August 3, 2015
Worship: Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee (Michael W. Smith
version, Casting Crowns version)
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!
Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.
(from Biblesoft Hymnal, PC Study Bible electronic database Copyright ©
2003-2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All
rights reserved.)
Personal: Trained at work most of the day. I am tired because I didn't get
quite enough sleep the night before. Have been struggling with doubts when
driving home. Did some errands and went to the bank; ate and listened to two
messages, but fell asleep on the second. Woke up and saw my wife had finally
messaged me, but it was too late. She hasn't read my response, so she is
probably asleep. I was going to go to bed but felt guilty not having my quiet
time. Spent time in prayer and waited for a long time to hear from God on a
hymn. My prayer time had been spent in crying out to the Lord about my doubts
and fears concerning salvation and the cross and whether I was His child.
Finally, the title of Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee came to mind so I said okay
because I had waited quite a while to hear from God. I listened to MWS's
version first and began to feel uplifted, but it wasn't until I listened to
Casting Crown's version that I discovered God's purpose in choosing this song.
As I was listening, the word's "Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive
the dark of doubt away" jumped into my consciousness. So here was God's
purpose. To drive doubt out and bring Joy in!
Word: Ps 22:3
Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the praise of Israel.
NIV
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004
by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale
House Publishers. All rights reserved.
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
ASV
[But thou art holy] Thou art righteous and blameless. This indicates that the sufferer had still unwavering confidence in God. Though his prayer seemed not to be heard, and though he was not delivered, he was not disposed to blame God. He believed that God was righteous, though he received no answer; he doubted not that there was some sufficient reason why he was not answered. This is applicable, not only to the Redeemer, in whom it was most fully illustrated, but also to the people of God everywhere. It expresses a state of mind such as all true believers in God have-confidence in him, whatever may be their trials; confidence in him, though the answer to their prayers may be long delayed; confidence in him, though their prayers should seem to be unanswered.
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
This is the perfect verse to go to sleep on. David and our Lord, despite
troubles, trusted in God the Father. Here the verse should be translated: "enthroned
on the praises of Israel" NLT or "inhabitest
the praises of Israel." ASV
O Lord, who dwells in the midst of praise, enthroned and lifted up as
it were, by the praise of your people; I praise You, for You have heard my cry
and comforted me. I was sinking in despair; not feeling forsaken so much as
fearing I was forsaking You. Never-the-less, You listened to my cry and did not
abandon me, Your child, but bent down low to drive the dark clouds of doubt
away from my eyes. Hallelujah! What a Savior. Amen!
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