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 "This is the Day"
(Psalm 118:24) THE QUESTION: Perhaps, like me, you learned a simple chorus version of this verse many years ago. And perhaps, again like me, you thought it was a wonderful "everday" song, to celebrate our God's goodness to us each day of the week, his mercies that are "new every morning." But is that what the Psalm is about? Which "day" is it that God has made? LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK:
After recounting how God has delivered The writer of this psalm tells of how God delivers fter the Psalmist is delivered from death and triumphs over his enemies (vv.10-16), then declares that he will enter the gate of the LORD (that is, into the temple courtyard), saying, "I will give you thanks for you answered me; Then the people are called to join in celebrating, "The stone the builders rejected During the week leading up to his death* Jesus applied this passage to himself. He would be rejected , but then become the 'capstone' in which his people would rejoice (Mark 12:10-12). This is fulfilled when God the Father raises Jesus up from death to sit at his right hand (cf. 1 Peter 2:6-8). In other words, the people celebrate what God has done in raising Jesus --the "day" he has made is the "day" when Jesus is raised up. If we speak narrowly we could say, the "day" is the day of Jesus' resurrection, though we might just as suitably apply it to "Day of Ascension". (Note, that the NT view of the 'resurrection' is that Jesus' was raised TO God's right hand. Thus the resurrection and ascension/exaltation are all of a piece. (Compare how in John 12:32 Jesus alludes to his death, but also hints at his and resurection and exaltation as his being "lifted up".) Note that Psalm 118 speaks of rejoicing "in this day." Is the "day" in view then, not the "day" of deliverance itself, but of the the specific (feast?)"day" on which the celebration takes place? (It is doubtful that the celebration described would happen on the 'very same day' as the deliverance). More likely the writer is not referring a specific 24-hour period but to a "time" --just as we might say we live "in this day"-- the time that began with the deliverance whose effects God's people continue to enjoy. Consider the prophecy of Isaiah: And to this Paul adds, "This is the day" points us to the "day of salvation" which BEGAN with the resurrection of Jesus. Thus it is a very appropriate cry at Easter, as well as at the weekly celebration of the "day of resurrection." But it is also true every day. Because Jesus is risen we live in the "time of God's favor," the "day of salvation". Because he is risen we now receive God's mercies "new every morning". Every day then we may celebrate his resurrection which is now our salvation. "Jesus is risen!" Let us rejoice in by glad in THAT! * Note how important Psalm 118 in the week leading up to Jesus' death. This was the last of the "Egyptian hallel" (Psalms 113-118), a series of songs used at the Jewish feasts, including Passover. We find the pilgrims on their way to the Passover feast shouting its cries of "Hosanna!" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord" (Mark 11:8-10, compare Psalm 118:25-26) when Jesus is entering the city on the first day of the week, as they wave spread branches they were carrying (cf. 118:27). This series of psalms was also sung in connection with the Passover meal. As the last Psalm 118 would have been sung after the meal. It is very likely this is the "hymn" Jesus and his disciples sang before going out to the Mount of Olives (Mark 14:26). Check out this setting of Psalm 118:
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