A Reason to Rejoice and Be Glad Psalm 118:24 Devotional

Good morning, Sunshine! This is the day the Lord has made. And God can take a seemingly ordinary day and turn it into A Reason to Rejoice and Be Glad! In this Psalm 118 Devotional, we’ll look at our reason to wake up and rejoice today.

So, let’s read this beautiful reminder of God’s goodness together…

This is the day the Lord has made;

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24 NKJV

This is the Day the Lord Has Made

Do you ever feel like you don’t know what day it is? Like you think it’s Tuesday but it’s really Wednesday?

Me too!

That’s because we do the same things over and over every day. So much so, that the days blend into each other.

And when we get caught in this trap, it’s easy to think today won’t be any different. We’ll have the same hum-drum day we always do.

But God has a plan for today. And He has a knack for turning each day into a reason to rejoice and be glad.

In a single moment, God can change the course of our lives or someone else’s through a chance meeting at the right time. He’s the Master of creating these “chance” encounters and they’re never just a coincidence. Or by touching our hearts in an unexpected way, God can use our ordinary day to show us His amazing grace and mercy on display.

We can be sure, no matter what happens today, this is the day the Lord has made! And He will give us a reason to rejoice and be glad in it.

What is the Meaning of Psalms 118:24?

We’ve been talking a lot about context in church lately and looking at how it pertains to some of the most popular and often quoted Bible verses.

Our verse for today, Psalm 118:24 is one of these scriptures. It talks about the day the Lord has made and rejoicing in it. But to get to the true meaning of Psalm 118:24, we should also read the verses just before and just after it.

There are a couple of things to examine within the context of this passage of scripture.

How Do We Rejoice When Life Feels Hard?

It’s easy to rejoice on a beautiful bright day when everything is going our way. But what about when life is tough? When we face disappointments, trials, or Christian oppression?

Even in those moments, we can choose to rejoice because our joy isn’t rooted in circumstances, it’s rooted in Christ. The context of Psalm 118 reminds us that even when the religious leaders of Jesus’ time rejected Him, God’s plan was still unfolding. What looked like a defeat on Good Friday became the greatest victory on Easter Sunday.

That’s why we can rejoice even on our worst days. Habakkuk 3:17-18 reminds us that even if all seems lost, we can still say, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”

So how do we rejoice in hard times? Here are three ways…

Shift your focus – Instead of dwelling on the bad things in life, look for the good things God is doing.
Claim God’s promises – Trust Him to give you a way of escape from fear and discouragement.
Remember Jesus’ name – Call upon Him and let the Holy Spirit fill you with peace and joy.

No matter what today brings, you can find joy in knowing that God is still working all things together for your good!

What is the Chief Cornerstone?

The verses just before ours give meaning to our day…

The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone.

This was the Lord’s doing;

It is marvelous in our eyes.

Psalm 118:22-23

You probably already know this scripture because it is also a Bible quote used as a popular memory verse.

The chief cornerstone talked about here is Jesus. He quoted this verse Himself in Matthew 21:42 while speaking with the Jewish leaders of His day.

During the time of David, the people were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the promised Messiah and the sacrifice that He would provide for their sins. This was a day they were looking forward to. It would be a perfect day. And a day of celebration and rejoicing.

But when Jesus arrived on the scene, the Jewish leaders rejected Him. They refused to believe He was the promised Messiah. And that their perfect day had finally arrived.

Even though the chief cornerstone was rejected by these Jewish leaders, it was God’s hand at work. Through the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus, this Old Testament prophesy was fulfilled.

It was a day to rejoice in, then and now!

With this context in mind, we can begin to understand why today “is a day the Lord has made” and see our reason to rejoice and be glad in it.

Simply put, it’s Jesus! He’s our reason to rejoice.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord Verse

In the verses just after ours, we see the promise of another day of great rejoicing.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.

Psalm 118:26 New International Version

These are the words the crowd shouted as the Lord Jesus Christ entered the holy city of Jerusalem during His triumphal entry on Palm Sunday in Matthew 21:9. They waved palm branches and rejoiced because they recognized Jesus as the Messiah, the fulfillment of God’s promise.

