My guess is that most of us have had joyful moments. Those that made our hearts leap and smile. Like when she said “yes”; or you held your first born child in the delivery room. Maybe it was when you achieved some monumental task like graduating college or paying off the student loan debt.
But in Psalms 16, David is going to remind us, no matter your life experience, there’s only one place to find real joy.
I know every time I put faith in my own abilities, I come up short. I know David did that too. He says in verses 1-2 that joy cannot be found in yourself. God has got to be the thing you trust in, put your faith in, find joy in. In just 2 verses, David uses 3 different words for God, each one getting closer in relationship. He says the generic name for God (El) but then uses the very personal, covenantal name of God (YWHW). But finally ending with the Hebrew word, Adonai, which means “Master”. Joy is found not in yourself but in an almighty God. The closer you get to God, the happier you will become.
Secondly, David reminds us joy isn’t found in your troubled companions. See, some of us can’t find real joy in life because you have some friendships that do not care much for God. So if you want to find joy, get rid of the people in your life that are pulling you down. If you want to be more godly, then hang out with Godly people.
Third, joy can’t be found in worldly possessions. Too many times, we fill our lives with material stuff like the house, car, job titles, money…all of which will not get us closer to God. Instead of longing for more stuff, David says long for God and his presence. A sign of mature faith is when you realize that God is all you have and you decide God is all you want. Check out what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6-8.
Finally, David reveals real joy is found in God’s presence. When we consciously seek God in our every day life, God will even instruct us when we are sleeping. I’m reminded that God knows my story and will always be with me (see Isaiah 41:10). I can rest safely because of God’s presence. I can rejoice because of God’s presence. My heart is glad because of God’s presence. Finding God is finding joy.
Consider David, a guy who had everything and did everything. He was king of his country and led armies. He conquered other countries and had untold wealth. His relationships were many. After all he accomplished in life…after all of his experiences, David said real joy is found only in God. So do what you need to in order to pull God closer to your life and when you do, you’ll realize in him is where you will be most happy. Blessings on the journey.