“O Lord… you have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:7-8
Lord Jesus, what a bold affirmation from King David at a time when his own son, Absalom, was seeking to take his life. Nothing has to change for us to have your joy in the depths of our hearts. It’s not that your joy replaces all sadness, fear, and anger. Rather, your joy “de-weaponizes” those important emotions.
Your joy, which is our strength, enables us to bring our feelings to you. Whatever makes us sad, anxious, and angry isn’t ultimate. Only you are, Jesus, and your will for us and the entire cosmos. We can lie down and sleep in the peace of knowing you are with us and for us. Nothing can separate us from your love, diminish your delight in us, or silence your singing over us. Nothing.
We can live each day in the safety of knowing not a hair can fall from our heads, not a breath can be snatched from our lungs, not a beat can be missed by our hearts apart from your sovereign purpose and pleasure. Though death remains until you return, you’ve already defeated its “victory” and obliterated its sting (1Cor.15:55). Thank you, Jesus.
The “more joy” (Ps.4:7) you’ve put (and re-stock!) in our hearts is not only greater than having bounteous “grain and wine” (economic prosperity). It’s also greater than us having control over anybody, being adored by anyone, or us getting our way in anything… and that’s saying a lot, Jesus. So Very Amen.