Lyrics
Verse 1
This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made
We will rejoice, (we will rejoice)
And be glad in it (and be glad in it)
This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made.
Verse 2
This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made, that the Lord has made
I will rejoice, (I will rejoice)
And be glad in it (and be glad in it)
This is the day that the Lord has made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day, this is the day
That the Lord has made.
Video
Meaning & Inspiration
The lyrics are a direct setting of a single verse about the present day. The repeated phrase "This is the day that the Lord has made" is paired with the response "We will rejoice and be glad in it," written in an echo pattern, with parenthetical lines such as "(we will rejoice)" repeating the words just heard.
The second stanza changes from plural to singular: "I will rejoice and be glad in it." The change moves the same statement from a group to one person, so the same line can be taken as a shared response or a personal one. There is no added narrative, and the song stays on the one idea of choosing gladness for the day at hand.
The words follow Psalm 118:24, which says the Lord has made the day and calls for rejoicing and gladness in it. Related passages include Psalm 118:1 and Lamentations 3:22-23, which speak of God's steady goodness at the start of each day.
Related Scripture
- Psalm 118:24 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it," the verse the lyrics are built on.
- Psalm 118:1 Calls for thanks to the Lord because He is good and His love endures forever.
- Lamentations 3:22-23 Describes God's mercies as new every morning, fitting the focus on the day.