"Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." —Psalm 4:7
What does it take to be happy, and where does it come from? The words "glad" and "gladness," words prominent in the scriptures, are defined as "feeling joy, pleasure or satisfaction," and "happiness." Committed, separated Christians are often taunted by the unsaved as "never having any fun," or asked, "What do you do for pleasure?"
Here the Psalmist contrasts the gladness of the believer with that of the unconverted by the simple word, "more," affirming that the believer's gladness surpasses that of the lost world around us. Now consider the difference.
Two words are used to characterize the pleasures of the unsaved: "corn" and "wine." Corn speaks of material prosperity. It represents the increase realized from their labors, which gives access to the "things" in which so many find their gladness, their pleasure. "Wine," on the other hand, suggests the artificial pleasures derived from an altered perception that brings an inner sensation of pleasure from dulled or heightened senses, which eventually subsides and must be re-ignited again and again. It is, at best, a temporary "gladness."
Corn and wine are not unrelated, of course. The first may be the resource for the latter. The more corn, the more and better wine. The downside of both is that the gladness derived from them is sometimes illusionary and always temporary. Both the wallet and the wineglass must be refilled, or the "gladness" will be gone. All the world's pleasures, legitimate or not, are only "for a season" (cf. Hebrews 11:24-27). Much of the world's commerce flourishes on that fact.
The gladness of true, discerning believers stands in glorious contrast to the gladness of the unregenerate. "THOU hast put gladness in my heart…" The source of the believer's gladness is the eternal God, unchanging, inexhaustible. This well will never run dry. The party, if you please, will never be over, the pleasure never exhausted; the concert never ends.
Further, the seat of this gladness is not external— "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life," but is an internal thing, "in my heart." It is essentially not restricted to outward stimulus, which will eventually perish, but is from God and His grace "renewed day by day." Divinely imparted, the gladness of heart of the believer is in quantity and quality more" than the sum of the gladness stimulated by worldly "things" and events. To be sure, what gladdens the heart of the saint seems often invisible and inscrutable to the eye of critical observer, but it is more real, more enduring, more profound and far more significant than the most glittering pleasures of this present evil world.
Among the things scripture associates with the substance of the gladness of believers is, first and foremost, the assurance of salvation and its significance. "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth [Prov. 10:28-30]."
From that platform, the righteous find gladness in the knowledge of and fellowship with God Himself: "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory," for "Glory and honor are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place [I Chron. 16:27]." And gladness is induced by worship and fellowship with other believers: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord [Ps. 122:1]." There is gladness for the believer in the service of God: "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture [Ps. 100:2-3]." There is much more, but these are a sample.
The Psalmist sums it up when he remarks, "Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever [Ps. 30:11-12]."
Remarking on the Psalm, a commentator of another era said appropriately, "Men mistake… 'good.' They look for a good that is to gratify their passions; they have no notion of any happiness that does not come to them through the medium of their senses. Therefore they reject spiritual good, and they reject the Supreme God, by whom alone all the powers of the soul can be gratified" (Adam Clarke). That is a word well spoken.
Where do you find your gladness"?
For enduring "gladness,"
"Pastor" Frasier
What does it take to be happy, and where does it come from? The words "glad" and "gladness," words prominent in the scriptures, are defined as "feeling joy, pleasure or satisfaction," and "happiness." Committed, separated Christians are often taunted by the unsaved as "never having any fun," or asked, "What do you do for pleasure?"
Here the Psalmist contrasts the gladness of the believer with that of the unconverted by the simple word, "more," affirming that the believer's gladness surpasses that of the lost world around us. Now consider the difference.
Two words are used to characterize the pleasures of the unsaved: "corn" and "wine." Corn speaks of material prosperity. It represents the increase realized from their labors, which gives access to the "things" in which so many find their gladness, their pleasure. "Wine," on the other hand, suggests the artificial pleasures derived from an altered perception that brings an inner sensation of pleasure from dulled or heightened senses, which eventually subsides and must be re-ignited again and again. It is, at best, a temporary "gladness."
Corn and wine are not unrelated, of course. The first may be the resource for the latter. The more corn, the more and better wine. The downside of both is that the gladness derived from them is sometimes illusionary and always temporary. Both the wallet and the wineglass must be refilled, or the "gladness" will be gone. All the world's pleasures, legitimate or not, are only "for a season" (cf. Hebrews 11:24-27). Much of the world's commerce flourishes on that fact.
The gladness of true, discerning believers stands in glorious contrast to the gladness of the unregenerate. "THOU hast put gladness in my heart…" The source of the believer's gladness is the eternal God, unchanging, inexhaustible. This well will never run dry. The party, if you please, will never be over, the pleasure never exhausted; the concert never ends.
Further, the seat of this gladness is not external— "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life," but is an internal thing, "in my heart." It is essentially not restricted to outward stimulus, which will eventually perish, but is from God and His grace "renewed day by day." Divinely imparted, the gladness of heart of the believer is in quantity and quality more" than the sum of the gladness stimulated by worldly "things" and events. To be sure, what gladdens the heart of the saint seems often invisible and inscrutable to the eye of critical observer, but it is more real, more enduring, more profound and far more significant than the most glittering pleasures of this present evil world.
Among the things scripture associates with the substance of the gladness of believers is, first and foremost, the assurance of salvation and its significance. "The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. The righteous shall never be removed, but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth [Prov. 10:28-30]."
From that platform, the righteous find gladness in the knowledge of and fellowship with God Himself: "The righteous shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust in Him; and all the upright in heart shall glory," for "Glory and honor are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place [I Chron. 16:27]." And gladness is induced by worship and fellowship with other believers: "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord [Ps. 122:1]." There is gladness for the believer in the service of God: "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture [Ps. 100:2-3]." There is much more, but these are a sample.
The Psalmist sums it up when he remarks, "Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; To the end that my glory may sing praise unto thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever [Ps. 30:11-12]."
Remarking on the Psalm, a commentator of another era said appropriately, "Men mistake… 'good.' They look for a good that is to gratify their passions; they have no notion of any happiness that does not come to them through the medium of their senses. Therefore they reject spiritual good, and they reject the Supreme God, by whom alone all the powers of the soul can be gratified" (Adam Clarke). That is a word well spoken.
Where do you find your gladness"?
For enduring "gladness,"
"Pastor" Frasier
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