Worship in Word:
As I alluded to in my last Journal entry, the words I chose to use in my outlines on Psalm 32 reflect the “external reaction and internal response of God’s people to who God is and all that He has done.” I then recounted what I believed this Psalm revealed about who God is and the actions he takes towards His people and the “wicked.”
However, I want to return to the keywords found in verse 11. In verse 11, I believe David is using synonymous parallelism. A synonymous parallelism is:
A feature of biblical poetry where the successive lines repeat, reinforce, and expand on the previous line. Mangum, D. (2014). The Lexham Glossary of Theology. Lexham Press.
Thus, “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,” is followed by the clause “and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” Both are essentially saying the same thing, but the second clause in this case clarifies the action the “righteous” are exhorted to do.
Two verbs are imperatives: “Be glad” (“Delight” in my outline) and “rejoice”(“Celebrate”), which correspond with the phrase “shout for joy” in the second clause. The phrase “be glad,” to me, represents the internal feeling that overflows into the external response, which is to “rejoice.” But how are we to rejoice? The second clause tells us. We are to rejoice by shouting for joy* (ESV, KJV, NIV) or singing (NIV).
I will not get bogged down here on why there is a difference in translation. Both translations are possible. In today’s church in America, we are more likely to sing than to shout in most settings. That may not be so in another part of the world, nor in the day when David lived. The point is that the internal gladness is not to be quenched, but to flow out into external, verbalized joy! Both in the “decently and in order” (1 Cor 14:40 ESV) of a Sunday service and spontaneously in our private devotions or amongst a small group of believers worshiping together.
Yet the how is not as important as the who. I’m not referring to the people doing the rejoicing – that is obviously the “upright in heart” – but the object of their shouting or singing. The Who here is the LORD (Yahweh). All our gladness and rejoicing are “in the LORD.” I believe this little phrase conveys more than just the object of our joyful worship; it also conveys the subject of our worship.
That God is the object and subject of our worship sounds too obvious to mention. However, how often do we place ourselves as the object in worship? You may ask, “When do we do that?” When we limit our worship to rejoicing only in what God has done for us, but fail to rejoice that He would even condescend to do anything for us at all. Worship that makes the LORD the object and subject is done in humble gratitude for the grace and mercy of God. Is that not one of the main points of Psalm 32?
*One word in Hebrew
Worship in Witness:
It isn’t easy to talk about rejoicing at the moment. My heart is grieving today over the loss of a Christian brother who was, first of all, a follower of Christ and outspoken in his sharing of the gospel to crowds of young people on college and university campuses. He was a devoted husband, father, and champion of the truth.
I will not try to analyze the motives of those who are gleeful and celebrate the death of Charlie Kirk. Suffice it to say, it can be summed up by the motive of hate and a spiritual darkness that is spreading over this country, fueled by the chief architect of evil, the devil himself.
But joy and rejoicing cannot be the activity and attitude of God’s people only when things are going well. That is evident from this psalm (see verses 6-7) as well as the witness of the rest of Scripture. By example and by verse, the Bible reveals numerous instances of rejoicing, even in the most dire situations.
For Instance, the prophet Habakkuk trembled at the coming invasion of the land of Judah where he dwelt. Yet he was able to declare even in the midst of coming suffering, these words found in chapter 3:
17 Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.
Hab 3:17–18 NIV (2011)
He could do this because of God’s actions in the past:
2 LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Hab 3:17–18 NIV (2011)
And thus he could pray:
3 Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known;
in wrath remember mercy.
Hab 3:17–18 NIV (2011)
And as he prayed, he burst out in a psalm of remembrance of God’s mighty acts in delivering His covenant people (see Habakkuk 3:3-15).
12 In wrath you strode through the earth
and in anger you threshed the nations.
13 You came out to deliver your people,
to save your anointed one.
Hab 3:12–13 NIV (2011)
It is good to recount the mighty acts of God, both from Scripture and from our own experiences. And not only of ours but from the lives of God’s people, both present and past. Therefore, it is good to recount so that we might be able to rejoice. The faithful acts of God for His people are the fuel that ignites our confident hope in the future. The certainty of the past, coupled with the promise of the future, then leads to perseverance in the present!
Finally, Habakkuk could rejoice because of who God is: “The Sovereign LORD” – and what he gives: “strength,” stability (“surefooted), and ability (“able to tread”)
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.
