“You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.”
– Psalm 4:7
Main Thought: We are reminded by David here that the source of real and true joy is our Lord. David points to what the worldly think will bring them satisfaction or joy, and that is the abundance of the things that they accumulate, in this case, grain and wine. But as we know from looking at the world around us and the history of mankind, what possessions or abundance a person has is never enough to bring lasting happiness and satisfaction. I am reminded of the words of Solomon, who possessed greater riches than any king of Israel’s history, but in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 he writes “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity. When goods increase, they increase who eat them, and what advantage has their owner but to see them with his eyes?” While the world does not understand the source of true satisfaction and joy, David points to the One who gives us joy and is the source of our joy. David credits God for giving him joy and causing him to continue with joy in his soul. In Psalm 16:11, David said that in God’s presence “there is fullness of joy” and in Psalm 43:4 he proclaimed that God is his “exceeding joy” As a child of God, we have been given joy in our souls by God that will last throughout our lives and into all eternity. It does not mean we will never feel sadness or pain, but we know the joy in our souls will never pass away because as God, the source of our joy is eternal, so is that joy. We can have every single earthly comfort taken away from us, but the world cannot take away our joy as a child of God. I am reminded of Paul and Silas, beaten with rods and having many blows inflicted upon them, then thrown into a Philippian jail, in the blackness of night and a prison cell breaking out in singing hymns to God (Acts 16). What was the source of their praises and singing? It was the joy of the Lord that caused their praises; our Lord, the source of eternal joy, was their possession and not the things of this world. This reassures us that we will have joy from praising God in every situation of life and the greater the burden, the more joy our God supplies us with. Do not look enviously upon those with more in this world, as if that gives them lasting joy. No, understand that the joy that God gives exceeds every joy of this world and it is a joy that will never end.
David Webber
David Webber is married to Mary with four children and four grandchildren, and serves as the Pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Longview, TX. He obtained a BS in History from the University of Texas at Tyler, TX, and pursued studies at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX. Throughout his ministry, he has been an invited preacher and educator in numerous churches and various Bible conferences. Surrendering to the gospel ministry’s calling in 1972 at the age of 16, he received preaching licensure from Little Flock Baptist Church in Longview, Texas, in 1974. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in History from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1978, he was ordained in December of 1980 by Faith Baptist Church. Following this, he contributed his services to Faith Baptist in Longview and subsequently engaged with Grace Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, where he instructed Sunday School and delivered sermons as needed. In February of 1994, Faith Baptist invited him to lead as their pastor, a role he has faithfully held to the present day. David writes a blog for the church website and is a writer for The Art of Worship.
More from David Webber
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill all your good pleasure for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Matthew 16:6
“And Jesus said to them, ‘Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” – Matthew 16:6
Philemon 1:7
“For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” – Philemon 1:7
Hebrews 12:5-7
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the LORD, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the LORD loves He disciplines, and He flogs every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” – Hebrews 12:5-7
Isaiah 28:15-16
“Because you have said, ‘We have cut a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have made a pact. The overflowing scourge will not reach us when it passes by. For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have hidden ourselves with lying. Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, ‘Behold I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.” – Isaiah 28:15-16
Psalm 84:11-12
“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.” – Psalm 84:11-12
Psalm 84:1
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!” – Psalm 84:1
Hebrews 2:1
“Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.” – Hebrews 2:1
John 4:13-14
“Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him, will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'” – John 4:13-14
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” – Matthew 4:17