The Joy of Jesus is Learning to Love

The Psalms
78

God's Faithfulness to His Unfaithful People
Maschil of Asaph.

1 Give ear, O my people, to my law:

incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 I will open my mouth in a parable:

I will utter dark sayings of old: Mt. 13.35
3 which we have heard and known,

and our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children,

showing to the generation to come
the praises of the LORD, and his strength,
and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob,

and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers,
that they should make them known to their children:
6 that the generation to come might know them,

even the children which should be born;
who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 that they might set their hope in God,

and not forget the works of God,
but keep his commandments:
8 and might not be as their fathers,

a stubborn and rebellious generation;
a generation that set not their heart aright,
and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.
9 The children of E'phra-im,

being armed, and carrying bows,
turned back in the day of battle.
10 They kept not the covenant of God,

and refused to walk in his law;
11 and forgat his works,

and his wonders that he had showed them.
12 Marvelous things did he in the sight of their fathers,

in the land of Egypt, Ex. 7.8--12.32 in the field of Zo'an.
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through;

and he made the waters to stand as a heap. Ex. 14.21, 22
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud,

and all the night with a light of fire. Ex. 13.21, 22
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness,

and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock,

and caused waters to run down like rivers. Ex. 17.1-7 · Num. 20.2-13
17 And they sinned yet more against him

by provoking the Most High in the wilderness.
18 And they tempted God in their heart

by asking meat for their lust.
19 Yea, they spake against God;

they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Behold, he smote the rock,

that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed;
can he give bread also?
Can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth:

so a fire was kindled against Jacob,
and anger also came up against Israel;
22 because they believed not in God,

and trusted not in his salvation:
23 though he had commanded the clouds from above,

and opened the doors of heaven,
24 and had rained down manna upon them to eat,

and had given them of the corn of heaven. Joh. 6.31
25 Man did eat angels' food:

he sent them meat to the full.
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven:

and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust,

and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 and he let it fall in the midst of their camp,

round about their habitations.
29 So they did eat, and were well filled:

for he gave them their own desire;
30 they were not estranged from their lust:

but while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 the wrath of God came upon them,

and slew the fattest of them,
and smote down the chosen men of Israel. Ex. 16.2-15 · Num. 11.4-23 ; 31.35
32 For all this they sinned still,

and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity,

and their years in trouble.
34 When he slew them, then they sought him:

and they returned and inquired early after God.
35 And they remembered that God was their rock,

and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth,

and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37 For their heart was not right with him, Acts 8.21

neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
38 But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity,

and destroyed them not:
yea, many a time turned he his anger away,
and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh;

a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness,

and grieve him in the desert!
41 Yea, they turned back and tempted God,

and limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 They remembered not his hand,

nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy:
43 how he had wrought his signs in Egypt,

and his wonders in the field of Zo'an:
44 and had turned their rivers into blood;

and their floods, that they could not drink. Ex. 7.17-21
45 He sent divers sorts of flies Ex. 8.20-24 among them, which devoured them;

and frogs, Ex. 8.1-6 which destroyed them.
46 He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar,

and their labor unto the locust. Ex. 10.12-15
47 He destroyed their vines with hail,

and their sycamore trees with frost.
48 He gave up their cattle also to the hail,

and their flocks to hot thunderbolts. Ex. 9.22-25
49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger,

wrath, and indignation, and trouble,
by sending evil angels among them.
50 He made a way to his anger;

he spared not their soul from death,
but gave their life over to the pestilence;
51 and smote all the firstborn in Egypt; Ex. 12.29

the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
52 but made his own people to go forth like sheep,

and guided them in the wilderness like a flock. Ex. 13.17-22
53 And he led them on safely, so that they feared not:

but the sea overwhelmed their enemies. Ex. 14.26-28
54 And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, Ex. 15.17 · Josh. 3.14-17

even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
55 He cast out the heathen also before them, Josh. 11.16-23

and divided them an inheritance by line,
and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, Judg. 2.11-15

and kept not his testimonies:
57 but turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers:

they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 For they provoked him to anger with their high places,

and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 When God heard this, he was wroth,

and greatly abhorred Israel:
60 so that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,

the tent which he placed among men; Josh. 18.1 · Jer. 7.12-14 ; 26.6
61 and delivered his strength into captivity,

and his glory into the enemy's hand. 1 Sam. 4.4-22
62 He gave his people over also unto the sword;

and was wroth with his inheritance.
63 The fire consumed their young men;

and their maidens were not given to marriage.
64 Their priests fell by the sword;

and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep,

and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts:

he put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph,

and chose not the tribe of E'phra-im:
68 but chose the tribe of Judah,

the mount Zion which he loved.
69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces,

like the earth which he hath established for ever.
70 He chose David also his servant,

and took him from the sheepfolds:
71 from following the ewes great with young

he brought him to feed Jacob his people,
and Israel his inheritance. 1 Sam. 16.11, 12 · 2 Sam. 7.8 · 1 Chr. 17.7
72 So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart;

and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.