But just a few days later, Jesus became the rejected stone, fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy as He was crucified. Yet, through His resurrection, He became the chief cornerstone, the firm foundation of our Christian faith! His victory over sin and death is why we can rejoice every single day, no matter what we face.

Jesus spoke these same words again in Matthew 23:39, referring to His ascension into heaven. And in doing so, He gave us another glorious day to look forward to, His second coming. This is the day of Christ, our day of deliverance, the day of God we’re eagerly awaiting now!

And when that bright day comes, it will be our turn to shout, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”

What a marvelous day it will be when Jesus takes His rightful place and rules over this earth! It will be a time of great joy as we worship Him forever. Until then, let’s choose to rejoice in the Lord’s day, this day, knowing that Jesus’ name is our reason to be glad in it!

What Does it Mean to Rejoice and Be Exceedingly Glad?

In this next Bible verse, Jesus spoke words of encouragement into our hearts as we wait for His return…

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:12 NKJV

As Christians, we have a great reward waiting for us in heaven. It isn’t a gold crown (although we’ll have that too), or a treasure chest full of jewels.

Our reward is Jesus!

His glory and grace belong to us because we belong to Him. And we’ll spend eternity in paradise praising our Savior with joy and gladness. So, whatever today looks like, even if it’s another ordinary day, we have Jesus. And He is more than enough reason to be glad!

The Power of Gratitude in Rejoicing

Gratitude has a way of transforming our perspective. When we take the time to thank God, even for the little things, we begin to see each new day as a gift.

Reading the whole psalm of Psalm 118 we can see that’s it’s actually a song of thanksgiving, declaring the goodness of God. As believers, we can look back on our own lives and see His hand guiding us through hard times, opening doors, and filling our days with blessings of grace. Each moment, whether good or bad, is a reminder of His great love and faithfulness, giving us countless reasons to rejoice!

Here are three important things gratitude helps us to recognize…

The new grace we receive every morning from our Heavenly Father.
The good works God is doing in and through us each day.
The great love He lavishes on us as His beloved children.

Every single day, we have a reason to rejoice, no matter what. Because gratitude opens our eyes to the exaltation of Christ and the abundance of God in our lives.

God’s Hand in Every Day

Some days feel ordinary, but in reality, no day is ever truly ordinary when God’s hand is at work. He is shaping every minute of our lives, guiding us, protecting us, and leading us into His perfect plan.

Psalm 118:23 tells us, “This was the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” That’s a reminder that today, this very day ,is not an accident. Whether it feels like a marvelous day or just another Tuesday, it’s a precious gift from God.

Throughout the book of Psalms, we see how God’s people trusted Him, even when facing trials. King David rejoiced in God’s faithfulness, even when he faced a hard time. And as modern-day Christians, we can do the same! Because every new sunrise brings new opportunities, a chance to witness His new mercies, and a reminder that today is a matter of joy simply because it belongs to Him.

The psalmist goes on to inspire us with the following words…

The right hand of the Lord is exalted; The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
I shall not die, but live, And declare the works of the Lord.
Psalm 118:16-17 NKJV

The right hand of the Lord is a symbol of His power, protection, and victory. When life feels uncertain, we can rest in the assurance that God’s mighty hand is lifting us up, securing our steps, and giving us strength to press on. His right hand is not only powerful but personal, upholding us in every moment and leading us into God’s best.

So, if today feels challenging, remember, the right hand of the Lord is upholding you. He’s guiding your steps, and He has already filled this day with His abundant grace.

Rejoicing in Today

In this Psalm 118:24 Devotional, we’ve discovered the incredible joy found in knowing that every single day is a gift from God. We can look back on the day Jesus died on the cross for our sins and forward to the day when He returns in glory. Both are a reason to be glad today and lift our voices in praise!

But even more than that, we have a reason to rejoice right now, because this is the day the Lord has made! No matter what this day holds, we can trust in the words of Psalm 118 to remind us that God is faithful, His love endures forever, and He is always working for our good.

Will you join me as we rejoice in the day the Lord has made? I hope so. And I pray you’ll see, through the words of Psalm 118, that no matter what today brings, God’s joy is always within reach!

How are you claiming Psalm 118:24 in your life today? Leave a comment below… I’d love to hear from you!