Study These 7 Psalms to Rediscover Your Joy
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During a scene in Phantastes by George MacDonald, the main character Anodos finds himself trapped inside a tower with his terrible shadow. He despairs of ever being able to break free until he hears singing. Pushing open the door, he discovers a familiar face –– a girl he had met in Fairy Land who used to play with a beautiful globe, which he had broken. The child had grown into an adult and had received the gift of song in place of her broken toy. She now uses her gift to free those who are captive, even Anodos who had been responsible for the loss of her beloved globe (Phantastes, W. B. Eerdmans). A song drew him out of his prison and reminded him of the truth: the door of the tower had always been unlocked.
Psalms, the biblical songbook, also has the ability to transform our perspective and remind us of truth. In the Psalms, we find song-prayers that apply to many aspects of life. One such area the Psalms speak into is the common human struggle with despair. We, like Anodos, often find ourselves trapped by emotions and circumstances so that we lament our life. Yet, God’s Word is here to declare a truer reality to us. Finding joy again is not an impossible task. In fact, it may be as close as the turn of a page.
The following seven psalms provide a starting place for studying these biblical songs that remind us of the joy found in knowing our great Creator and Savior.
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1. Psalm 30 – A Song of Dedication
“You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise you forever” (Psalm 30:11-12).
There is debate about whether this psalm was used for the dedication of temple (which occurred after David died), though scholars note that Jews have historically recited the psalm during Hanukkah celebrations to remember the rededication of the temple. The sense of committing the house of the Lord, or at the very least the foundation, to the special purpose of worshipping God fits with the theme of Psalm 30.
David had sinned and turned from the Lord. He experienced the anger of God in his error and felt the Lord’s displeasure. But, as David notes, the Lord’s anger “lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime” (Psalm 30:5). Having returned to God, David was restored and rededicated himself to God’s service. Mourning was swallowed by dancing, as night turns to dawn (Psalm 30:5, 11).
Because of God’s great mercy, we can rejoice. We may encounter sins that cause us to trip and lose our way, but our Lord is there to help us. He is full of kindness and grace, ready to restore His erring children. Such mercy brings joy, compelling us to praise the Lord with song and through the testimony of our lives (Psalm 30:12).
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2. Psalm 42 – Remembering God as Our Hope
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5).
This psalm resonates with many of us. There have been times in which our state of despair stands in contrast to our former joy of delighting in the Lord. We lament, alongside the psalmist, that God seems far away, and we long for Him as a deer pants for water (Psalm 42:1-2).
Troubles and the ridicule of enemies had compelled the writer to despair. Yet, even in those times of hardship, the psalmist reminded himself of the hope he had in the Lord. He spoke to himself, as if reminding a friend that there was still hope: therefore, trust in God and praise Him as Savior (Psalm 42:11). Joy may seem like a distant memory, but there is still hope.
The everlasting love and grace of our Lord gives us reason to praise no matter what we face. Hence, the Apostle Paul urged Christians to rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Knowing the Lord and the living hope that exists because He is alive gives us reason to rejoice despite our circumstances.
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3. Psalm 95 – Praising God as King
“Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1).
Towering mountain peaks, vast seas, long stretches of land, and deep caverns. God is the Maker of them all. The natural world around us testifies to the existence and kingship of the Creator. Not only is this God the One who formed the earth and everything in it, but He created us and provided us with deliverance. He alone is God, King above all other “gods” (Psalm 95:3). The wise will notice His power and heed His call –– instead of refusing to listen as the Israelites did at Massah and Meribah in the wilderness (Psalm 95:8; see also Exodus 17:1-7).
Recognizing the kingship of the Lord grants us greater perspective about our situation. There are forces at work in the world that cause harm, but God is Sovereign. Nothing can thwart His promises and plans. Because of the salvation He freely gives, we can worship Him with happy hearts.
May we remember Him as the true King who made and owns everything. Praising, serving, and knowing Him are the greatest sources of joy we have in life. Even the mountains and seas tell us this is so.
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4. Psalm 98 – Finding Joy in the Coming of the Lord
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” (Psalm 98:4).
