Morning Thoughts on
Psalm 118:24 |
|
Elder
Phillip N. Conley |
Psalm
118:24, "This is the day which the LORD hath made; we
will rejoice and be glad in it."Psalm 118:24, "This is the
day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in
it."
This
morning, there is much in the world to get us down. These
days, folks that are generally gloomy are now even moreso,
folks that are generally indifferent are now more gloomy,
and folks that are generally chipper are now losing that
spring in their step and sunny twinkle in their outlook.
While some people are more prone to smiles and twinkles than
others in their general disposition, there is a sense in
which gladness should be had by all of us every day no
matter the circumstances that we face or the general mood
that engulfs the world we live in. To understand why this
should be, we need to understand first what gladness truly
is, and then understand where it comes from and how it is
focused. In learning these two things, we can then proceed
to be glad in every day that have regardless of what is
happening around us.
When
speaking about human emotions, the old adage applies very
well, "If you don't like it now, wait a bit. It'll change."
Human emotions change sometimes at the drop of a hat, and
for this reason, true spirituality, growth, and development
cannot be based on emotion nor measured by such. Indeed, it
would be a wonderful circumstance if all of our spiritual
development came with happiness, and was attended by
pleasant scenes. Thank God that we have such times, but we
will not continually have such times. Therefore, since we
will experience loss, sadness, and unfortunately anxiety and
worry, we need to understand how spirituality is measured
and how we should perceive it. The Psalmist here declares
that we should be glad in this day that the LORD has made.
What exactly is gladness? Gladness or being glad is almost
synonymous with joy or being joyful. The words are very
similar in meaning and sometimes the same Hebrew word is
translated to either gladness or joy. We have many times
laboured to show the difference between human happiness and
spiritual joy or gladness, but the difference bears
repeating as many today still fail to understand the
difference. Happiness is one of those changing, fleeting
human emotions. Happiness is governed and tied to
circumstance, and therefore, it will be painfully absent
during times of sorrow, stress, or anger. Joy or gladness,
on the other hand, is tied to the work of the Spirit within
the hearts of His people. As joy is a fruit of the Spirit
(Galatians 5:22-23), it is something that is not tied to
natural circumstance or situation, but is tied to the
regeneration of God's people. We have the capacity to
exhibit love, joy, peace, etc in ANY circumstance in life.
Whether experiencing ups or downs, we can show forth true
gladness of heart, for the heart contains that well of water
springing up into eternal life. (John 4:13-14)
Therefore, since being glad in a day is not governed by
circumstance, the Psalmist's words are applicable to any day
of our life. Gladness may be experienced in a manifest way
by God's people that seek to daily work out what He has
worked in. (Mark 8:34, Philippians 2:12-13) Now that we have
investigated what gladness is to see where it comes from and
what it is, we need to see how gladness is focused to
understand our daily chart for living with gladness at the
forefront of each day. How do we keep gladness of heart
firmly placed in every day no matter the trial? Looking at
the Psalmist's context to this verse will provide a profound
answer to this question. Let us briefly see how the Psalmist
builds to this point.
The opening of this Psalm shows the Psalmist's comparison to
having the Lord and not having Him. Indeed, having Him on
our side is far superior to any other circumstance. Trusting
Him for all of our needs is far superior than trusting man
in any sense. The Lord is more merciful, for far longer,
than any other being in the universe. (Verses 1-5) What or
whom shall we fear with the Lord on our side? All our
enemies will come to ruin. They will come to nought since
the Lord is our strength, song, and salvation. (Verses 6-14)
Finally, rejoicing (being glad or joyful) is found in the
tabernacles of the righteous. Why is this? The LORD has
saved us by His own hand, and He has kept us from falling.
Though He chastens us, yet will our lives not be given over
to a death of separation from Him. He upholds and keeps us,
for He has saved us Himself. (Verses 15-21)
For all of these things, it would be a great benefit to
focus on them to experience gladness. However, consider that
some of these things mentioned are circumstances that we
will encounter. While we should be glad in them, we cannot
focus on them to receive the gladness. All of these things
are building to where our focus should be. The Psalmist
begins to open the tapestry of thought in this building's
wall by talking about our salvation. How was that
accomplished? How did the LORD save us? Verse 16 talks about
the LORD'S hand, specifically His right hand doing the work.
That begins to open into a prophesy that we today should
have full understanding of, and with that understanding, the
focus to look at every day with gladness of heart.
Verses 22-23 say, "The stone which the builders refused
is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD'S
doing; it is marvellous in our eyes." This prophesy is
specifically repeated by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
in Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10-11, and Luke 20:17. It is then
repeated by Peter in Acts 4:10-11. Therefore, five instances
of this prophesy in New Testament Scriptures all point this
prophecy, unequivocally, to the coming of Christ, His work,
and the sureness of that fact. Consider the prophecy itself.
It speaks, by inference, of a day too. This is the day that
the Lord has come. He has come to do what no one else could
do. He was going to be laid as the chief cornerstone, elect,
precious, and tried (proven). (Isaiah 28:16) This day was a
day that the prophets and Old Testament saints looked to.
The day of atonement looked to it year after year. The
sacrifices pointed to it daily. This day was a marvelous day
in the eyes of God's faithful.
The
reason this is marvelous is because it is God's work. He has
done it, and who shall stop it? Not one. He has saved, and
who hath prevented Him? Not one. He has come! What more
reason to be joyful and full of gladness than that? The
Psalmist says, in that day, that they can be joyful and glad
just looking forward to the day when this will come to pass.
How much more joy and gladness can and should we have today
knowing that it has come to pass? Indeed, this news and
focus should keep every day in bright refulgence of having
another day of service to the One that loved me and gave
Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) Paul exhorts that if one
does not love Jesus Christ the Lord, let him be "Anathema
Maranatha." (I Corinthians 16:22) This statement means
let him be accursed (anathema) for the Lord has and will
come (maranatha). Paul was living, as we are today, in the
light of the knowledge that our love, our doctrine, our
life, and our all in all is built upon the fact that the
Lord has come, and He will yet come again.
What will today bring? I have little idea. My best guess is
generally not even half right. What will tomorrow bring? I
have even less idea. Will there even be a tomorrow for me?
Whatever days I have left, my course for every day is simple
(not to be confused with easy, as easy and simple are not
always synonymous). Gladness of heart is in order, for the
day is the Lord's. He made it. My rejoicing and gladness is
in knowing that it is His, and my focus is on that
marvellous work that He laid in Zion when His Son came as
the cornerstone of His family. None can shake it and not one
can perish or be lost from Him, including me personally.
What can man do to me? What is worth my worry to the neglect
of being glad in Him and His day? With Christ as our focus,
we can forget about those things which are behind and ever
look before us with joy pressing toward that mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Philippians 3:13-14) |