Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
It asks God for more than pardon, to give back the gladness found in being saved and to sustain the suppliant by His free and willing Spirit. The gladness sought is the joy of holiness and of restored harmony and communion with God, gladness in His saving mercy communicated by God Himself to His people. The upholding Spirit is the Holy Spirit, freely given and not taken away, who keeps those who strive and believe so they can walk in the light, share in God's love, and remain cheerful and free in the Lord instead of desponding. It belongs to David's prayer as the exalted king of Israel after his great sin, when the Lord sent His prophet to reprove him, and after which he repented without stubborn resistance and found pardon through Christ. That restoration follows confession of sin and pleas to be washed, given a clean heart and renewed spirit, and not to be cast away from God's presence, and the one thus restored and upheld then teaches transgressors God's ways so that sinners are converted to Him.
David's Sin and Repentance
This prayer belongs to David after his great sin as the exalted and honored king of Israel, when the Lord sent His prophet to reprove him for his transgression. It is his expression of repentance when God's message of reproof came to him, pleading for mercy according to loving-kindness, acknowledgment of transgression, cleansing from iniquity, a clean heart and right spirit, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the return of gladness in saving mercy, and sustaining strength to teach transgressors. Through it he repented and found pardon through Christ.
Under rebuke and sharp chastisement he bowed without stubborn resistance, rebellion, hatred for the prophet, or rising up against reproof. Convicted of sin, he humbled his heart in penitence and humiliation, acknowledged his spirit was unlike Christ's, and urgently sought God's favor, mercy, and pardon without delay rather than presenting his own goodness. His strength was in contrition of soul and sincere penitence.
He was beloved of God not because he was perfect or always resisted temptation, but because his humbling was as great as his error and his contrition as profound as his guilt. He never lost confidence in God, but relied on the mercy of the God he loved and served, trusted God more than man, refused counsel from men who excuse unrepented sin, accepted God's decision as just and merciful, and declared God just in all His dealings. He could endure the loss of his crown but could not bear to be deprived of God's favor.
Rather than concealing his guilt, the king of Israel openly confessed it and placed his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God in a sacred song. It was to be sung in the public assemblies of his people in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, so that others might be instructed by the sad history of his fall. In this way the knowledge of his fall was preserved to the latest generation.
His sincere repentance and confession shows genuine repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ in the midst of human struggle and temptation. It proves mercy is still extended to the fallen sinner who returns to God, for David was forgiven and taken into covenant relation with Him. Through all ages it encourages God's children who have been betrayed into sin and struggle under the burden of guilt and are ready to give up to despair, showing that God accepts sincere repentance and confession even though the sinner still suffers for the transgression. It gives courage to repent and try again to walk in the way of God's commandments.
Meaning of Joy and Spirit
The prayer asks for more than pardon, for God to give back the gladness found in being saved and to sustain the suppliant by His free, willing Spirit. It is a personal plea for cleansing, a clean heart and renewal to be completed by restored joy and upholding help. The joy sought is the joy of holiness and of restored harmony and communion with God. It is gladness in His saving mercy, pleaded for with acknowledgment of transgression, cleansing from iniquity, a clean heart and right spirit, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. That joy is communicated by God Himself to His people as part of His grace in every time of need.
It is given together with His help, His guidance to their present place, His everlasting arms underneath them, the light of His countenance shed upon them, His strengthening and encouraging words of assurance and comfort in trouble, and His aid in ways beyond thought or expectation. Its answer causes the lips to praise Him and the heart to rejoice, even in depression, being cast down, homesickness, sickness and darkness when one fears having departed from God. To those who ask for forgiveness and cleansing God restores that joy and gives a new heart and a right spirit, and the restoration leads to a new song of praise to God from voices full of gladness rather than murmuring over future possibilities of disappointment.
The free Spirit who upholds is the Holy Spirit, freely given and not taken away, sustaining the repentant person. God gives His free Spirit to uphold those who strive, live and believe for it, so that through the Spirit they can follow Christ's example, walk in the light, and share in God's love and fullness. Being upheld by it keeps a person cheerful and happy and free in the Lord instead of desponding or homesick. The Lord sustains His people and gives that Spirit in answer to earnest, melting prayer for them and for assurance of acceptance with God, calling for unreserved devotion to God in response to His mercy and goodness in sparing life.