Published by The American Bible Society

CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

The Psalms 77

The Joy of Jesus is Beautiful

The Beatitudes

He said:
3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

The Fulfillment of the Law

17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Joy of Jesus is The Christ to The World

THE DIVINE REMEMBERER

"Who remembered us in our low estate: for His mercy endureth forever"

Psalm 136:23

"Who remembered us." This is in striking and blessed contrast from our forgettings of Him. Like every other faculty of our beings, the memory has been affected by the Fall and bears on it the marks of depravity. This is seen from its power to retain what is worthless and the difficulty encountered to hold fast that which is good. A foolish nursery-rhyme or song heard in youth, is carried with us to the grave; a helpful sermon is forgotten within twenty-four hours! But most tragic and solemn of all is the ease with which we forget God and His countless mercies. But, blessed be His name, God never forgets us. He is the faithful Rememberer.
We were very much impressed when, on consulting the concordance, we found that the first five times the word "remember" is used in Scripture, in each case it is connected with God. "And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark" (Gen. 8:1). "And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth" (Gen. 9:16). "And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt" (Gen. 19:29), etc. The first time it is used of man we read, "Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him" (Gen. 40:23)!
The historical reference here is to the children of Israel, when they were toiling amid the brick-kilns of Egypt. Truly they were in a "low estate": a nation of slaves, groaning beneath the lash of merciless task-masters, oppressed by a godless and heartless king. But when there was none other eye to pity, Jehovah looked upon them and heard their cries of distress. He "remembered" them in their low estate. And why? Exodus 2:24,25 tells us: "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto it."
Our text is not to be limited to the literal seed of Abraham: it has reference to the whole "Israel of God" (Gal. 6:16). The saints of this present Day of salvation also unite in saying, "Who remembered us in our low estate." How "low" was our "estate" by nature! As fallen creatures we lay in our misery and wretchedness, unable to deliver or help ourselves. But, in wondrous grace, God took pity on us. His strong arm reached down and rescued us. He came to where we lay, saw us, and had compassion on us (Luke 10:33). Therefore can each Christian say, "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (Psa. 40:2).

The Joy of Jesus is The Work of The Lord

THE WORK OF THE LORD

Our present design is twofold: to censure a misuse, and to explain the meaning of the following verse: "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord; forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58). In the heedless hurry of this slipshod age not a few have taken those words as though they read, "Work for the Lord," and have used them as a slogan for what is now styled "Christian service," most of which is quite unscriptural—the energy of the flesh finding an outlet in certain forms of religious activities. In this day of pride and presumption it has been quite general to speak of engaging in work for the Lord, and to entertain the idea that He is beholden to such people for the same, that were their labours to cease, His cause would not prosper. To such an extent has this conceit been fostered that it is now a common thing to hear and read of our being "co-workers with God" and "co-operators" with Him. It is but another manifestation of the self-complacent and egotistical spirit of Laodicea (Rev. 3:17) and which has become so rife.
But it is likely to be asked, Does not Scripture itself speak of the saints, or at least ministers of the Gospel, being "co-workers with God"? The emphatic answer is No, certainly not. Two passages have been appealed to in support of this carnal and blatant notion, but neither of them when rightly rendered teach any such thing. The first is 1 Corinthians 3:9, which in the Authorized Version is strangely translated "For we are laborers together with God." Literally the Greek reads, "For God’s we are: fellow-workers; God’s husbandry, God’s building, ye are." The apostle had just rebuked the Corinthians (3:1-3), particularly for exalting some of the servants of God above others (verse 4). He reminded them, first, that the apostles were but ministers or "servants," mere instruments who were nothings unless God blessed their labours and "gave the increase" (verses 6, 7). Then, he pointed out that one instrument ought not to be esteemed above another, for "he that planteth" and "he that watereth are one (verse 8) and shall each "receive his own reward." While in verse 9 he sums up by saying those instruments are "God’s"—of His appointing and equipping; "fellow-workers," partners in the Gospel field.
The second passage appealed to lends still less color to the conceit we are here rebutting: "We then as workers together with Him beseech you" (2 Cor. 6:1), for the words "with Him" are in italics, which means they are not contained in the original, but have been supplied by the translators. This verse simply means that the instruments God employed in the ministry of the Gospel were joint-laborers in beseeching sinners not to receive His grace in vain. There is no thought whatever of "co-operating" with God. Why should there be? What assistance does the Almighty need! Nor does He ever voluntarily receive any (Job 22:2, 3; Luke 17:10). What an absurdity to suppose the finite could be of any help to the Infinite! At most, we can but concur with His appointments, and humbly present ourselves before Him as empty vessels to be filled by Him. It is wondrous condescension on His part if He designs to employ us as His agents; the honour is ours, we confer no favour on Him. The Lord is the sole Operator; His servants the channels through which He often—though by no means always—operates. Ministers are not coordinates with God, but subordinates to Him.

