Joy Comes In the Morning

Psalm 30:4–5 (ESV) Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

In the context of the whole Psalm these words come alive. David is rejoicing over God's healing, saving and empowering work in his life. He knows God has done great things for him and he turns it into praise.

But there was a time when David encountered the anger of the Lord. It was short, but it was enough. David repented and sought the mercy of God...

Psalm 30:8–10 (ESV) To you, O LORD, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: 9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me! O LORD, be my helper!”

God did hear, and God did save. God turns his life from mourning over sin to gladness in His righteousness.

I think we miss the Gospel entirely when we forget God's anger with sin.  The Gospel is only Good News in light of the bad news. The bad news is we deserve death. We deserve as everyone else to go down "to the pit". David knew it, and ran to God for mercy. Will we do the same?

You see, the Church is not a bunch of good people sitting down to listen to a better person teaching them how to be better good people! The church is a confessing community. A community that confesses their sin and need for God. That is what makes the Church holy and set apart. Not that we have it together and the world should listen to us. But that we realize the world is broken and the brokenness begins within every one of us. 

Joy comes when we stop acting like we've arrived. It's freeing. It's releasing to know your righteousness doesn't depend on your works but on God's goodness. It's wonderful to stop pretending like we are all that! 

I hear the echo's of Christ's sermon in this Psalm.

Matthew 5:3–6 (ESV) “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

You hunger for what you know you desperately need. You get it when you understand you can't earn it in your poverty. You're comforted by the reality that God freely gives is.

Apart from His grace, those words make no sense. With His grace, they are life and power.