Path to Renewal
The plea for restored gladness and sustaining comes after confession of wrong and requests to be purged, washed whiter than snow, cleansed from iniquity, given a clean heart and a renewed right spirit, and not to be cast away from the divine presence nor deprived of the Holy Spirit. It belongs with the need for renewed spiritual gladness and sustaining help, and its answer leads the restored one to teach transgressors the divine ways so that sinners are converted. The Holy Spirit answers by glorifying Christ, with the Sun of Righteousness shining into the heart to give knowledge of His glory.
It is the prayer of a sinner whose temple courts have been defiled by opening the heart to Satan in thought and feeling and by acting as if he could sin and reform at will. Such a soul, purchased by Christ's blood and able to live through eternal ages, has its courts filled with buyers and sellers and idols, and is found lost and undone under a power he cannot break and unable to cleanse one stain of guilt. Without delay he brings his polluted soul to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, clothed with purity and righteousness, sanctified through the truth, given God's Spirit and love, inclined to keep God's commandments, and united in will to God's will. In that prayer he asks that the Holy Spirit not be taken from him, so his cleansed temple becomes a trophy of Christ's agony and his opened lips show forth praise from a broken and contrite heart.
God restores the joy of salvation and sustains by His free Spirit those who turn to Him with full purpose of heart to forsake their own way and follow His way. This belongs to those who fully confess sins and reform, use every means to repair wrong, and though sinful and unworthy look in faith to the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and live. His salvation remains available because Jesus still speaks pardon, His blood still cleanses, and the Spirit still draws people back, and preservation of life amid destroying judgments is given to provide opportunity for this repentance and conversion unto pardon rather than destruction. The restoration gives peace with God, strength to overcome, and fitness to teach transgressors His way so sinners are converted, especially after neglect of duty to children, neighbors, and perishing sinners.
That joy will not be restored while His people turn from the instructions of His word and Spirit, conform to the world, or cherish love of display and desire for supremacy. Grace belongs to those who fear Him, walk in truth, and let the Spirit transform the heart after the divine model, while blessing is withdrawn from the rebellious and judgment is pronounced against them, with mercy and truth belonging to the humble and penitent. If those who profess truth without practicing it and without making the Lord their fear continue to walk in their own way and resist light and warnings, closer affliction will come upon their families.
The verse is a prophecy of the new birth, showing that even a just and honorable man must experience renewal by God through Jesus Christ as the only condition for being saved and entering the kingdom, and that rigid precision in obeying the law entitles no one to heaven. It asks God to bring back the joy of His salvation and to sustain the sinner by His willing Spirit, with a clean heart and renewed right spirit and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a cry prayed earnestly and persistently in secret places until God reveals Himself in sweet assurance of love, as when clouds shadow the mind and darkness rests upon it and pleading in orchards and groves does not cease until rejoicing comes. It belongs to daily consecration, careful trembling walk before God, meditation on heaven and its sweet joys day and night, feeling for others in darkness and despair and praying for their deliverance, and holding faith through disappointment and delay until God's people are proved, purified, made white, tried, and redeemed.
Teaching Transgressors Afterward
The one whose gladness in being saved is given back and who is sustained by a willing, free Spirit then teaches those who break God's law His ways, so that sinners turn to Him. That sequence follows confession of sin and the plea for a clean heart and a renewed, right spirit, and for the Holy Spirit not to be withdrawn. The opened lips then show forth praise from a broken and contrite heart. The sinner so restored has had the courts of the soul-temple, purchased by blood and able to live through eternal ages, defiled with buyers and sellers and filled with idols by opening the door of the heart to Satan in thought and feeling and by acting as if the soul could be saved by self and as if one could sin and reform at will. Found lost and undone, held by a power that cannot be broken and unable to cleanse one stain of guilt, he comes without delay, brings the polluted soul to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, is clothed with garments of purity and righteousness, is sanctified through the truth, is given God's Spirit and love in the heart, has the heart inclined to keep the commandments and the misguided will united to God's will, and his cleansed temple becomes a trophy of Christ's agony.
That witness joins the restored gladness to a clean heart and renewed spirit, and to faith that works through love and purifies the soul. It is given with God's help and presence, and to those who have gone astray and erred. It brings efficiency, happiness, sanctified assurance, a living testimony, peace with God, strength to overcome, and fitness to teach. It therefore qualifies believers to lead sinners to repentance and reformation. This belongs especially to sinful and unworthy souls who fully confess sins and reform, above all neglect of duty to children, neighbors, and perishing sinners, and use every means to repair the wrong, casting themselves helplessly on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and looking to Him and living.