Hab 3:19 NLT (2015)
I could go on and on recounting those who were able to rejoice in times of sorrow or suffering. Of the apostles in Acts 5:41 rejoicing even after being flogged at the command of the Sanhedrin:
They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts 5:40b-42 NIV (1984)
Or how Paul and Silas, when beaten, put in stocks, and thrown in the depths of prison, could still worship:
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:22-25 NIV (1984)
And just one more example, because this section is growing quite long (add your own examples):
3 We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. 4 Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; 5 in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; 6 in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; 7 in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; 8 through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; 9 known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; 10 sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. 2 Cor 6:3-10 NIV (1984)
These were all living out their lives in obedience to Scripture:
Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him;
let all the upright in heart praise him! Ps 64:10 NIV
- Despite the “evil plans… devised” by the “evil doers.” (See verses 1-9
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Phil 4:4 NIV
- Exhorts the Apostle Paul from prison
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-5 NIV
- Because suffering has a purpose
Witness in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise
Lasting Glory
Trials will terminate
Suffering will cease
But oh, what lasting glory we will have
At the coming of the Prince of Peace
Mixed Tears
We shed tears when someone dies
Humanity mourns and humanity cries
But for believers, mixed with the tears are sorrow and joy
And a hope which death cannot destroy
Who sorrow not as those without hope
Without the Lord’s comfort to help them cope
But with the promise of resurrection and life eternal
They rejoice in hope of a future life supernal.
Amen
All Things
Lord,
All things are from Thy hand
Even the things I don’t understand
All my days are written by Thee
My life is embraced by Thy sovereignty
Days of pain
and
days of sadness
Days of gain
and
days of gladness
These are chapters in my story
All for my good and for THY GLORY!
Amen
With The Lord by NONAH
When you stand at Heaven’s gate
And the world is in the rear view
When you meet him face to face
And the sting of death’s behind you
When the pain you felt is left back in the grave
And you’re with the One for whom your soul has ached
You were made to dance
Forever in His hands
You don’t have to cry anymore
This is what He died for
You were made to fly
To look Him in the eyes
You don’t have to cry anymore
You’re with the Lord
You’ll behold the King of Kings
The Cornerstone of Zion
And for all eternity
You’ll praise the Lamb, the Lion
When the pain you felt is left back in the grave
And you’re with the one for whom your soul has ached
You were made to dance
Forever in His hands
You don’t have to cry anymore
This is what He died for
You were made to fly
To look Him in the eyes
You don’t have to cry anymore
You’re with the Lord
You’ll join the angels singing Holy, Holy
You’ll see the elders casting crowns, He is worthy
With all creation you’ll proclaim
He is glorious, glorious
You’ll join the angels singing Holy, Holy
You’ll see the elders casting crowns, He is worthy
With all creation you’ll proclaim
He is glorious, glorious
You were made to dance
Forever in His hands
You don’t have to cry anymore
You’re with the Lord
Video & Lyrics: https://youtu.be/gKj_xQDH1wc
When I heard this song on Spotify, I thought of Charlie Kirk and told myself to use this song at the end of my journal entry. I guess I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. The video was posted on September 11, one day after his assassination. Many of the comments made the same connection.
QUOTES:
Shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart. (Zeph. 3:14)
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! (Zech. 9:9)
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. (Matt. 5:12)Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (Luke 10:20)
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Rom. 5:2)
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Rom. 12:12)
Rejoice with those who rejoice. (Rom. 12:15)
Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. (Phil. 2:18)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. (Phil. 4:4)
Rejoice always. (1 Thess. 5:16)
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings. (1 Pet. 4:13)
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready. (Rev. 19:7)
Finally, brothers, rejoice. (2 Cor. 13:11)
Wilson, J. C., & Chandler, M. (2012). Gospel deeps: reveling in the excellencies of Jesus. Crossway.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your Col 1:24
we rejoice before our God on your account, 1Th 3:9
Rejoice always; 1Th 5:16
In this you greatly rejoice, 1Pe 1:6
you greatly rejoice with joy 1Pe 1:8
glory you may rejoice with exultation. 1Pe 4:13
will rejoice over them and celebrate; Rv 11:10
“For this reason, rejoice, Rv 12:12
“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you Rv 18:20
Thomas, R. L., The Lockman Foundation. (1998). New American Standard exhaustive concordance of the Bible: updated edition. Foundation Publications, Inc.
Psalms For The Journey 