Make Me to Hear Joy

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 51:8
Psalters: 166, 269, 27, 143
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
  1. The loss of joy.
    1. One of the serious consequences of sin is a loss of joy and the experience of misery.
    2. It is most serious to be without joy, without God’s shining face on us.
      1. To be joyless is a grievous burden, and is often the reason for self-injury, self-hurt, and even suicide.
      2. David describes his miserable condition (loss of joy) as his bones being crushed - not just broken (Ps. 32:3).
    3. All sin affects our body’s vigor by taking away our joy and giving us misery.
      1. When we are robbed of spiritual joy, then our physical life suffers and is adversely affected.
      2. Prov. 17:22 describes a broken spirit dries up the bones and a merry heart doeth good like medicine.
  2. David goes to God with this request for joy.
    1. God lets His children experience some of the fruit of their sin so that they will fly back to Him. His hand is heavy on him.
      1. Joylessness is God’s judgment on the sinner.
      2. This joylessness and misery is guilt!!
    2. It is God’s will that the believer not remain in misery.
    3. David is seeking the joy of salvation from sin’s guilt.
      1. It was God who crushed him, so the return of joy is and must come from God.
      2. This joy, which animates one’s soul, is forgiveness and deliverance from the guilt of sin.
  3. Joy is obtained by our “hear”ing. We “hear” joy.
    1. Joy is not found in wine, drugs, riches, fame, success.
    2. It is obtained in hearing of divine pardon and the assurance of God’s love and favor.
    3. The Lord’s Supper is one of God’s words, confirming the removal of all of our sins in the crucified Jesus.