Parents who have failed to command their households must pray this prayer from contrite hearts to redeem the time by consecrating themselves and cooperating with God in His work on the heart. Beginning with heart work, they ask for the gladness found in being saved to be brought back and to be sustained by His willing Spirit. With hearts subdued and made contrite through the creating, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, they can then work in wisdom and with greater zeal and love for the conversion of unconverted children and sinners in the household. Those in the household are regarded as the purchase of blood and are not to be treated with indifference, and Jesus waits to be gracious and to bless parental efforts made in fear and love to save souls, with the result that transgressors are taught and sinners are converted.
The renewal that restores gladness and upholds by God's Spirit brings both joy and strength for a life of service. It belongs to the appeal for a clean heart and a renewed spirit and to seeking cleansing and renewal. It leads to sharing God's ways with others so that sinners turn to Him.
Present Comfort and Call
David's prayer for preparation of heart to do acceptable service for God is to be the prayer of every believer today, asking for the joy of salvation to be given back and for sustaining by the free Spirit.
It belongs to times of depression and being cast down, of homesickness, sickness and darkness when one fears having departed from God and clouds shadow the mind. In trial, disappointment, bereavement and affliction, God follows His people with tender love to heal their wounds and renew the joy of salvation. He delights to restore that joy to those who have gone astray and to deliver them from the wrath coming upon the disobedient. When answered, it causes the lips to praise Him and the heart to rejoice.
Turning back to God restores the joy of salvation, for God calls His people to return and promises this restoration if they turn to Him and are converted. His appeal through correction and spared lives gives opportunity to repent and be converted. He corrects by calamity, as in the destruction of the Battle Creek Sanitarium and then the Review and Herald Office, while exercising miracle-working power to preserve life so that every worker may have another chance to repent, be converted, and learn the lesson He desires to teach. That promise means that when those who have departed from God, walked in their own ways, and resisted light and warnings turn with full purpose of heart, confessing and forsaking sin, He will pardon and receive them instead of destroying them, with preservation of life amid destruction given to provide opportunity for this repentance. If they turn to Him He will restore to them the joy of His salvation, but if they continue to walk in their own way, professing to believe the truth without practicing it and without making the Lord their fear and dread, He will come still closer and affliction shall come upon their families.
It asks God for more than pardon, to give back the gladness found in being saved and to sustain the suppliant by His free and willing Spirit. The gladness sought is the joy of holiness and of restored harmony and communion with God, gladness in His saving mercy communicated by God Himself to His people. The upholding Spirit is the Holy Spirit, freely given and not taken away, who keeps those who strive and believe so they can walk in the light, share in God's love, and remain cheerful and free in the Lord instead of desponding. It belongs to David's prayer as the exalted king of Israel after his great sin, when the Lord sent His prophet to reprove him, and after which he repented without stubborn resistance and found pardon through Christ. That restoration follows confession of sin and pleas to be washed, given a clean heart and renewed spirit, and not to be cast away from God's presence, and the one thus restored and upheld then teaches transgressors God's ways so that sinners are converted to Him.
David's Sin and Repentance
This prayer belongs to David after his great sin as the exalted and honored king of Israel, when the Lord sent His prophet to reprove him for his transgression. It is his expression of repentance when God's message of reproof came to him, pleading for mercy according to loving-kindness, acknowledgment of transgression, cleansing from iniquity, a clean heart and right spirit, the presence of the Holy Spirit, the return of gladness in saving mercy, and sustaining strength to teach transgressors. Through it he repented and found pardon through Christ.
Under rebuke and sharp chastisement he bowed without stubborn resistance, rebellion, hatred for the prophet, or rising up against reproof. Convicted of sin, he humbled his heart in penitence and humiliation, acknowledged his spirit was unlike Christ's, and urgently sought God's favor, mercy, and pardon without delay rather than presenting his own goodness. His strength was in contrition of soul and sincere penitence.
He was beloved of God not because he was perfect or always resisted temptation, but because his humbling was as great as his error and his contrition as profound as his guilt. He never lost confidence in God, but relied on the mercy of the God he loved and served, trusted God more than man, refused counsel from men who excuse unrepented sin, accepted God's decision as just and merciful, and declared God just in all His dealings. He could endure the loss of his crown but could not bear to be deprived of God's favor.
Rather than concealing his guilt, the king of Israel openly confessed it and placed his sin, his repentance, and his hope of pardon through the mercy of God in a sacred song. It was to be sung in the public assemblies of his people in the presence of priests and judges, princes and men of war, so that others might be instructed by the sad history of his fall. In this way the knowledge of his fall was preserved to the latest generation.
