VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
In Ps 5:11, David wrote, “But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.”
This Psalm of David was a prayer, v.1-3. In verses 4-6 David wrote that God has no pleasure in wickedness, he hates the workers of iniquity, and he’ll destroy them that speak leasing. In verse 9 he described their wickedness and in verse 10 he asked the Lord to destroy them and let them fall by their own counsels. But David’s request for the righteous, verse 11-12, is that the Lord would let them rejoice, let them shout for joy, and let them be joyful in him.
David asked the Lord to let them:
Expect joy – “let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice.” When you trust in the Lord you should expect to rejoice. Jesus did in Heb 12:2, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame.” In the hymn, Trust and Obey, we sing, “For the favor he shows, And the joy he bestows, Are for them who will trust and obey.” We often are reluctant to trust the Lord because of concern about the future or out of worry about what it might cost us. This is what keeps some people from getting saved. But according to this Psalm, you should expect joy when you trust the Lord. In Jn 16:21, expectant mothers know that they will go through travail in delivery. Yet they endure it because of the joy they expect with the birth of their child. Live expecting joy.
Express joy – “let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them.” Expressing joy through praising the Lord is one of the greatest ways to face your trials. In 2 Chr 20:22, Jehoshaphat and Judah faced the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir. Jahaziel the prophet had assured Judah that they were not going to have to fight in this battle because the Lord would save them. And Jehoshaphat and Judah believed him. So, instead of fighting, “they began to sing and to praise.” And the Lord defended them. He set ambushments against these armies and they destroyed themselves.
There are some people who face every trial, every adversity, every battle, every set back, every opponent, and every difficulty under a black cloud. It’s just “Woe is me,” in every fight. And David’s prayer is that we would not look at the wickedness of the wicked, but rather at the mercy, fear, righteousness, and way of the Lord, Ps 5:7-8. And he prayed that the Lord would let us shout for joy because the Lord defends us. Ps 111:1 says, “Praise ye the Lord, I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.” Live expressing joy.
Experience joy – “let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.” He said, “be joyful.” Paul said, “Rejoice evermore,” 1 Thes 5:16. Pastor Roger Hoots said, “To rejoice is a choice.” He also said, “I don’t want to be hopeless in the darkness of my mind; I want to be hopeful in the light of God’s word.” David Schroeder said three things, “One, I rejoice every morning when I wake up; I’ve been given another day. Two, I realize that I only have so much time; I make the most of each day. Three, I enjoy a good day; it feels good to feel good. People who have never felt as bad as I do after chemo don’t realize how good it feels to feel good.”
When you are joyful in the Lord, that joy fills your being. Joy is the fruit of the Spirit, Gal 5:22, and we are to be filled with the Spirit, Eph 5:18. Granted, sometimes we are down because we are under the chastening hand of the Lord. Heb 12:11 says, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous.” But afterwards “it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.” Like a child, we are to bounce back in joy and be joyful. Live experiencing joy.
Conclusion: we have something in Jesus Christ that the world doesn’t have. We have joy. Trust in the Lord and rejoice. Shout for joy and let the Lord defend you. Be joyful in the Lord. That’s the testimony of Christians to this world. No matter what the world does, we should never let them steal our joy.