Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation

1 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation.’ — Yek. 12a. rE have seen at an earlier stage of our studies that

* T David spoke of a twofold cleanness. There was first a judicial cleanness, as freedom from guilt, the fruit of the divine acquittal, on the basis of the atonement of Christ, ‘the being washed in the blood of Christ.’ And there was also an inward cleanness, wrought in the soul by the creative and renewing energy of the Holy Spirit.

Hence also he speaks of a twofold joy, as is manifest from the connection in which his words stand. He had previously said: ‘Make me to hear joy and gladness’ (ver. 8). Standing betwixt the repeated petition for forgiveness (cf. vers. 8, 9), that word has a distinct relation to the first joy over the forgiveness of sins. The prayer which we have here in ver. 12, on the other hand, following as it does expressions which point so clearly to the inner life of grace and sanctification, teaches us that the joy of God’s salva-HAVE 3IERCY EPOX 3IE.

tion is not only the desire and the portion of those just converted who are rejoicing in the first gladness of forgiveness, but is equally destined for the Christian who is striving onward in the pathway of growth and sanctification.

Let us bestow careful thought on this connection. We have already seen that the first joy of the soul that has received grace depends on the knowledge of forgiveness. The sinner that has once been awakened to know his sin cannot possibly rejoice in God, unless he knows God as One who has blotted out his sin. He knows that, if this blessing has not been received by him, God is still his enemy, and a consuming fire. Only when the soul has come to the cross and received an interest in the atonement of Christ, can the thought of the holy God fill it with gladness. It is fellowship with the reconciling God that imparts

And. in like manner, the continuance and growth of the soul’s joy depends on deepening communion with this God. The very first act of God in beginning this fellowship with the soul, namely, the forgiveness of sins, imparts gladness. The next work of God in the soul is sanctification, in which, through His work of restoration, He establishes in it the clean heart and the steadfast spirit, a life in the light of His countenance, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This also gives joy. And just as little as the soul can experience its first gladness without forgivenesS) can it experience continued joy apart f rom a holy life. As certainly as the guilt of the old sin robs the soul of all joy, until it knows that it is forgiven, shall new contamination that is not confessed and put away fill the soul with darkness.

Would that the young convert, the soul that desires to be saved and the soul that has received grace, reflected on this fact. The joy of forgiveness will not always remain, unless it be confirmed as the joy of sanctification. In this experience many a Christian has incurred heavy loss, through lack of carefulness or knowledge. When the first joy began to yield, he did not know what the reason was, or else he was unfaithful in not confessing the sad fact to God: he ascribed the loss to God as a trial which He had sent him. Ah, had he only gone forward in the way of grace, had he but asked for grace, not only to be washed from guilt, but also to be liberated from the dominion of sin, he would have found by experience that with the progressive work of grace in the soul a progressive joy would have been ministered unto him by God. It is the joy of God’s salvation for which David prays: there is joy in God’s salvation: according as we only yield ourselves to God for it, faithfully and wholly, we shall enjoy it.

And thus this twofold joy is one. We have already said this of the twofold purity. It is thus also with the joy. It is sin that entails pain and misery. It is becoming free from sin that imparts light and gladness. It is one God that first rolls away the curse and the guilt of sin, in one moment, and then grad-HATE MERCY UPON ME.

ually makes the soul free from its power: the joy is also one. The soul that rejoices in forgiveness ought to know that there is joy, a joy that is still sweeter, still deeper, still more glorious than this, when the emancipation from sin and fellowship with God that grace begins with forgiveness are continued and are with inward appropriation applied and confirmed in the sanctification of the soul. The joy of forgiveness is but the beginning, the first-fruits, and is destined for the newly-born child of God: it is the milk of the blessing: the joy of sanctification and of fellowship with God is for those that have grown up: it is the solid food, the ripe fruit of joy.

Set thyself then, soul that desirest to be saved, and hast come thus far with David in this Psalm, to let this petition sink deep into thy heart. The joy and the blessedness of God are His perfect holiness. The joy of His children also is the joy of holiness. TVithout a clean heart and a holy walk the Christian cannot continuously experience joy. The life of sanctification is joy. The way of the blessed life, the way of the clean heart and the steadfast spirit, the life before God’s countenance under the leading of the Spirit, was once, indeed, represented as beset with groans and fears, and as a grievous way. God has changed it into a way of joy. Some sacrifice of the flesh may at the outset appear unwelcome and severe; but God has declared that he who shall once for all and unreservedly yield himself to it. shall find in His service great reward and the joy of His salvation. It is only in the measure that the salvation of God is appropriated effectually, and as an element of actual experience, that joy can be tasted. Joy is not, as some would have it, a separate gift which can be received and enjoyed apart from further experience of God’s salvation; no: it is the joy of that salvation, and is tasted just in proportion as the soul surrenders itself to that salvation, and to the redeeming, sanctifying grace of God which bestows it. Hence it is that there are so many Christians who seek for the comfort and joy of redemption, and even pray for it, and yet do not find it; while those who are less anxious about joy, and simply concentrate their care on seeing and tasting the salvation of God, on knowing, believing, and doing all that the salvation of God requires, are of their own accord glad in the Lord, and are filled with the joy of His salvation. Let him who would be glad only cleave to the Lord, the source of all joy. Let him who would have joy surrender himself to the salvation of the Lord: let him live first in the assurance of forgiveness and in devotion to sanctification: then he may with confidence ask and expect ’ a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory.5