His sincere repentance and confession shows genuine repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ in the midst of human struggle and temptation. It proves mercy is still extended to the fallen sinner who returns to God, for David was forgiven and taken into covenant relation with Him. Through all ages it encourages God's children who have been betrayed into sin and struggle under the burden of guilt and are ready to give up to despair, showing that God accepts sincere repentance and confession even though the sinner still suffers for the transgression. It gives courage to repent and try again to walk in the way of God's commandments.
Meaning of Joy and Spirit
The prayer asks for more than pardon, for God to give back the gladness found in being saved and to sustain the suppliant by His free, willing Spirit. It is a personal plea for cleansing, a clean heart and renewal to be completed by restored joy and upholding help. The joy sought is the joy of holiness and of restored harmony and communion with God. It is gladness in His saving mercy, pleaded for with acknowledgment of transgression, cleansing from iniquity, a clean heart and right spirit, and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. That joy is communicated by God Himself to His people as part of His grace in every time of need.
It is given together with His help, His guidance to their present place, His everlasting arms underneath them, the light of His countenance shed upon them, His strengthening and encouraging words of assurance and comfort in trouble, and His aid in ways beyond thought or expectation. Its answer causes the lips to praise Him and the heart to rejoice, even in depression, being cast down, homesickness, sickness and darkness when one fears having departed from God. To those who ask for forgiveness and cleansing God restores that joy and gives a new heart and a right spirit, and the restoration leads to a new song of praise to God from voices full of gladness rather than murmuring over future possibilities of disappointment.
The free Spirit who upholds is the Holy Spirit, freely given and not taken away, sustaining the repentant person. God gives His free Spirit to uphold those who strive, live and believe for it, so that through the Spirit they can follow Christ's example, walk in the light, and share in God's love and fullness. Being upheld by it keeps a person cheerful and happy and free in the Lord instead of desponding or homesick. The Lord sustains His people and gives that Spirit in answer to earnest, melting prayer for them and for assurance of acceptance with God, calling for unreserved devotion to God in response to His mercy and goodness in sparing life.
Path to Renewal
The plea for restored gladness and sustaining comes after confession of wrong and requests to be purged, washed whiter than snow, cleansed from iniquity, given a clean heart and a renewed right spirit, and not to be cast away from the divine presence nor deprived of the Holy Spirit. It belongs with the need for renewed spiritual gladness and sustaining help, and its answer leads the restored one to teach transgressors the divine ways so that sinners are converted. The Holy Spirit answers by glorifying Christ, with the Sun of Righteousness shining into the heart to give knowledge of His glory.
It is the prayer of a sinner whose temple courts have been defiled by opening the heart to Satan in thought and feeling and by acting as if he could sin and reform at will. Such a soul, purchased by Christ's blood and able to live through eternal ages, has its courts filled with buyers and sellers and idols, and is found lost and undone under a power he cannot break and unable to cleanse one stain of guilt. Without delay he brings his polluted soul to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, clothed with purity and righteousness, sanctified through the truth, given God's Spirit and love, inclined to keep God's commandments, and united in will to God's will. In that prayer he asks that the Holy Spirit not be taken from him, so his cleansed temple becomes a trophy of Christ's agony and his opened lips show forth praise from a broken and contrite heart.
God restores the joy of salvation and sustains by His free Spirit those who turn to Him with full purpose of heart to forsake their own way and follow His way. This belongs to those who fully confess sins and reform, use every means to repair wrong, and though sinful and unworthy look in faith to the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and live. His salvation remains available because Jesus still speaks pardon, His blood still cleanses, and the Spirit still draws people back, and preservation of life amid destroying judgments is given to provide opportunity for this repentance and conversion unto pardon rather than destruction. The restoration gives peace with God, strength to overcome, and fitness to teach transgressors His way so sinners are converted, especially after neglect of duty to children, neighbors, and perishing sinners.
That joy will not be restored while His people turn from the instructions of His word and Spirit, conform to the world, or cherish love of display and desire for supremacy. Grace belongs to those who fear Him, walk in truth, and let the Spirit transform the heart after the divine model, while blessing is withdrawn from the rebellious and judgment is pronounced against them, with mercy and truth belonging to the humble and penitent. If those who profess truth without practicing it and without making the Lord their fear continue to walk in their own way and resist light and warnings, closer affliction will come upon their families.
