joy during suffering

To the choirmaster: according to Shushan Eduth. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he strove with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return struck down twelve thousand of Edom in the Valley of Salt.
1 O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses;
you have been angry; oh, restore us.
2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open;
repair its breaches, for it totters.
3 You have made your people see hard things;
you have given us wine to drink that made us stagger.

4 You have set up a banner for those who fear you,
that they may flee to it from the bow. Selah
5 That your beloved ones may be delivered,
give salvation by your right hand and answer us!

6 God has spoken in his holiness:
“With exultation I will divide up Shechem
and portion out the Vale of Succoth.
7 Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;
Ephraim is my helmet;
Judah is my scepter.
8 Moab is my washbasin;
upon Edom I cast my shoe;
over Philistia I shout in triumph.”

9 Who will bring me to the fortified city?
Who will lead me to Edom?
10 Have you not rejected us, O God?
You do not go forth, O God, with our armies.
11 Oh, grant us help against the foe,
for vain is the salvation of man!
12 With God we shall do valiantly;
it is he who will tread down our foes.

- Psalm 60

Again, we find our friend David writing a Psalm in response to war.  In this scene, we see the community of Israelites under attack from the Gentiles that surround them.  In 12 verses, David expresses a sorrowful and fearful lament to the Holy God (v.6), and seeking His valiant victory over the enemies (v.12).  In many ways, they were in a valley.  They were experiencing a season of unknown.  Perhaps in moments of great fear, they were on their faces in the presence of the Holy God of this world; desperately wanting His pleasure and not their coward defense.  Ever been in a position in which you can’t really see light at the end of the tunnel (for a lack of a better pun)? 

This Psalm hits home with me today.  I spent a few hours this morning with a 15 year old boy named Weston who is fighting leukemia.  Weston is a bit weak today because of the 2nd round of chemo that was being poured into his sick body.  After a few minutes of casual conversating, I asked Weston if he knew Christ Jesus as His Savior.  I normally use this type of language with teenagers for their response will tell me their genuine passion.  Weston’s response was overwhelming.  He has joy in Christ during suffering.  He told me, “oh yeah, I accepted my Savior years ago…and even more now than ever, I’m living for Him.”  What passion.  He is in a valley.  I’m sure he has many sleepless nights.  However, Weston has the peace to know that the Holy King of Kings will draw Him to the throne room of grace one day (Hebrews 4:15-16).  Where is your trust?  Where is your hope?

I love the joy of David.  He loved the Lord.  Even here in the midst of a lament, he trusts the Lord with an everlasting joy.  He declares His holiness, authority, and salvation.  There was a great war.  In fact, I’d imagine a strong season of war within several Psalms here.  God is sovereign.  God is Holy.  God is worthy to be trusted, even when our enemies and foes try to convince us of the opposite.  As the great Proverbs states, trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding today…acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:5-6).

From one who refuses to allow his enemies and foes to point Him away from the glory of God Almighty