Click For Audio Version
Joy In God
O my God, my soul is cast down within me;
Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan,
And from the heights of Hermon,
From the Hill Mizar.
8 The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,
And in the night His song shall be with me—
A prayer to the God of my life. Psalms 42:6&8 NKJV
I started writing this little message on a cold, overcast, bleary January day.
It seemed everyone I knew, including many family members of our 10 children and their families, had had a recent encounter with the flu.
I felt that this passage was perfect for such a setting.
How about You?
Is it a day of “less than perfection” in your life?
Are you having a great day at work or are things going less than spectacularly?
We hear a great deal about people being depressed and lonely and sad.
Frequently, we read or hear advertisements about remedies to cure our sorrow and depression.
Much of our sadness and sorrow is due our sin or the sins of others.
The cure is the same for both. Depressed? See God.
We look at the psalmist of our passage today.
The writer is depressed. His soul is cast down.
Have you felt that way too? Do you feel that way right now?
What does the psalmist do?
He remembers all that God has done in the past for His people in the Old Testament and all that God has done for him, the psalmist, as he writes these words.
It is good to remind yourself of all the powerful, wonderful, mighty things that God has done and will do in the future. In your future and mine.
The writer of Psalm 42 reminds himself of the wonderous things that God did in other places.
The God of the past miracles and wonders, the God of other places, is the same God today in the midst of your situations right here. He is the same God with the same eternal power at all points in all of the universes.
Next, our reading goes on to tell us that God’s lovingkindness is there in the daytime as well as the night of our soul.
Have you had one of those sleepless nights lately, where all that went wrong replays itself in your mind over and over. You never seem to get to the place mentally where it all comes out right, you only replay a variety of scenerios, none of which turns out particularly well. Maybe we have all had one of those nights… or more.
If you believe that Jesus is the Risen Son of God, you can go to God and tell Him you believe in Christ, and that you confess your sins, and ask God to save you.
The Bible tells you that from that second on you are saved and there is rejoicing in Heaven by the angels over your new found salvation.
When that night of your soul comes, remind yourself of the goodness of your God, saving your through Christ and God will bring His song of joy to your heart.
Yes, it is true.
In addition to our salvation, God brings His song of joy to our hearts.
That night of sadness, when turned over to God, become a song that God brings to our hearts.
He is bringing us the joy in Himself to us.
Did we get that?
GOD IS BRINGING US THE JOY IN HIMSELF TO US.
Are you still asking yourself, how to get to this kind of fellowship and love relationship with God, to have Him this close?
We simply have to go to God and pray to Him. In other words, keep in touch with God. Talk to Him.
A friendship with anyone on earth isn’t very strong without connection whether a call, text, or visit. Connect with God, often.
While He already knows your difficulties and problems, like a truly loving parent, God wants His children to come to Him and ask for help while telling Him their trouble and need.
Isn’t it a tremendous comfort to know that we have Someone Who knows, understands, is fully able and willing to help, and above all else, loves us.
Also like a loving and wise Parent, God will give us what we need.
Sometimes, perhaps often, that is not what and when we feel the answer should be.
I look back upon my life and realize the many,many times that God so very wisely chose the other path for me than that which I would have chosen.
It was always far better His way.
Therefore, the ultimate answer, the place from which I was delivered, and the growth God granted me, were always proof of His better choices for me.
In conclusion, let us look at verse 11.
Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God. Psalms 42:11 NKJV
Are You struggling with depression? Are You unhappy right now?
The answer to that sorrow is always found in God.
Are You hoping in God?
Are You praising Him?
If not, Do so.
God brings us the help needed and pours joy into our lives. He is our God.
Lastly, howevcr, if He isn’t YOUR God, you can easily go to him, CONFESS JESUS AND YOUR SINS and make GOD yours.
Your life now and for all eternity hangs in the balance.
Then, thank Him, and whole-heartedly follow and obey Him all of your days.
His song shall be with YOU.