Isaac Watts was inspired by this psalm to write the famous hymn “Joy to the World,” which has become a favorite Christmas carol of many. Although many view the hymn as referencing the first coming of Christ, the song and psalm also focus on the Lord’s second coming. We find this evidenced in the mention of the wider salvation of the earth, since the psalmist emphasized how God has revealed His righteousness to the nations or people of the world (Psalm 98:2-3). Also, the psalm specifically places the coming of the Lord in context to the future worldwide judgment (Psalm 98:9).
Joy marks His return. We find references to clapping rivers and singing mountains in this psalm, which are literary devices used to indicate the celebration of Christ’s second coming (Psalm 98:8). And since creation is part of this joyful party, then we should join our voices to the praises, as the psalmist invites us to do: “Oh sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things!” (Psalm 98:1).
Looking forward to the second advent of Christ helps us rediscover joy, for we are reminded that our present troubles, pain, and losses are temporary. A better day awaits us when we will live with our Savior on a renewed earth filled with His righteousness (see 2 Peter 3:13). Meditating on the promise of our Lord’s return gives us hope; as we look forward to this hope, we find renewed joy –– one that joins creation’s song of celebration. As Watts’s hymn says, “Let ev'ry heart prepare him room, And heav'n and nature sing.”
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5. Psalm 100 – A Song of Thanksgiving
“For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation” (Psalm 100:5).
Another psalm which has been set to music is Psalm 100, known as the beloved hymn “Old Hundredth.” Churches often use this hymn when members gather in worship, similar to how those in Old Testament times sang Psalm 100 when they went to the temple to give thanks. We rightly continue the legacy of the song as we encourage others to “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs” (Psalm 100:2).
The song is short, yet beautifully woven throughout it is the theme of gratitude. The Lord alone is God, and we belong to Him as sheep to a shepherd. He is good and loving, attributes that will never change regardless of time or circumstances. For this, the writer of the psalm could give thanks and raise his voice in praise of the Creator and Savior. Recognizing the wonderful gift of knowing, and being known, by God led the psalmist to joyful worship.
By studying this psalm filled with reasons to give thanks, we can start practicing gratitude. What areas of life can we give thanks to God for? How do we see His work even amid challenging times? Turning our thoughts to the wonderful kindness of our Lord refreshes us as we praise Him.
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6. Psalm 126 – Sowing with Tears, Reaping a Harvest with Joy
“Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” (Psalm 126:6).
Returning to Israel after a long exile had seemed like a mere dream to the Israelites. Yet God brought it to pass. After living in Babylon for seventy years, the Jews finally had the opportunity to return, and they rejoiced in God’s work (Psalm 126:1-2). Happiness overwhelmed them as they once again saw their homeland and worked toward its mending.
Mingled with the celebration was a lament for the incomplete restoration. Thus, the people also prayed that the Lord would continue the good work He started. They chose to trust God as they worked in their sorrow, sowing tears with the promise of a harvest in the future (Psalm 126:5). Desolation was not the final theme of their story.
We, too, can draw encouragement from the truth that what we do in service for Christ is never pointless, despite any lack of immediate results. None of us can fully know how the Lord might use a kind word or sacrificial act in the life of another. The harvest might not come in our lifetime, but we can trust that God is working to bring about His will. As Paul told the Galatian church: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
In the meantime, we can rejoice in the opportunity to work in service to our Savior, entrusting the results to Him.
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7. Psalm 147 – Delighting in Daily Provision
“He covers the heavens with clouds, provides rain for the earth, and makes the grass grow in mountain pastures” (Psalm 147:8).
The earth is filled with examples of God’s provision. He sends rain so that grass and plants will grow to feed the people and animals of the world. Nothing is exempt from these common blessings, for even the cattle of the fields and the young ravens in their nests look to the Lord for their food (Psalm 147:9).
Overlooking these blessings is easy to do. As it is, most of us do not usually pause to marvel at the rain or to notice the small miracle of waking up to another day. Perhaps that is where we go astray. The daily blessings, including the small ones, we receive from our Lord are reasons to be thankful.
We can look at the stars we see in the night sky or the weather –– whether clear skies or hailstorms –– and praise the Lord. We can remember God’s faithful love to Israel in days of old, and His grace in building His church in the present age. From the air we breathe to the salvation we have received, there are numerous things in which to find joy.
Studying the Psalms helps us remember these blessings, pointing us back to the work of our Lord. And as we remember, we are led to praise and rejoice in God our Savior, lifting our voices alongside the psalmist: “Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (Psalm 147:1).
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