photo by John Taylor
Of all the authors in the bible, David is my go-to guy when I am feeling down. David had a remarkable way of pouring out his sorrow to the Lord eloquently. He wasn’t afraid to be real.
What appeals to me about David’s writings is that no matter how miserable he was, no matter how hopeless and desperate it all seemed, he always ended up praising God. David knew where he stood with the Lord.
While certainly not one of his darker psalms, in Psalm 16 David still implies that not everything is ideal. He is in need of protection (v. 1, 8, 9), surrounded by idol worshipers (v. 4), and perhaps even has insomnia (v. 7)! But his focus is not on these things.
David affirms that all the good he has is in the Lord (v. 2), that he delights in fellow believers (v. 3), that God is his refuge (v. 1) and his counselor (v. 7), the giver of knowledge (v. 11), and much more. The Lord is David’s inheritance (v. 5-6). He even foreshadows the coming Savior (v. 8-10).
In the final verse of Psalm 16, David proclaims to God:
… in your presence there is fullness of joy …
As we continue to explore the fruits of the spirit together, this week we have turned our attention to joy. If asked to define joy, I think most people would equate joy with happiness. But I believe that there is a profound distinction between human happiness, and joy that is a fruit of abiding in Christ.
Unlike happiness, joy is not dependent upon circumstance. David was able to find joy in the Lord even in the midst of his many trials. So was Paul:
I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:12-13
A few weeks ago we studied John 15:1-11 as we explored the benefits of abiding. Jesus taught the disciples that the way to abide in Him is to keep His commandments. The result?
... that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. – John 15:11b
As I looked at John 15:11 alongside these verses…
… in your presence there is fullness of joy … – Psalm 116:11
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13
… I began to contemplate what it means to have fullness of joy. A little word study helped me flesh out the meaning of this phrase.
The Hebrew word used in Psalm 16:11 is soba. Soba means to be filled, to be satisfied, often with abundance. Along with the word it is derived from (saba), it is mostly used elsewhere in the Old Testament to refer to a full stomach.
The Greek word used both in John 15:11 and Romans 15:13 is pleroo. Pleroo taken literally means to fill up. It is used in Matthew 13:48 to talk about filling a net full of fish, and in Luke 3:5 when quoting Isaiah saying “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low…”
The images of an empty stomach, an empty net, an empty valley… all made me think of that emptiness we each have within.
Blaise Pascal, mathematician and philosopher (1623-1662), wrote this in his Pensées:
What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.
When I choose to abide in Christ by keeping His commandments through living a life of loving, He fills that empty place with His joy. Fills it until I am satisfied. Fills it abundantly!
Can you relate to the idea of a God-sized hole within?
Have you experienced being filled with the joy of the Lord even in difficult circumstances?
What did you learn in your study of joy this week?
I’ve learned through this passage that my joy in the Lord will come from trusting in the Lord.
All the truths, promises, commands are centered on trusting God to protect me and lead me.
Amen, Sheena!
Thank you Patti. I enjoyed your thought comparing happiness and joy..you said unlike happiness joy is not dependent on circumstances ….so true. I always loved the saying : Happiness isn’t having what you want but wanting what you have … happiness doesnt come from things, we can’t buy it or sell it. I believe true happiness comes from the joy we get from the Lord. There is true joy felt when we are walking in His way. When we give up our own will to willingly follow His, he in turn sends us His Holy Spirit and there is no joy in the world that compares to the joy of the Lord . Thank you again.
It is so true. Earthly happiness seems so shallow once you’ve experienced the joy of the Lord!
Thank you for the reminder, Patti, that we can experience joy in all circumstances. The most incomprehensible time of joy I ever experienced was when my youngest was critically ill. At one point in the ER, as it looked like I would never hold her again, the Lord literally brought me to my knees and filled my mouth with praises to Him. I’ve never experienced anything so counter intuitive and so completely right at the same time. The Lord is to be praised!
What a moving image! And such mercy for you to experience that joy in a time of great need. He is so good to us!
“To be satisfied, often with abundance.” I love that definition, Patti. We are empty, and he fills us to overflowing.
I can’t say I always feel that though, but I know that his joy is a fruit that will continue to grow the more I trust in him.
I like the connection David makes between joy and being in the Lord’s presence. May I learn to depend more and more on the Lord for every good thing. He is the source of full joy and pleasure.
Yes, being in His presence, it completes us, doesn’t it? We are filled full with Him and the emptiness is no more. I agree, it doesn’t always feel that way, because we have to choose to be in His presence. I imagine in heaven we will be eternally filled up to overflowing!!
This was an intersting passage to read. The beginning of one verse really stuck out to me. It says: “Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god” (vs. 4). If I am pursuing or chasing after anything other than God, if He is not my top priority, then I will have the exact opposite of joy–sorrow, multiple sorrows.
So as many others have said, I must trust in God. I have to put my complete trust in Him by continuing to seek Him, read His word, do all things in prayer, hasten after Him. In Him is where my joy lies!
Still enjoying this study!!!
Great point! If we turn TO Him we receive joy, if we turn AWAY, not only do we lack joy, we actually receive sorrow. Thanks Stacie!
Your post really blessed me today. Answered a lot of questions I’ve had about joy (and would have taken me AWHILE to research!). :) Thank you.
Thank you for stopping by, Caroline. The Abiding Fruit bible study has been such a blessing! So thankful for it.
I have so been learning this Truth. That my joy is not in what I have or in temporal happiness, but in the wanting what I’ve been given…contentment in the now. I was so blessed by your post. Thanks for adding more thought to my study.
“Contentment in the now.” YES! I have been thinking about this much lately also. Thanks for your encouragement Sallie.
I love this about David, too: “David had a remarkable way of pouring out his sorrow to the Lord eloquently. He wasn’t afraid to be real.”
Beautiful post, Patti. When we abide in Him, He fills us with immeasurable joy. It seems God delights in us experiencing His joy, doesn’t it?
I was reminded yet again in verse 5 (“LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.”) how God is both what fills us and how we receive that filling. He provides every good thing! How can we not experience joy when we keep our eyes on Him as David describes, right?
“It seems God delights in us experiencing His joy”… this is something that never ceases to amaze me… that the God of the universe would delight over little me in any way. But you’re right! He does delight in each of His children!
“God is both what fills us and how we receive that filling”… I love this, it is perfect completion.