Psalm 51
This chapter is a Psalm of king David after he had realised his mistake but still wanted to keep the proceeds of his sin. There is a truth to learn here – the best one can do with the proceeds of sin is to sacrifice it to God. Do not keep it. This is the revelation in this lesson. God will forgive the sinner who repents but will not allow the accursed thing to remain.
What is the joy of salvation?
It is deliverance from the grip of satan, restoration from eternal shame and a U-turn from the pit of hell. Salvation and the joy of salvation are closely connected but separable. Joy is the natural fruit of salvation which must be possessed and experienced. It is a foretaste of heaven – 1 Peter 1:8-9 (Culled from a Guardian Newspaper article).
Joy is a spiritual fruit – Galatians 5:22-23. The joy of salvation makes you want to seek the Lord Jesus more each day of your life and it will convict you of sin which makes your heart void of this joy. This joy of salvation is from the Holy Spirit.
Joy comes from the communion with the Holy Spirit hence there is no joy where there is ‘no word of God’, and there is no joy where there is conflict, chaos, disorderliness (refusing to abide by divine instructions) and so forth.
Our prayer is that everyone of us at Gates of Praise and our loved ones will enjoy the joy of salvation.
Discussion:
- Adam and Eve lost the joy of salvation – Genesis 3. What are the reasons behind this grievous sin and what are the things we must watch out for, to avoid falling? 1 Corinthians 10:12-13.
- In king David’s case (2 Samuel 11&12), he sinned by coveting a man’s wife, slept with her and killed the man. Where do you think this sin started from?
- James 4:17 – Let us list the number of good that we easily disobey – in the home, church, marriage, community etc.
- What are the antidotes for blatant sins like adultery, fornication, stealing, disobedience, lies, deceptions etc?
- The joy of salvation is a foretaste of heaven on earth, which is an important part of the Lord’s prayer. What do we do to extend this to other people and is it compulsory?
Prayer