Psalm 51:12
Verse 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
The result of David’s heartfelt repentance was the joy of revival. His spirit was going from dead in his sin to alive in the deepest part of his soul. Our verse today begins with a request for God to restore the king’s joy. David understood it was his sin which had caused his joy to decrease. This is sometimes a hard thing for us to grasp as we tend to take such great pleasure in our sin that we fail to realize the temporary satisfaction we feel is not the joy which can be ours in Christ Jesus.
Joy isn’t just a passing happiness we are able to enjoy when things are going smooth. Happiness is based on what is happening and pleasure can be about what we are enjoying at the moment but joy can weather the storms of life. Joy doesn’t depend on the circumstances but the One walking through them with us. By asking God to restore his joy, David was showing he knew God alone is the real joy giver.
It isn’t that God is just handing out joy to random people, joy can be ours when we are standing in alignment with Him. This joy is in God’s salvation, it is a fruit of the Spirit in us and therefore can only be known in full when we are called to be His and are living in accord to His will. By asking for his joy to be restored, David was requesting God’s great forgiveness and help in living in full surrender to the Spirit.
But the restoration of his joy isn’t the only thing King David requested of the Lord following his repentance, he also asked for a wiling spirit to sustain him in his faithfulness to the King of Kings. David knew the pain of disobedience and now wanted God’s help in ready obedience for every moment and situation.
Having experienced the joy of his salvation, David didn’t want to mess it up with selfish desires again. A willingness to obey God in every moment of our lives is something we should all want. It is in this willingness we will find revival in our hearts. That revival will bring us to an ever-growing joy which may spark something in those around us.
Making It Personal
What is your joy level? Do you have a willingness to obey Him in every way? What if His will goes against yours?
Making It Personal Kids
What do you think joy is like? Do you have joy in your life? How willing are you to obey Jesus in every possible way?
Closing Prayer
Father, we repent of the times we aren’t as willing as we should be to obey and therefore miss out on the joy You offer. Grant us a willing spirit to do all You say. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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