Dear Precious Friends,
On this beautiful new day, I pray you are embracing the precious gift we have been given thanking the Lord for opening our eyes, giving us life and giving us a new day....such a gift. With all that is happening in our world, and all that we have walked through these past few years, it is so great to be reminded that joy still comes in the morning... For many, a time of weeping is here now. Perhaps a family member battles illness or has passed away. Maybe a job has been lost, or an adult child has turned their back on us or the faith. As a result, circumstances feel dark, as if the night has landed for good. But Scripture promises this is not true.
Let us peak at the context of this scripture:
Psalm 30 was written by David. In His commentary on the Bible, Matthew Henry writes, “This is a psalm of thanksgiving for the great deliverances which God had wrought for David, penned … upon his recovery from a dangerous fit of sickness, which might happen to be about the time of the dedication of his house.”
The Psalm begins with David praising God and thanking Him for not allowing his enemies to rejoice over him. He also thanks God for healing him after he cried out to Him for help. He sings praises to God and encourages others to do the same. Then comes our key verse, “For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5, NASB).
The word used here for joy is the Hebrew word rinnah. It means “ringing cry of entreaty, supplication” or “ringing cry in proclamation, joy, praise.” Can you feel the tension in this word? It’s both a cry of prayer and a praise. It’s a powerful word, a powerful concept. It shows that joy is found not after pain, not after everything is made right but in the midst of it. The only way this is possible is because of the work of the Lord. He is the only one who can enter our pain and fill us with joy.
Night might linger, but dawn is coming. It will burst forth with hope and life and light, and when it does, oh, the joy that will enter our souls, such joy we won’t be able to keep it in. We’ll shout and dance and sing God’s praises, every tear but a distant memory. A memory that not only will never dampen our celebration but will in fact make it all the sweeter.
Why does joy come in the morning? Because the night will always pass, and God’s grace falls afresh with the dawn of every new day. Hold tight to that truth and stand, like a watchman, anxiously awaiting the break of dawn, because it is sure to come. Here is a beautiful prayer by Debbie McDaniel called a prayer for joy:
A Prayer for Joy in the Morning
We confess our need for you, for your Spirit to fill our lives afresh with great joy and strength. The hard times can often leave us feeling dry and defeated. We’ve been weary and burdened. We’ve struggled through for so long, it’s hard to see light at the end of the tunnel anymore. Would you please give us a glimpse of your goodness again, reminding us that you have never left us and that you have promised to see us through. Thank you for your faithfulness Lord. Forgive us for not trusting you, for buying into the lies of the enemy, and not focusing on what we know to be true from your word. Breathe your joy and peace into our lives again, cover us in the shadow of your wings, shine the light of your truth over us.
At the start of each day, help us to recognize you above all else. Enlighten the eyes of our heart that we might see you and notice how you're at work through our lives. Give us wisdom to make the best choices, fill us with a desire to seek after you more than anything else. Please allow your Spirit and power to work mightily within us, through us, again, fresh and new. Thank you that you are greater than anything we may face in our day, or in these difficult seasons. Thank you that your presence goes with us, and that your joy is never dependent on our circumstances; but it is our true and lasting strength, no matter what we might be up against in this world. We ask that your Spirit lead us, that your peace would guard our hearts and minds in you. We ask for your grace to cover our lives, and that you would bring us through every dark season with your joy and favor. We love you Lord. We need you today, and always.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
