Mourning 2 Joy

Mourning 2 Joy

We occasionally say that some people are “easy to read”, meaning we can guess how they’re feeling or what they are thinking. Poker players say most of them have a “tell” meaning they give clues as to whether their hand is good or bad. How about you? Are you more likely or less likely to express or reveal your thoughts or feelings?

A respected pastor friend says most Psalms in the Bible fall into one of four categories: mad, sad, glad, or bad. Let’s look at this portion of Psalm 30 and discover clues to “read” the attitude with which the author, David, speaks about God:

4 Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;
praise his holy name.
5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may stay for the night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.
6 When I felt secure, I said,
“I will never be shaken.”
7 Lord, when you favored me,
you made my royal mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.
8 To you, Lord, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:
9 “What is gained if I am silenced,
if I go down to the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
10 Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
Lord, be my help.”
11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
12 that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever.   Psalm 30:4-12

What phrases would you use to describe your “read” of David?
In verse 5, David describes God’s anger and favor. How might that be like that of a parent/child relationship? It’s important to know that God’s anger is always an expression of His righteousness.
How would you describe David’s attitude in verses 6 & 7? What might be a contemporary way to express his thoughts?
From verses 9 and 10 we might be thinking, “Who is David that he would try to convince God to see things his way?” When do we do that?
What promises can we claim from this passage?

4832 Ponderings:

• What are the events of your life that make you want to mourn?
• What are the events of your life that make you want to joyfully dance and praise God?
• What are the events that started with mourning, but God changed into ones of rejoicing?  (for a great example from the Bible, see John 16:17-22)

 
Closing Prayer:
Lord, we thank You that we can come to You just as we are. You listen to us when we are sad or when we are glad. Let us live lives confident in who You are, and how You are at work in us. As people read us, help us to reflect Your love for them. In Christ, Amen.

Here's a song that beautifully illustrates our topic of mourning and celebrating:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1cv1tzzgbk
For a great gospel version of the song, try this link. Notice the expressions on the faces of the singers!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTTAmljNdJA