Bring Back The Joy Of My Salvation
Psalm 51
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Over the next few days, join me as we look at joy.
- Joy
- What is it?
- Is it the same as happiness?
- Singing for joy
- Singing when you have joy
- Singing when you want joy
- Singing in the Storm
- Reaction to storms
- Run
- Hide
- Ride them out
- What storms do
- Reveal your character
- Produce character
- Why sing?
- God says “It’s a good thing.”
- Praise produces joy
- Joy in the time of a storm is a good witness to others
- Reaction to storms
- Singing for repentance
- Why do it?
- Who wants to stay in sin?
- Why not just sing?
- Why do it?
JOY In the OT, joy is commonly a group expression, often associated with dancing (Ps 96:11) or the blessings of prosperity (Isa 60:15). Feasting or offering sacrifice (Deut 12:12; Isa 56:7), celebration of harvest or victory (1 Sam 18:6; Joel 1:16), and enjoying prosperity or personal triumph (Ps 31:7; Isa 61:3ff.) are all occasions of joy.
In the NT, the word is often found in connection with salvation (1 Peter 1:6), or with eating, drinking, and feasting (Luke 12:19; Acts 7:41). The NT applies joy to suffering as well as to salvation (Matt 5:11-12). Joy comes from the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22).
We’re not talking about happiness, which is too often situational. We are talking about deep-down, God-given joy that we can have regardless of our circumstances.
As children we sang this song:
“I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart,
I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy
Down in my heart,
Down in my heart to stay.”
Yes, when we receive the gift of salvation we do have the joy, joy, joy down in our hearts. But we need to understand that in order to keep the joy in our hearts, there are certain things we must do.
Christians and non-Christians alike face the trials of meeting daily living needs. We find ourselves overwhelmed by the demands placed upon us, and our difficulty to successfully balance our relationships with our family, our co-workers, our friends, and our God can produce guilt and discontentment. Happiness sometimes seems like an elusive butterfly flitting about just beyond our reach. Joy, however, can be ours regardless of our circumstances. In fact, it is our spiritual birthright.
So how do we find joy? It all begins with the Word. Find the scriptures that promise joy, and then speak these scriptures aloud. Let God’s Word penetrate your heart so that even in sorrow, you can know joy.
Psalms 16:11 (NIV) 11 You make known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
Rom 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Do you believe you have a right to spiritual joy? Do you know what to do if you lose that joy? Let us explore these questions and more in this week’s devotionals. I wrote the following chorus in 1998. I am not a musician, there is no written music accompanying this tune. I simply express my love for God through singing.
Bring Back the Joy
Carol Grace © 1998
Bring back to me
the joy of my salvation
Restore unto me my first love
Set my feet upon the path
that leads to righteousness
And I will exalt the wonders of your love.
May we purpose today to allow the joy within our hearts to overflow our cups so that we are drinking from the saucer and still have plenty of blessings to share with others.
In the name of the Father, and and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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