Psalms 118:24 Commentary: The Day the Lord Has Made

Psalm 118 stands near the close of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113, 118), the collection sung at Passover and other festivals. The poem describes a procession approaching the temple gates (v. 19) and voices from inside declaring the condition of entry: only the righteous may enter (v. 20). The crowd then celebrates a stunning reversal: a stone rejected by the builders becomes the cornerstone (v. 22).

The original setting is uncertain. Calvin and many Reformed commentators link the psalm to David's deliverance from Saul and his accession to the throne, seeing in it a pattern for Christ's kingdom. The Cambridge Bible notes the procession has 'reached the Temple gates, and seeks to enter,' suggesting a liturgical celebration. Keil and Delitzsch argue for a post-exilic origin: the laying of the foundation stone of the second temple (Ezra 3:10-12) amidst opposition that God turned into triumph. Other scholars propose a dedication of the temple under Hezekiah after the Assyrian threat (2 Chronicles 29-30).

Whatever the original event, the psalm's language, gates, procession, sacrifice, 'save now' (Hosanna), became deeply messianic. The New Testament quotes verses 22-23 of this psalm to describe Jesus (Matthew 21:42; Acts 4:11; 1 Peter 2:7), and the cry of verse 25, 'Save us now,' was shouted at his triumphal entry. Thus 'this day' poignantly came to mean the day of Christ's resurrection, the first day of the week when the stone was rolled away.

The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 118:24. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts, and the verse appears identically in the Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls for this psalm.

Psalm 118:24 has been cherished across Christian traditions. The early church identified 'this day' with the day of Christ's resurrection, reading the psalm as a messianic prophecy fulfilled on Easter. By the fourth century, the verse was used in Easter liturgies, and it remains central to many resurrection services. Medieval commentators like Thomas Aquinas followed the messianic interpretation while also allowing for historical layers. The Reformation saw Calvin applying it to David's deliverance but typologically to Christ. In modern evangelical piety, the verse is often quoted to encourage joy on any day, a practice that, while popular, sometimes overlooks the psalm's original setting. It is also sung in hymns of thanksgiving for deliverance, such as in 'This Is the Day the Lord Has Made' by Isaac Watts.

Three-point outline

1. God makes the day. The verb 'made' (עָשָׂה, asah) implies purposeful creation. This day is not accidental; God designed it for salvation and joy.
2. Joy is the commanded response. The cohortative verbs 'let us rejoice' (נָגִילָה) and 'let us be glad' (נִשְׂמְחָה) invite corporate celebration. Joy is not an afterthought but the fitting reply to God's work.
3. The day has a defining event. Whatever 'this day' refers to, deliverance from enemies, the temple's dedication, or the resurrection, the past act of God defines the present moment of worship.

Five-point outline

1. The specificity of 'this day.' The demonstrative 'this' (זֶה) points to a particular day, not just any day. Preaching should identify the day in context.
2. Divine authorship. Yahweh made it, the day belongs to him, not to our schedule. It is a gift.
3. Corporate joy. 'We will rejoice' plural. The celebration binds the community together.
4. Retrospective gratitude. The day follows deliverance (vv. 5-18). Joy flows from remembering what God did.
5. Prospective hope. The same God who made this day will make tomorrow. Each day is a new creation of his mercy.

Illustration hooks

• A cancer patient ringing the bell after treatment. That day becomes 'made' by God, set apart from the ordinary, and is filled with a joy that cannot be manufactured.
• An immigrant family receiving citizenship. The ceremony day is unlike any other; it was made by the authorities but ultimately by God's providence.
• Easter Sunday in a local church, the one day of the year when even nominal attenders come. The psalm rebukes the idea that this is merely tradition; it is a day God made for joy.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Does verse 24 mean I have to be happy every day, even when I'm not?
• Is this verse only about Sundays, or can it apply to a Tuesday?
• How do I 'rejoice' when my present day feels like a day of struggle, not deliverance?

This verse appears on coffee mugs and Instagram posts, often stripped from its context. But Psalm 118 invites us to ask: What day is 'this day'? And why does the psalmist command joy? Dive into the original setting and see how the day of deliverance shapes Christian worship.

Discussion questions

1. Observation: Read Psalm 118:19-29. What happens just before and after verse 24? How does the procession and the 'stone' imagery prepare for verse 24?
2. Observation: The Hebrew verb for 'made' (עָשָׂה, asah) often refers to purposeful creation. What does it tell us about God's relationship to our days?
3. Interpretation: Commentators disagree on the identity of 'this day', David's coronation, the temple dedication, the resurrection, or every day of grace. Which view do you find most convincing from the text? Why?
4. Interpretation: The psalm uses cohortative verbs ('let us rejoice'). Is joy a feeling, a choice, or a command? How does the community aspect shape the command?
5. Application: How can a church learn to 'rejoice and be glad' on difficult days, when deliverance is not yet complete?
6. Application: In a culture that treats every day as ordinary, how do we recover the sense that each day is 'made' by God and invites celebration?