“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, people who don’t know you might conclude these words from King David are his denial, spiritual spin, or a sign he had too much dinner wine. For he wrote this song when his own son, Absalom, was seeking to take his life.
But, through the riches of grace and in fellowship with you, nothing has to change for us to have your joy, peace, and hope in the depths of our hearts. It’s not that your joy replaces all sadness, fear, and anger. Rather, it contextualizes and “de-weaponizes” those important emotions.
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.
We can live each day in the safety of knowing not one 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.
The “more joy”—using David’s words (Ps.4:7), you put in our hearts isn’t just greater than economic prosperity (“grain and wine”), it’s also greater than being adored by many, the guarantee of never getting cancer or dementia, or having our children rise up and call us awesome. So Very Amen.