A Joy Above All Others

“Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.” (Ps 43:4 AV)

This phrase jumped out at me because of the simple word, exceeding.  I looked up this word in Hebrew and it was no help to me.  The word exceeding means joy.  The word joy means a circle ( a complete revolution) or an age; as in an era.  I am no scholar, so I will not attempt to understand this is the original language.  What I do know is the English definition for these two words.  Webster’s 1828 dictionary says of ‘exceeding’, “Great in extent, quantity or duration; very extensive; In a very great degree; unusually; as exceeding rich.”  Of joy, the same dictionary states, “Joy is a delight of the mind, from the consideration of the present or assured approaching possession of a good.”  Again, it is the word ‘exceedingly’ that caught my attention.  In the definition above, ‘unusually’ also brings to the heart an impelling interest.  Unusual means it is not common.  It is above or apart of what would be considered normal.  This suggests a very deep truth.  That which brings joy naturally in life would not bring as much joy as God Himself.  The psalmist is sharing that of all the things that could bring joy, God exceeds them all.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege to marry a young couple in our church.  What a blessing.  It brought back to my mind my own young married life.  My mind went back to a stroll my wife and I took from the Toronto Science Museum and the subway stop.  It was at that moment I appreciated the full meaning of being married.  Life had become stable and purposeful.  Marriage brought a sense of definition.  I also remember the birth of my sons.  There was something about all three.  Each of my sons did not come into this world in a routine fashion.  What a joy to have children.  I remember some of the milestones and special moments we shared.  I remember the debates around the dinner table about some difficult doctrines of the Bible.  I remember their weddings which I was blessed to officiate.  I remember the birth of my grandchildren.  Now, we are building new memories as each of them is accepting Christ as their savior.  I remember baptizing my children.  I remember their high school graduations.  I remember the many times my wife and I went on dates.  We still do.  I remember the highs and the lows.  The highs brought great joy.  The world cannot take those away no matter how difficult life will get.

But of all the joys we could have, the LORD should be exceeding them all.  This is David’s point.  He had much to celebrate at the defeat of his enemies.  He had much to rejoice over when ascending to the throne and serving the LORD in the manner to which he was called.  David could rejoice greatly at the fall of Goliath or the death of Saul.  There was much to rejoice in.  But the one object of joy which exceeded them all was God.  David’s walk with God was his heart and joy.  Life happens.  Life is unpredictable and often difficult.  It has its highs and lows.  It has its time of rejoicing but it also has its time of sorrow.  The one object of joy that stays the same is the LORD.  He is the object of David’s joy that exceeds them all.  His joy in the LORD is unusual.  His joy in the LORD is not natural.  It exceeds anything life can bring.  If the joy of the LORD is not exceeding, we have our eyes and hearts on the wrong things.  We look to temporary things to be our exceeding joy.  There is nothing wrong with rejoicing over temporary things.  But they cannot be our exceeding joy.  Only God can fill that bill.  Only God can claim that title.  Only God can meet the heart's needs where everything else eventually falls short.  He is, or should be, our exceeding joy above all else and all others.  God is our exceeding joy!