God, My Exceeding Joy: Psalm 43-Supplication through the Scriptures

God, My Exceeding Joy

Psalm 43

My God will clear the furrows from my brow, and the tear marks from my cheek; therefore will I lift up my head and smile in the face of the storm.
C.H. Spurgeon


Is God your exceeding joy? Is He mine?

In today’s psalm, the psalmist declares, “You are the God in whom I take refuge.” The Lord our God is a refuge, strength, stronghold, and fortress for His people. But how many times do we miss out on the sense of security that we could have because we do not actually go to Him? How often, in our difficult situations, do we remain in turmoil because, instead of fleeing to Him, we try and manage on our own? When we are desperate for a clear path, how often does it remain hidden because we have not sought His wisdom and leading? How many times do we remain downcast because we focus our attention on our circumstances instead of hoping in God and confident in His deliverance? 

I admit this is not easy. At times, we may feel we are in the thick of battle and are trying to ward off blows from every side. But we do not have to rely on our own strength and sufficiency. We fight, but we fight in His enabling power. We fight as ones who, right now, overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). 

This is why our battle does not have to be marked by despair and discouragement but rather can be marked by joy and peace. We can battle on in joy. I can battle on in joy. He is my God, my exceeding joy, even in seasons that are hard. Look at our God. He:
  • Vindicates us  (1)
  • Defends us (1)
  • Delivers us (1)
  • Is a refuge for us (2)
  • Does not reject us (2)
  • Sends us His light and truth (3)
  • Leads us (3)
  • Brings us to His holy hill, His dwelling (3)
  • Gives us access to Him (4)
  • Is our exceeding joy (4)
  • Is our hope (5)
  • Is our salvation (5)
Let us come and take refuge in Him today, in God our exceeding joy as we pray through Psalm 43.

God, Our Refuge

43:1-2 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 
Let’s pray:
▫️In whatever circumstances we find ourselves today, God would vindicate, defend, and deliver us.
▫️We would recognize times we are trying to handle things on our own, turn from that, and take refuge in our God.
▫️When our souls are mourning because of our distress and affliction, we would look to the Lord, our light, our salvation, and the defense of our life (Psalm 27:1).

God, Our Joy

43:3-4 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. 
Let’s pray:
▫️The Lord would send forth His light and truth into our affliction. When we are walking in darkness, He would be a light to us. When we are in need of His truth, His Word would be illuminated to us.
▫️We would follow where, how, and when He leads us by His truth. We would walk in obedience to His Word as it guides us in our circumstances. Is there guidance He has given that we have yet to obey?
▫️We would come right to Him, our exceeding joy, and find rest, hope, joy, and peace for our souls. 
▫️We would offer to Him the fruit of our lips, giving praise to His name, for the excellencies of who He is and what He has done .

God, Our Salvation

43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Let’s pray:
▫️Today, when our feelings alert us to the fact that we are not hoping in God, we would by faith draw near to Him in prayer, fixing our spiritual eyes on Him, and we would take refuge in Him.
▫️We would walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8).
▫️We would praise Him for His salvation and that “God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Psalm 43 quoted from the ESV.
Photo credit to brianverde.

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