The verse is a prophecy of the new birth, showing that even a just and honorable man must experience renewal by God through Jesus Christ as the only condition for being saved and entering the kingdom, and that rigid precision in obeying the law entitles no one to heaven. It asks God to bring back the joy of His salvation and to sustain the sinner by His willing Spirit, with a clean heart and renewed right spirit and the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a cry prayed earnestly and persistently in secret places until God reveals Himself in sweet assurance of love, as when clouds shadow the mind and darkness rests upon it and pleading in orchards and groves does not cease until rejoicing comes. It belongs to daily consecration, careful trembling walk before God, meditation on heaven and its sweet joys day and night, feeling for others in darkness and despair and praying for their deliverance, and holding faith through disappointment and delay until God's people are proved, purified, made white, tried, and redeemed.
Teaching Transgressors Afterward
The one whose gladness in being saved is given back and who is sustained by a willing, free Spirit then teaches those who break God's law His ways, so that sinners turn to Him. That sequence follows confession of sin and the plea for a clean heart and a renewed, right spirit, and for the Holy Spirit not to be withdrawn. The opened lips then show forth praise from a broken and contrite heart. The sinner so restored has had the courts of the soul-temple, purchased by blood and able to live through eternal ages, defiled with buyers and sellers and filled with idols by opening the door of the heart to Satan in thought and feeling and by acting as if the soul could be saved by self and as if one could sin and reform at will. Found lost and undone, held by a power that cannot be broken and unable to cleanse one stain of guilt, he comes without delay, brings the polluted soul to be washed in the blood of the Lamb, is clothed with garments of purity and righteousness, is sanctified through the truth, is given God's Spirit and love in the heart, has the heart inclined to keep the commandments and the misguided will united to God's will, and his cleansed temple becomes a trophy of Christ's agony.
That witness joins the restored gladness to a clean heart and renewed spirit, and to faith that works through love and purifies the soul. It is given with God's help and presence, and to those who have gone astray and erred. It brings efficiency, happiness, sanctified assurance, a living testimony, peace with God, strength to overcome, and fitness to teach. It therefore qualifies believers to lead sinners to repentance and reformation. This belongs especially to sinful and unworthy souls who fully confess sins and reform, above all neglect of duty to children, neighbors, and perishing sinners, and use every means to repair the wrong, casting themselves helplessly on the merits of the crucified and risen Saviour and looking to Him and living.
Parents who have failed to command their households must pray this prayer from contrite hearts to redeem the time by consecrating themselves and cooperating with God in His work on the heart. Beginning with heart work, they ask for the gladness found in being saved to be brought back and to be sustained by His willing Spirit. With hearts subdued and made contrite through the creating, regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, they can then work in wisdom and with greater zeal and love for the conversion of unconverted children and sinners in the household. Those in the household are regarded as the purchase of blood and are not to be treated with indifference, and Jesus waits to be gracious and to bless parental efforts made in fear and love to save souls, with the result that transgressors are taught and sinners are converted.
The renewal that restores gladness and upholds by God's Spirit brings both joy and strength for a life of service. It belongs to the appeal for a clean heart and a renewed spirit and to seeking cleansing and renewal. It leads to sharing God's ways with others so that sinners turn to Him.
Present Comfort and Call
David's prayer for preparation of heart to do acceptable service for God is to be the prayer of every believer today, asking for the joy of salvation to be given back and for sustaining by the free Spirit.
It belongs to times of depression and being cast down, of homesickness, sickness and darkness when one fears having departed from God and clouds shadow the mind. In trial, disappointment, bereavement and affliction, God follows His people with tender love to heal their wounds and renew the joy of salvation. He delights to restore that joy to those who have gone astray and to deliver them from the wrath coming upon the disobedient. When answered, it causes the lips to praise Him and the heart to rejoice.
Turning back to God restores the joy of salvation, for God calls His people to return and promises this restoration if they turn to Him and are converted. His appeal through correction and spared lives gives opportunity to repent and be converted. He corrects by calamity, as in the destruction of the Battle Creek Sanitarium and then the Review and Herald Office, while exercising miracle-working power to preserve life so that every worker may have another chance to repent, be converted, and learn the lesson He desires to teach. That promise means that when those who have departed from God, walked in their own ways, and resisted light and warnings turn with full purpose of heart, confessing and forsaking sin, He will pardon and receive them instead of destroying them, with preservation of life amid destruction given to provide opportunity for this repentance. If they turn to Him He will restore to them the joy of His salvation, but if they continue to walk in their own way, professing to believe the truth without practicing it and without making the Lord their fear and dread, He will come still closer and affliction shall come upon their families.