A Prayer for Endurance with Joy: Psalm 98-Supplication through the Scriptures

A Prayer for Endurance with Joy

Psalm 98

Saints bear up under every discouragement, believing that all things work together for their good, and that out of apparent evils a real blessing shall ultimately spring-that their God will either work a deliverance for them speedily, or most assuredly support them in the trouble, as long as He is pleased to keep them in it.
Charles Spurgeon

As a parent, it is a delight to see our children grow from infancy to mature adults. At first, our children rely on us for everything: diaper changes, milk, protection, love, and every other thing needed to survive. But as they mature, they become smarter, wiser, more independent. They still need us but in different ways, and we receive great joy when we see them making good decisions, working hard, functioning as competent adults, and following Christ. 

The Lord Himself desires for His children to grow in spiritual maturity. We never grow in a sense of independence from our Lord, but rather our maturity is shown in our dependence upon the Lord. Our mature faith is evidenced by humble submission to the Lord and His ways. One key way the Lord helps us to mature in the faith is through trials. The testing and trials of our faith produce endurance, which in turn matures us (James 1:2-4). In Colossians 1:11, Paul prays for them that they be “strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.” These two words, endurance and patience, are rich with meaning. It is the idea of bearing up under suffering, and refers to the quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial. It is endurance, patience, perseverance or constancy under suffering in faith and duty, and patience as a quality of mind, bearing evils and suffering with a tranquil mind. It encompasses the ideas of forbearance and long-suffering (Zodhiates). What robust qualities the Lord is producing in us! No wonder Paul tells the Colossians that these are ours only through His power and might. 

But it is not just endurance and patience He desires for us, but it is an endurance and patience with joy. The manner in which our endurance and patience is to be done is joy. This is no small task. To endure with joy those difficulties, hardships, trials, betrayals, and afflictions is a high call to maturity. But if we are to learn to live and walk by faith, we must grow in the ability to filter all aspects of our lives through His Word, and to reckon all things as God does. We have a living hope and an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance reserved in heaven for us, and even now, in our trials, we are protected and kept by the power of God, and we can rejoice in that. And not only that, but we have an inexpressible joy, full of glory, knowing that the testing of our faith will be found to result in praise, honor, and glory when our Savior, whom we love, appears (1 Peter 1:3-8).

Psalm 98 is another call to sing to the Lord. It’s interesting to me that there is another Psalm encouraging joyfulness and rejoicing, even though we know that during this time period, they are learning to live by faith in the promises of God even though it looks like those promises may never happen. But because of their confidence in the Lord’s character, they are enduring and are patient with joy. 

Let’s pray through Psalm 98 for an endurance and patience with joy, not based on frivolity, but on the truth of His Word.

Sing to the Lord!

98:1-3 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made known his salvation; he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations. He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. 
Lord, I pray:
▫️I would wait patiently for You. You would incline Your ear and hear my cry from the pit I’m in. Bring me up out of the pit, set my feet on the rock, and put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to You that many will hear and then put their trust in You (Psalm 40:1-3). 
▫️You do marvelous things. By Your might and Your power, strengthen me to persevere and endure _____with joy. 
▫️May You right hand and Your holy arm work salvation for me in ________. Direct my heart into the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ so that I would know this trial is given to me in love and You will help me to endure (2 Thessalonians 3:5).
▫️Oh, Lord, remember Your steadfast love and faithfulness and help me to run with endurance the race You have set before me, helping me to keep my eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2).
▫️Father, help me to hold fast to Your Word and bear fruit with perseverance (Luke 8:15). 

Make a joyful noise

98:4-6 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord! 
Lord, I pray:
▫️I would make a joyful noise to You, with joyous songs because I have heard of the endurance of Job, and I know the outcome of Your dealings, that You are full of compassion and merciful and I can trust that in ______ You will be full of compassion and merciful to me (James 5:11).
▫️I would sing praises to You for You are worthy. You do all things well.
▫️I would rejoice that You are King, and I can rejoice in my tribulations because tribulations produce perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope. And our hope in You will never disappoint (Romans 5:3-5). 

Sing for joy

98:7-9 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Lord, I pray:
▫️You would fill me with Your joy as I walk through ______. I would have hope through the perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures. You are the God who gives perseverance and encouragement (Romans 15:4-5), grant me them now by Your grace.
▫️I would pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11). 
▫️I would be strengthened when all power, according to Your glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy as I go through _______ (Colossians 1:11), and I would sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings (Psalm 63:7).

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


Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All right reserved.


Photo credit to fabien

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