The Joy of Jesus is Bible Study

The Spirit Uniting to Christ

Two Kinds of Union
One of the principal ends or designs of the Gospel is the communication to God’s elect of those benefits or blessings which are in the Redeemer; but the communication of benefits necessarily implies communion, and all communion as necessarily presupposes union with His Person. Can I be rich with another man’s money, or advanced by another man’s honors? Yes, if that other be my surety (one who pledges himself as liable for my debt), or my husband. Peter could not be justified by the righteousness of Paul, but both could be justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to them, seeing they are both knit to one common Head. Principal and surety are one in obligation and construction of law. Head and members are one body; branch and stock are one tree, and a slip will live by the sap of an-other stock when once engrafted into it. We must, then, be united to Christ before we can receive any benefits from Him.
Now there are two kinds of union between Christ and His people: a judicial and a vital, or a legal and a spiritual. The first is that union which was made by God between the Redeemer and the redeemed when He was appointed their federal Head. It was a union in law, in consequence of which He represented them and was responsible for them, the benefits of His transactions redounding to them. It may be illustrated by the case of suretyship among men: a relation is formed between the surety and that person for whom he engages, by which the two are thus far considered as one—the surety being liable for the debt which the other has contracted, and his payment is held as the payment of the debtor, who is thereby absolved from all obligation to the creditor. A similar connection is established between Christ and those who had been given to Him by the Father.
But something farther was necessary in order to the actual enjoyment of the benefits procured by Christ’s representation. God, on whose sovereign will the whole economy of grace is founded, had determined not only that His Son should sustain the character of their Surety, but that there should be also a vital as well as legal relation between them, as the foundation of communion with Him in all the blessings of His purchase. It was His good pleasure that as they were one in law, they should be also one spiritually, that Christ’s merit and grace might not only be imputed, but also imparted to them, as the holy oil poured on the head of Aaron descended to the skirt of his garments. It is this latter, this vital and spiritual union, which the Christian has with Christ, that we now purpose to treat of.
Internal "Drawing"
The preaching of the Gospel by the ambassadors of the Lord Jesus is the instrument appointed for the reconciling or bringing home of sinners to God in Christ. This is clear from Romans 10:14 and 1 Corinthians 1:21, and more particularly from 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God." But, as we have pointed out, the mere preaching of the Word—no matter how faithfully—will never bring a single rebel to the feet of Christ in penitence, confidence, and allegiance. No, for that there must be the special and supernatural workings of the Holy Spirit: only thus are any actually drawn to Christ to receive Him as Lord and Savior: and only as this fact is carefully kept prominently before us does the blessed Spirit have His true place in our hearts and minds.

The Joy of Jesus is Trusting God

I Will Trust in the Lord


Verse 1 I will trust in the Lord.
I will trust in the Lord.
I will trust in the Lord until I die—
I will trust in the Lord.
I will trust in the Lord.
I will trust in the Lord until I die.

Verse 2 I’m goin’ to treat everybody right.
I’m goin’ to treat everybody right.
I’m goin’ to treat everybody right until I die—
I’m goin’ to treat everybody right.
I’m goin’ to treat everybody right.
I’m goin’ to treat everybody right until I die.

Verse 3 I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield.
(optional) I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield.
I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield until I die—
I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield.
I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield.
I’m goin’ to stay on the battlefield until I die.

Verse 4 I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee.
(optional) I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee.
I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee until I die—
I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee.
I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee.
I’m goin’ to stay on (a/my) bended knee until I die.

Verse 5 I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray.
I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray.
I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray until I die—
I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray.
I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray.
I’m goin’ to watch, fight and pray until I die.

Verse1 (END)

The Joy of Jesus is Your Blessing

Psalm 103

1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.