Gaither Vocal Band - What A Day That Will Be Lyrics
Lyrics
There’s coming a day when no heartaches shall come
No more clouds in the sky
No more tears to dim the eye
All is peace forever more
On that happy golden shore
What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace
When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land
What a day, glorious day that will be
There will be no sorrows there
And no more burdens to bear
No more sickness and, no more pain
No more parting over there
And forever I will be with the one who died for me
What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace
When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land
What a day, glorious day that will be
What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see
When I look upon His face the one who saved my by His grace
When He takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land
What a day, glorious day that will be
Video
Guy Penrod, David Phelps - What a Day That Will Be [Live]
Meaning & Inspiration
I was listening to the Gaither Vocal Band’s take on this from the Reunited Live album, and it really hits you in that quiet, vulnerable way. The lyrics keep pointing to a time when all the things that break us right now—the sorrow, the sickness, the heavy burdens—just vanish. It’s hard not to read that and think straight to Revelation 21, where John talks about God wiping away every tear and how death and pain aren't going to be part of the reality anymore. It’s a vision of home that feels so necessary when the current world feels like it's falling apart.
But then I stop and think about the focus. The song keeps going back to "when my Jesus I shall see," and that feels right because of 1 John 3:2, where we’re told that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. That’s the real point of the hope, isn't it? It isn't just about escaping the clouds or the heartache. It’s about the person who did the saving. When they sing about looking on His face, it forces me to check my own heart. Am I really looking forward to seeing Him, or am I just wanting a life without pain?
It’s almost a little convicting. The song is so fixated on the "glorious day," but I wonder if I’m missing the point of being here right now. Scripture is clear that the glory is in the presence of the Lord, yet sometimes I use songs like this to daydream about the exit rather than living through the "burdens to bear" with Him today. I guess I’m still trying to figure out if it’s okay to focus so much on the future, or if that’s just a way to avoid the hard work of carrying the cross in the present. Is it really just about the relief, or is the presence of the Savior the actual reward that makes the relief worth having? I don't know. It’s comforting to imagine that hand taking mine, but I hope I’m not just looking for a way out.