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I’ve Got The Joy

An early memory of mine is getting ready for church on Sunday morning and hearing my older sister sing the song “I’ve got the joy”. She sang the words with gusto, “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart, down in my heart to stay”. I was drawn to the song’s upbeat tempo, the refrain of “where” inserted between the, “down in my heart”’s and probably to a provocative verse I later found out was not part of the original song (and certainly a violation of the teaching of Jude verse 9 – if you know, you know). I was surprised to find out recently that the song was not written in the 1970s, but was actually copyrighted back in 1926. (1) Going back in time much further, the song’s sentiment can be found in Psalm 4, a song of King David: 

5 Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the Lord.

6 There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”

7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

Surely all of us have echoed the lament of the “many” in David’s day who were saying, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of Your face upon us, O LORD!”. Maybe you’re even currently suffering sickness, loss, disappointment or betrayal, which have brought you to your knees before God to utter, “Won’t somebody show me some good? Won’t the Lord show me favor?”. And yet, He has provided and will continue to provide goodness and favor in giving us joy in our hearts.

David remembered God had placed more joy in His heart than physical provisions could bring. God’s supply of an abundance of wine and grain brought a type of joy, but David had been given a more powerful and deeper joy. A joy that remained even when crops failed. God supplied this great joy through David’s obedience to and trust in Him. David knew this and called others to, “Offer right sacrifices”, and put their “trust in the Lord”.

In his letter to the Romans Paul prays: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”. God caused David and the Romans to trust in Him and through this trust God provided them with joy (and peace), further causing these saints to abound in hope by the Holy Spirit.

Bereans, God has graciously given you the gift of faith in Christ Jesus your Savior who was crucified and raised for you. Continue to trust and obey Him. For along with the gift of faith the Lord will surely fill you with joy, “down in your heart, down in your heart to stay”, a joy greater than you experience when your material needs are amply met by Him, and a joy independent of the circumstances He has ordained for you.

In Christ,

Pastor Rich 

(1) https://hymnary.org/text/i_have_the_joy_joy_joy_joy_down_in_my_h