Psalm 21:6-7 (NIV)
"Sure you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High he will not be shaken."
I certainly hesitate to write of joy, since I've never been a particularly joyful person, at least not since childhood. For some reason, joy doesn't seem to flow through my veins, and when I see promises of joy in the Bible, I have to wonder if somehow I've missed the boat.
Still, the Bible's promise for believers to know joy is clear for all to see, and if we are to embrace the truth of God's word, we need to believe in faith that joy is given to us—without exception. Maybe we just need to find it!
In Psalm 21, David embraces the blessings God gave him as king—victories over Israel's enemies in battle, filling the desires of his heart, giving him a lasting kingship, and bestowing on him a long life. Finally, David declares the blessing of joy which comes from God's eternal presence.
While few of us will be able to rightfully declare these same blessings in life, David shows us that one of the keys to embracing joy is listing the blessings God has already given us. By making the effort to open our eyes and thank the Lord for the good things in our lives, we can't help but know joy.
As the old hymn says, we need to count our blessings and name them one by one. And whether we see our blessings as great or small, we can know they are given directly from God, showing us his love.
In these specific verses, David describes God's blessings as having no end, being for all of life, and then into eternity--not that David's kingdom wouldn't have trouble, for they certainly came upon Israel even during his day--but that when people embrace God's presence, they will know a joy that has no end. God's presence is unfailing.
For those who love Jesus Christ, this blessing of God's presence is eternal. We just need to open our hearts to it, embracing this blessing in our life.
This will surely bring us joy.
No comments:
Post a Comment