A Joyful Connection
READ
Take a moment to read Psalm 51:10-12:
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from Your presence
Or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of Your salvation
And grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
I love these beautiful words of Psalm 51. I can feel the sincerity of David's heart. After being confronted by Nathan concerning his affair with Bathsheba, David is fully aware of what his sin has done — it has created distance between him and God. In these verses, we get a glimpse of who David is and what he longs for: a clean heart, a renewed spirit, and God's presence.
But in addition to these things, David requests something else. He asks God to "restore the joy of his salvation." The joy. I have always found this so interesting. It seems that while David knows his salvation is secure, it is his joy that has been lost.
So what is this joy of salvation that David speaks of?
REFLECT
To illustrate, I'll share this story.
Several years ago, my family and I were traveling to visit some relatives in Nashville. We thought we'd stop for a night somewhere along the way and enjoy a little time together — make the trip a combination of vacation and family time. So we surveyed the map, considered our options, and chose, of all places — wait for it — Dollywood!
When we arrived at the amusement park, my people were shocked to discover that I absolutely love roller coasters! Somehow, they had forgotten this about me, which I could understand. I don't typically care for speed and motion. I am normally the most cautious one in our group — the one who carefully calculates the risks of an activity, only to decide to sit it out... unless, of course, we are talking about roller coasters. In that case, I am suddenly bold, brave, and all in!
When I get on a roller coaster, something happens. My normally fearful heart fully trusts in every safety belt, harness, and lap bar. I don't feel like my 52-year-old self anymore. I am suddenly an excited child again — hands in the air, laughing uncontrollably, screaming at the top of my lungs. I am not worried. I am not scared. I feel so secure that I can let go of the harness and enjoy every twist, turn, and upside-down loop with pure, unbridled pleasure. And as a result, there is a sweet joy within my heart. I am free in a way that I don't normally feel anywhere else.
And just as the roller coaster causes something to drastically change inside of me, so does a right relationship with my heavenly Father. As I survey the work of the Cross and consider my salvation, I am no longer a slave bound to sin. Darkness has lost its power, and the burdens of my guilt and shame are gone. As I draw near to Christ and trust in His redeeming work, I am not only made completely new — I feel completely new. Fully alive. Fully forgiven. Fully free. Secure in Him. Overwhelmed by His love. It's a place where the joy of my salvation is completely restored.
It seems as if David was longing for exactly this as he wrote these words — a connection that brings joy. He knew of his former closeness to God, but his sin had disrupted that closeness.
But David also knew the character of his God — merciful, loving, compassionate, faithful. He was asking for renewal and restoration not with doubt, but with a faith that says, "I believe You will, God, as only You can." After confessing his sins, David was ready to fully receive God's grace, and he knew that in doing so, the joy of his salvation would be restored.
We, like David, can trust God to cleanse us, renew us, and sustain us. We can lean into His redemptive power to make things new. We can rest in His compassionate mercy and His unfailing love for us. And as we do, we should loosen our grip on trying to control or regain what was lost by our own strength. It is God's grace that causes us to throw our hands in the air in freedom and feel all the joy. It's the joy of salvation — and because of it, there is so much to celebrate!
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you've read.
As you think about your own spiritual walk, where have you lost the joy of your salvation? How could drawing near to God change this, and what might that look like for you?
How are trusting the character of God and experiencing joy related?
Write the following verse on a notecard and read it today and in the days ahead: "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me." — Psalm 51:12
REST
Take a moment to rest in God's presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time of reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Lord, thank You for restoring what has been lost as I willingly return to You and seek Your presence. Help me remember that it is You who creates a clean heart within me and renews my spirit and strength. I don't do this by my own power — it is Your lovingkindness that restores what is lost or broken within me. Help me to feel the fullness of Your mercy and grace as I move beyond sin and shame to a place of wonderful, restored joy! Amen.
Port City writer Holly Campbell wrote today's devotional.