Psa 104:6-8 “I will be glad in the LORD” – Part 2

Psa 104:6  Thou coveredst it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. 
Psa 104:7  At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away. 
Psa 104:8  They go up by the mountains; they go down by the valleys unto the place which thou hast founded for them. 

It seems like such a simple statement to accomplish “I will be glad in the Lord”, but we know, as with every part of God’s word, that there is a working and unfolding in the hearts of His children which must happen in order to bring about that gladness or joy in the Lord that we all want to partake of and share with each other in “being affectionately desirous” toward each other as it says in these verses:

1Th 2:8  So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
1Th 2:9  For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

We are learning that we cannot have His joy in us if our hearts are looking to find our pleasure or joy in the world, and so God’s elect are being dragged out of those things that don’t bring lasting joy, also defined as the pleasures of sin for a season, to be brought to understand His joy, and how we can be “glad in the Lord” through Christ who is our advocate, who will enable us to overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life [all that is in the world within us (1Jn 2:1-2, 1Jn 2:15-17)].

1Jn 2:1  My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1Jn 2:15  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
1Jn 2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1Jn 2:17  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Faith is what we will need to refuse our Father, the devil, typified by Pharaoh (ref. Heb 11:24 below), and there will be no boasting as we come out of the world by faith if we through the grace typified as Moses who chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God”, to endure the trying of our faith, our fiery trials, our much tribulation, our being crushed under the stone so that we can be “meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work”. Christ must set us free little by little so that we no longer “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” as he brings us to have a greater “respect unto the recompense of the reward”.

Rom 3:27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. [faith that we continue in, and that becomes tried in the fire]

Luk 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken [faith]; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder [tried faith].

2Ti 2:21  If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.
2Ti 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Mat 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

Heb 11:24  By faith Moses [faith], when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God [tried faith], than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. (Heb 12:2)…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. [knowing that same joy which is set before us can be obtained and felt in earnest today is what motivates us through Christ (Php 1:6)]

Deu 7:22  And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee.
Deu 7:23  But the LORD thy God shall deliver them unto thee [faith], and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction [tried faith], until they be destroyed.

Mat 19:27  Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all (1Jn 2:15-17), and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?
Mat 19:28  And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Luk 17:10  So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do. [we must suffer to cease from sinning and that is the process that makes it possible for us to be as He is (1Jn 4:17) and “sit upon twelve thrones” knowing that the enduring to the end and suffering as Christ did is “that which was our duty to do”].

The following are some verses that speak of the joy and gladness that we are able to receive in the Lord as He gets us to that point of being able to rejoice in him even in the midst of diverse temptations (Jas 1:2). I’m hoping these verses will set the stage for the rest of the study that will have us looking at how God creates the conditions in our life through the preparation of our hearts, so that we can receive that precious fruit of the spirit called “joy” that is so integral to our being able to endure through so much tribulation in this life.

Psa 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Joy is connected with repentance and chastening, and that joy is connected with the “glory and honour” that is manifested in our lives after God receives us through chastening and scourging that symbolically “may endure for a night” because we know in reality our trials and the hand of Lord can be on us for many months, or sometimes for half a minute, and in all various manners and degrees to work whatever purpose He is working [like the progressive trials that were put upon Job that typify the process of grace and faith that God’s elect are going through], and again with the end goal of creating within us obedient lives that are able to continue in that obedience and endure unto the end unto his “glory and honour“].

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world (1Jn 2:15-17).

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Isa 13:12  I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
Isa 13:13  Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the LORD of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Rom 5:1  Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Rom 5:3  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. [we are ashamed of the sins that God has allowed to manifest in our life (Rom 6:21), but we will not be ashamed of the gospel which is the power of salvation Lord willing (Rom 1:16)].

God is working through this contrast of good and evil with all of His creation (Isa 45:7).

Joh 16:22  And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you (Joh 8:36).

Psa 4:7  Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.
Psa 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Joh 15:11  These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

Php 2:1  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,
Php 2:2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

1Pe 1:8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

1Ch 16:27  Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place.

Psa 5:11  But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psa 16:11  Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Est 8:6  For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? (this is the reality being expressed in the book of Ester….Mat 24:12, and the answer to being able to “endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people” remains the same Psa 104:15, Php 4:13).

1Ki 8:66  On the eighth day (the new man, represented by the number 8, rejoices) he sent the people away: and they blessed the king, and went unto their tents joyful and glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had done for David his servant, and for Israel his people.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Luk 10:17  And the seventy returned again with joy [faith], saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. Luk 10:18  And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven [tried faith].

Luk 15:6  And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
Luk 15:7  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Act 15:3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

Psa 32:11  Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Php 4:4  Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Rom 12:12  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Rom 12:15  Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Jas 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

What brings us joy is the same thing that brings our Father joy, and that is when we enter into His joy, realizing the power of our relationship with Christ and His body in these weak vessels of clay which have been marred in the Potter’s hand (Jer 18:4). We are becoming something new as a result of the grace and faith that God is causing in our lives, and it is a process to come to that joy as we just read in James. James also goes on to say that we must believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him and serve him (Heb 11:6-7) and that we need to cry out for wisdom and faith to help us overcome in this evil and Godless age that we are living in so that we can be settled in the Lord (Jas 1:5-8)

Mat 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Psa 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving (His joy), and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name (His joy).

Psa 100:5  For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

1Sa 17:40  And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.

Jas 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Jas 1:7  For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
Jas 1:8  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

All those verses above which talk about ‘joy’ or ‘rejoicing’ are directly or indirectly a result of our overcoming the giants in the land by the grace and faith (5 smooth stones) which God gives us so that those giants become bread for us (Num 14:9), meaning we are nourished when we are given victory over sin, and we overcome sin at an appointed time, and in doing so we come to recognize that it is the Lord’s work in us to clear the beasts of the field or giants of the field little and little through a process of judgment (3) and not by our might or power but by his spirit that witnesses (2) His might so that we can truly rejoice in what the Lord is able to do through us in our temple (Exo 23:30, Zec 4:6, Joh 2:14). It is that 3+2 relationship that we are blessed to see that helps us understand how we can take down those giants of the land through Christ, our hope of glory within (Col 1:27).

The language at this section of Psalm 104, which we are examining, is very much about the comfort which God gives us in overcoming those giants and how there is always joy in the morning after we endure through suffering. We are learning to be more than conquerors through Christ and His body as the Lord destroys those powers and principalities right on cue in each of our lives, so that we can offer our lives a living sacrifice to each another. That sacrifice that has to be tried in the fire as we die daily to all the double mindedness within us is likened unto a wave of the sea. Our greatest blessing today is to see each other clearly on that sea of glass that He is forming in our lives via the fiery trials that He gives us.

Psa 30:5  For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Jas 1:6  But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Rev 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

What joy we experience when we finally are brought to our wits’ end and ask the Lord for the wisdom we need to overcome in faith, nothing wavering, because the Lord has destroyed those giants of doubt and sin that we all harbour  within until we don’t. The verses we will look at point to God’s sovereignty over that process of maturing us, and we are told to not grow weary in this well-doing work of the Lord that is preparing our hearts to receive “…the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls”.

Mar 9:24  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

1Pe 1:9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Job 11:12  For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt.
Job 11:13  If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;
Job 11:14  If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
Job 11:15  For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:
Job 11:16  Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away: