Psalms 118:17-29: a reflection

17I will not die, but live, and declare the LORD’s works. 18The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death. 19Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to the LORD. 20This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous will enter into it. 21I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation. 22The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 23This is the LORD’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. 24This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! 25Save us now, we beg you, LORD! LORD, we beg you, send prosperity now. 26Blessed is he who comes in the LORD’s name! We have blessed you out of the LORD’s house. 27The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar. 28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you. 29Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.

In the midst of a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance, one line invites us to receive each day as God's gift and rejoice in it: this is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the LORD has made, the psalm says. We will rejoice and be glad in it. The day, this very day, is a day the LORD has made, given by him; and the response is not to take it for granted, or grumble through it, but to rejoice and be glad in it, receiving it as his gift. Whatever the day holds, it is a day God has made and given; and we can meet it with rejoicing and gladness, thankful for it as a gift from his hand. This shows receiving each day as God's gift, to rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day the LORD has made; rejoice and be glad in it. Receive each day as God's gift, not taking it for granted. Meet the day God has given with rejoicing and gladness. Every day is a day the LORD has made; be glad in it.

Notice how this line reframes the day before us. We often meet our days without much thought, taking them for granted, or grumbling through them, focused on their troubles and burdens. But the psalm says: this is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. This very day, whatever it holds, is a day God has made and given to us, a gift from his hand. And the fitting response is not to take it for granted or grumble through it, but to rejoice and be glad in it, to receive it thankfully as God's gift and to find gladness in it. This is a way of meeting each day that can transform how we live it. Rather than trudging through our days, taking them for granted, or fixing only on their troubles, we can receive each day as a gift from God, made and given by him, and rejoice and be glad in it. Even ordinary days, even hard days, are days the LORD has made and given; and there is reason to rejoice in them, to be glad in the gift of the day, in the God who gives it, and in his goodness that fills it. We do well to receive each day as God's gift, meeting it with rejoicing and gladness rather than taking it for granted. Receive this day as God's gift, and rejoice and be glad in it. Do not take your days for granted or grumble through them. Every day is a day the LORD has made; find gladness in it. Meet the gift of each day with rejoicing and thankfulness.

That is worth taking to heart, for each day is a day the LORD has made and given, and we do well to receive it as his gift and rejoice and be glad in it, as the psalm invites. We often take our days for granted or grumble through them, fixed on their troubles; but the psalm calls this very day a day the LORD has made, in which we will rejoice and be glad. Receive the day as a gift. Do not take this day for granted or grumble through it; receive it as God's gift, made and given by him, and rejoice and be glad in it. Receive each day as God's gift, made and given by him, meeting it with rejoicing and gladness rather than taking it for granted, as in the midst of a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance one line invites us to receive each day as God's gift and rejoice in it, saying, this is the day that the LORD has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it; for the day, this very day, is a day the LORD has made and given by him, so that the response is not to take it for granted or grumble through it but to rejoice and be glad in it, receiving it as his gift, since whatever the day holds it is a day God has made and given and we can meet it with rejoicing and gladness, thankful for it as a gift from his hand, which reframes the day before us, since we often meet our days without much thought, taking them for granted or grumbling through them and focused on their troubles and burdens, but the psalm says this very day is a day God has made and given to us, a gift from his hand, so that the fitting response is to rejoice and be glad in it and receive it thankfully, which is a way of meeting each day that can transform how we live it, since rather than trudging through our days or fixing only on their troubles we can receive each day as a gift from God and rejoice in it, even ordinary and hard days being days the LORD has made and given, with reason to rejoice in them, in the God who gives them, and in his goodness that fills them, so that we do well to receive each day as God's gift.

Lord, in the midst of a psalm of thanksgiving for deliverance, one line invites me to receive each day as your gift and rejoice in it: this is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the day that the LORD has made, the psalm says. We will rejoice and be glad in it. The day, this very day, is a day you have made, given by you; and the response is not to take it for granted, or grumble through it, but to rejoice and be glad in it, receiving it as your gift. Whatever the day holds, it is a day you have made and given; and I can meet it with rejoicing and gladness, thankful for it as a gift from your hand. Show me how this line reframes the day before me. I often meet my days without much thought, taking them for granted, or grumbling through them, focused on their troubles and burdens. But the psalm says: this is the day that the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. This very day, whatever it holds, is a day you have made and given to me, a gift from your hand. And the fitting response is not to take it for granted or grumble through it, but to rejoice and be glad in it, to receive it thankfully as your gift. This is a way of meeting each day that can transform how I live it. Rather than trudging through my days, taking them for granted, or fixing only on their troubles, I can receive each day as a gift from you, made and given by you, and rejoice and be glad in it. Even ordinary days, even hard days, are days you have made and given; and there is reason to rejoice in them, in you who give them, and in your goodness that fills them. Take that to my heart, for each day is a day you have made and given. Keep me from taking my days for granted or grumbling through them; help me receive this day as your gift, Lord, made and given by you, and rejoice and be glad in it, finding gladness in the gift of the day and in your goodness.