What a Day That Will Be

The Story Behind What a Day That Will Be

This was the first hymn Hill ever wrote, and he consistently referenced Revelation 21:4 as his Scriptural parallel: “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 

It’s recorded that Hill and his family sang the song to his mother-in-law, and when they did, she smiled for the first time in three years. 

Opening Choral Analysis

The first verse is actually the chorus. Its theme carries a spiritual longing for the day when a believer finally meets his redeemer, face-to-face. Though Hill’s song is inspired by hope for the physical body, his first verse is a strong reminder that more than any earthly healing we could want, meeting Christ will be our greatest joy and reward. 

The lyrics, “When he takes me by the hand,” are a personal touch to this powerful truth: not only will seeing God make us whole, but being in His presence will be confirmation that He longs to dwell with us for all eternity. 

• “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
• “Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.” Psalm 140:13
• “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Second Verse Analysis

The second verse (a stand-alone stanza) refers to the physical hardships Hill’s mother-in-law endured, as it reads: “No more sickness and no more pain, No more parting over there.” 

Here, we see that Hill has accepted that, in a fallen world, death is inevitable for us all, no matter the physical suffering we endure. However, we also see that Hill knows this side of heaven isn’t the end for the believer. In fact, it’s just the beginning of eternity with our sweet Savior: “But forever I will be, With the one who died for me.”
 

• “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.” John 16:22 
• "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Romans 8:18
• “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

Closing Choral Analysis

The song closes with two repetitions of the opening verse (chorus). From a literary perspective, this repetition is to create deliberate emphasis, reminding those reading and singing of the primary themes we can’t miss. Here, in "What a Day That Will Be," we see three keys:
 

1. The Christian believer will see Christ in the next life.
2. Christ is a personal God who will rejoice over us forever.
3. It will be a day like no other when we first meet our Lord. 

Thus, as believers, we have no need to fear the storms of this life, even those as weighty as the physical pain Hill’s mother-in-law endured. 

As a woman who grew up in a traditional Southern Baptist Church, I recall singing this hymn often. Its lyrics are soft and healing, calling us to consider the promise found in Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” 

Kent Hughes, an evangelical preacher and founder of the Charles Simeon Trust (a preacher’s training organization), said it well: “We can compare a thimble of water with the sea, but we cannot compare our sufferings with the coming glory.” 

Additional Versions and Resources
For additional versions of Hill’s original "What a Day That Will Be," consider listening to Southern Raised’s 2014 edition and Drew Parker’s 2019 cover for a modern twist. 

Countless other artists and groups who have performed spin-offs over the years include: Kingdom Heirs, Kingsmen Quartet, McKameys, Florida Boys, Down East Boys, Chuck Wagon Gang, Dixie Melody Boys, and Jake Hess.
 

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