Psalms 89: 15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. 16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. 17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
Psalms was the songbook, the prayer book and scripture for the Jews. Now when we read it along with the New Testament we can recognize what God gave to those who by faith were looking forward to the Messiah. We can read and sing them as we consider what Jesus did. They didn’t understand but they believed. We don’t have complete understanding but like them we follow the Word of God. Don’t be too concerned about what you don’t understand yet; believe what you do understand.
Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. The only way to enjoy life deeply from the heart and soul is to know Jesus Christ as Savior. We know those around us as family, born again believers. We all have faults and weaknesses. But we have a Savior. In our times of suffering we know the joyful sound. When you know who speaks from heaven and that he has his hand on your life, it is good. Sometimes we complain too much and give thanks too little. At best we’re children but we should be growing up children. When I was growing up my brothers and sisters and I had fights but we were family. I now have fellowship with people just like me—saved by the grace of God and struggling with the devil. When I struggle I need to remember you are as well. The devil is our adversary and he doesn’t want us to hear the joyful sound and enjoy our salvation. He knows he’ll never be saved or go to heaven so he makes it a point to take the joy and enjoyment of being a Christian out of your heart and mine. After David sinned he asked the Lord this: restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. God’s salvation. It is my salvation because I know it’s God’s. I can have full confidence in God’s way because it’s the only place to have a better way. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. We have no reason not to be happy.
Does it thrill your soul when you hear the sound? Does it still bring a thank you? Jesus is between you and the devil; rejoice and call his name. We suffer defeat when we let the devil steal our joy. You can’t pretend when something spiritual is going wrong. It will show by the joy-less-ness in us. We can sense when something is wrong. That should prompt us to pray. Are you bitter? Complaining? Does the sound seem empty or low? There’s nothing wrong with the sound of the Lord. It’s a wonderful sound and if it doesn’t make you happy something’s wrong. We sense it when others are down. Have you ever felt the pressing of the Lord to give someone a call? Maybe you’ve been there and gotten a card or a call. It’s a blessing.
The devil can put a counterfeit sound out there. The Bible says there is no shadow of turning with God. We see the moon change during all its phases. We know why it happens. James tells us that God is the same all the time. We’d not be here but for the star in the universe we call the sun. We’d also not be here but for the SON of God who created all things. He doesn’t need to change his sound.
In Second Thessalonians many people got saved from their lives of wickedness. They didn’t want to keep it to themselves. Paul said they sounded out the gospel to the regions around them. They were unafraid of the Romans or the other cultures. Because of this other people were saved. The preaching of the cross convicts men of sin, the innocent for the guilty. The sound of the gospel brings the sound of new birth. Don’t be sad. Recognize the voice of the Shepherd. The devil has many voices. Don’t listen. God made it plain as to how to be forgiven and born again. It is through the suffering and death of God’s own son on the cross. Those who lived in faith to the point of his death and those who have accepted it since were born again. In the cross be our glory ever. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. The sounds of agony from the Son of God brought forth the joyful sound.
Shame on us if we’re not happy. Don’t blame God. Don’t blame others or the devil. Just say to yourself that you’re taking Jesus for granted. He loved us and gave himself for us on the cross. We can do what verse 15 says. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. We can walk in the light and be satisfied.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 