "the day the LORD has made." Jesus, in Matthew 21:42 and Acts 4:11, applies this directly to himself. The cornerstone is Christ. The day is the day of his vindication. And every day after, lived under his lordship, partakes in the same joy.
What it means
Three layers of meaning sit under this familiar line.
First, a specific day in salvation history. The psalm celebrates a concrete deliverance. New Testament writers see the deepest fulfillment in resurrection Sunday — the day God reversed the verdict against his Son and against everyone in him. Acts 4 quotes the same verses to defend the resurrection. So the original "today" is, ultimately, Easter Sunday.
Second, every Lord's Day. The early church gathered on the first day of the week because of the resurrection. Each Sunday is a re-celebration of the day the Lord has made. By extension, every day God gives in Christ is held within that great Sunday. Lamentations 3:23 says his mercies are "new every morning" — same theology, different words.
Third, your today. The psalmist's grammar is invitation: "let us rejoice and be glad in it." Today is given; today's task is rejoicing. Not pretending the day is painless, but receiving the day from God's hand and choosing gratitude as a posture. As Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4) — note: in the Lord, not in your circumstances.
It is worth noticing what the verse does not say. It does not say "this is a perfect day." It does not say "rejoice because everything is going well." It says God made the day, and that fact alone is reason to rejoice. The day belongs to him. You do not. But you are his, and so the day is also a gift.
How to apply it
- Pray Psalm 118:24 first thing. Make it the first sentence of your day. Repeat it aloud if you need to.
- Name three gifts before breakfast. The day God made already has gifts in it — find them.
- Anchor your joy in the cornerstone. If you can't rejoice in your circumstances, rejoice in Christ, the rejected-now-exalted Stone of verse 22.
- Sing the Hallel weekly. Read Psalms 113-118 across a week. By the time you reach 118, you will hear the deliverance the psalmist felt.
- Bring the verse into hard days. The line is most powerful when joy isn't easy. The day was made by God; that does not change with the weather.
Related verses
- Psalm 118:22-23 — "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone."
- Lamentations 3:22-23 — "His mercies… are new every morning."
- Matthew 21:42 — Jesus applies Psalm 118 to himself.
- Philippians 4:4 — "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice."
- Acts 4:11 — "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders."
Reflection
"Today is the day the Lord has made" is more than a morning poster. It is the worshipper's first sentence as he walks through the gate God opened. The day is his because the cornerstone is in place. Receive the day from him; rejoice in him; walk into it. The reason to be glad is not your weather, but his work.
Frequently asked questions
Where does "this is the day the Lord has made" come from?
From Psalm 118:24 (ESV): "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." It is part of the great Hallel, the songs of praise sung at the Passover and other feasts.
What does Psalm 118:24 mean?
In context, the "day" is first the day of God's saving act, when "the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone" (v. 22). The Christian reads this as the day of the Lord's salvation in Christ — and, by extension, every day God grants under that grace.
Is Psalm 118:24 about every morning?
Not directly, but the application is ancient and right. Every day God gives is also "the day the Lord has made." Lamentations 3:23 says his mercies are "new every morning" — the same theology in different words.
Did Jesus quote Psalm 118?
Yes. Psalm 118:22-23 about the rejected stone is quoted by Jesus in Matthew 21:42 and applied to himself. The "day the Lord has made" is, in the New Testament's reading, the day his salvation arrived in Christ.
How do I rejoice in this day?
By beginning the day with God in prayer, naming what you receive (life, breath, mercy), trusting him with what you fear, and walking through the day with thanksgiving. The verse is an invitation, not a feeling — obey it and the feeling often follows.