Scripture Reading: Psalm 51:7–14

Introduction

A. When Judah’s captors asked them to sing a song of Zion, they said, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land” (Psalms 137:4)?

B. Have you ever been so sad that you could not sing God’s praises?

Discussion

I. Salvation is always accompanied with joy.

A. There is joy for the saved (Acts 8:39, 16:33–34, 2:46).

B. There is joy for the witnesses (Acts 15:3, Luke 15:10).

C. Joy is often expressed in song (Psalms 98:4, James 5:13).

II. We can lose the joy of our salvation.

A. Many Bible characters experienced this (Psalms 58:12, Matthew 26:75).

B. In every case, sin was the cause for their misery (2 Samuel 11–12, Matthew 26:35).

C. Sin destroys joy because it separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1–2, Romans 6:16–18).

III. The joy of salvation can be restored.

A. Just as Isaiah predicted (35:10, 51:11, 52:9), God restored Judah’s joy (Ezra 3:10–13, 6:22; Nehemiah 8:17).

B. David’s joy was also restored (2 Samuel 22:50–51).

C. So was Peter’s joy (Acts 5:41, 1 Peter 4:12–13).

A. The joy of salvation is restored when we return to God in humble obedience (2 Chronicles 30:25, Luke 15:17).

B. When the Jews returned to Jerusalem and their “chiefest joy” was restored, they found their voice again (Psalms 126).

C. If you want the joy of salvation, come to God.