"Joy Comes in the Morning" by Chris Barnes

Text: Psalm 30

OBSERVE: David begins this psalm by praising the Lord. While praising the Lord, he recalls the forgiveness and healing power of God. He also encourages all the righteous to praise and thank the Lord for everything. David also praises how quickly the Lord turns from his anger, as he speaks directly from his own experience. The Lord had disciplined David for his wrongdoing; which led to his weeping through the night. However, his weeping was soon replaced by extreme joy in the morning. 

INTERPRET: The description of this psalm is usually translated with the phrase "the dedication of the temple." The Hebrew terms translated as "temple" include the term ba'yit, used here, as well as hekal', which has a more formal meaning. David did not live to see the temple being built in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:17–19), though his son Solomon did (2 Samuel 7:12–13; 1 Kings 7:51; 8:1–66). This psalm could very likely be something David wrote to dedicate the future site of the temple (1 Chronicles 22:1; 2 Chronicles 3:1). This is likely why this psalm includes praise about God's forgiveness.
 
David praises God for His mercy and rescue. This psalm speaks of God saving David back from the edge of ruin, while also speaking of God's righteous judgment. This was likely composed in response to the plague which struck Israel when David took a census for prideful reasons (1 Chronicles 21:7–14). 

APPLICATION: For believers, the Lord's discipline is only temporary, but His love and mercy are eternal. Because David had been rescued, he could continue to praise and worship God……..and so should we. Often it takes times of tragedy to remind us what really matters in life. When things are going well, we can easily get preoccupied with what we own. We can become tied to so many nonessential things. But when life is reduced to the essentials, as we have all experienced in one way or another, we recall again that life with God is more then enough reason to praise God. 

In the same way that a good night sleep can often help us to refocus, so too can a time of trial. In the morning we can reset and prioritize what needs to be done first. In the same way, a time of trial helps us to restructure what is most important in our lives. Joy comes in the morning because we wake up with Jesus by our side, even when we fail miserably like David did. 

PRAYER: For today’s prayer; let’s praise God for a life with Him by our side and for the people He has given us to share life with. 

SONGS: Joy Cometh in the Morning
                  Psalm 30 (Lyric Video)