Renew …The Joyful Sound
The Psalmist was writing about the blessings people enjoy who trust and fellowship with the Lord our God. They enjoy the benefits of God’s righteous strength and protection. Psalms 89 rehearses the attributes of God and celebrates God’s faithfulness, mercy, grace and truth. The people who found the favor of Almighty God know and enjoy the blessings of a fulfilled and joyful life. The Psalmist is referring to people who have found this secret place and experience and know God’s favor.
Psalm 89:15 NKJV Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.
In the Hebrew, this verse suggests, “Those who know this joyful sound will wake up every day with peace, strength, and happiness. Their lives will be filled with the joy of God’s favor.”
The Psalmist says, “There is a certain joyful sound that is so powerfully significant that it is the foundation of victorious living. If you know and understand this sound, you will be changed from glory to glory.”
All who know the meaning of the joyful sound are filled with assurance and become fearless!
They walk through life with an ever-increasing sense of security, peace, and well-being. They overcome even when being sifted and assaulted by the adversary and difficult situations. Their heart is steadfast and at rest. The Holy Spirit has revealed to them the meaning behind the joyful sound!
What is this JOYFUL SOUND?
The Psalmist was referring to a specific joyful sound that was heard in the year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee is found in Leviticus 25:8-17.
Jubilee was the 50th year.
God commanded that every 7th year was to be a Sabbath year. The Sabbatical year was a time of rest and release. During the year, the land was given rest and all debts were to be released. It was a time when everyone who was bound in slavery were set free and debts were forgiven. The Sabbatical year was a sign of trust in the Lord and His great blessings. It was a time of celebration and rest for the land.
Jubilee was the year after the 7th Sabbatical year and was a time of full restoration.
Not only were slaves set free and debts canceled, whatever had been lost or taken would be restored. Jubilee was called the Year of Trumpets because it began immediately after the Day of Atonement and the sound of the trumpet.
The Sabbatical year provided regular intervals of relief and rest, but Jubilee offered complete restoration.
Renew the joyful sound.
Leviticus 25:9 NKJV Then you shall cause the trumpet of the Jubilee to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement you shall make the trumpet to sound throughout all your land.
Leviticus 25:9 NLT Then on the Day of Atonement in the fiftieth year, blow the ram’s horn loud and long throughout the land.
The Jubilee was announced with a joyful shout and the sound of the shofar. At a predetermined hour, the high priest entered the holy place to sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the mercy seat. At that exact moment, the shofar was sounded all across the land. Everyone in Israel knew the meaning of the joyful sound. The sound was an announcement that their sin was atoned and they were forgiven. There is reason to rejoice when sin is covered. Some people do not know the joyful sound because they are still living in captivity and bondage. They do not understand why people are full of joy and they do not understand the joyful sound.
Who are the people who know the joyful sound?
Under the old covenant, people who had their sins covered by the blood of the sacrificed lamb understood the joyful sound. Under the New Covenant in Jesus Christ, the redeemed of the LORD know their sins are forgiven. This is the Lord’s Church. The redeemed of the Lord have been blessed and brought into the Lord’s favor.
Why are they blessed?
In the Old Covenant, they knew their sins had been atoned and the sacrifice had been accepted. Their guilt had been covered. In Christ Jesus, we celebrate because we have been forgiven and made clean. Now we are the righteousness of God in Christ. Our sins, which were many, are all washed away. Our burdens are cast over on the Lord. We have put our trust in the Lord and He has taken our sin, sickness, and sorrow. We are loved, accepted, and favored. He has lifted us up and has given us His joy.
What is the joyful sound?
The joyful sound is the sound that is heard in the Lord’s people when our sins are forgiven. We know that sin has no more power and Satan has been defeated. Victory is ours. Christ’s blood has paid for our cleansing and healing. It is the sound of forgiveness. Under the Old Covenant, the High Priest stood in the place of a redeemer. He went into the Holy of Holies to sprinkle the blood of the atonement sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. Little golden bells were sewed into the border of his garments. The priests outside the Holies listened intently for the sound of the bells. The joyful sound of the bells was the sound of life and forgiveness.
When the atonement sacrifice was received, the shofar was blown with a joyful sound for all the people to hear.
All Israel waited with expectation for the sound.
What is the joyful sound?
It is the joyful sound of acceptance.
The Prodigal Son had been completely depleted and destroyed. He wasted his inheritance and his life was ruined. He returned home, but did not know what to expect. The blessing and favor of his inheritance was gone and he just wanted to be a hired servant in his father’s house. When he returned, his father said, “Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” And they began to be merry. (Luke 15:22-24)
The sound of joy filled the house.
When the older brother heard the sound of joy and celebration, he ran to see what was going on. The elder brother did not understand why everyone was making a joyful sound. The prodigal son learned what it meant to experience the loss and pain of a world of sin. He had lost everything including his joy. Now, he knew what it was like to come back into his father’s favor.
Don’t forget what it means to have your sins forgiven and have your heavenly Father’s favor.
Luke 15:10 says, “There is rejoicing and joy in the presence of the angels of God when one sinner repents.” This is the sound of joy and victory. It is the sound of rejoicing when the burden of sin is removed.
What is the joyful sound?
The joyful sound is the sound of answered prayer.
I remember standing outside with my grandpa looking at his fields that were blistered with the sun and drought. His eyes were looking to heaven and tears were running down his cheeks. He was crying, “God, we need rain.’ The next day we heard the sweet sound of distant thunder across the land and then rain began falling.
Elijah prayed for rain.
There had been no rain for 3 ½ years, but it was not just a physical drought. The whole land had turned away from God’s blessing and favor. Elijah knew the God who answers prayer. He had challenged the prophets of Baal to find the true God. The prophets of Baal did their best to get some response from Baal, but he did absolutely nothing in response to their prayers. When Elijah prayed, God sent fire from heaven and consumed the sacrifice and the altar. When the people saw that God answered his prayer, they fell down and worshiped God.
Elijah told King Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.”
Elijah was hearing something that nobody else was hearing. He made a prophetic declaration that God was sending rain. After he said these words, Elijah started praying and looking for rain. He sent his servant six times to look for any sign of an answer from God.
In 1 Kings 18:44, he was sent to look the seventh time for any sign of God’s blessing and favor.
He came back to Elijah and said: “I see a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” It was not long until the sound of heavy rain was heard all over the land.
There is a sound of joy when we receive an answer to our prayer.
Have you heard the sound of answered prayer?
We had just finished praying for the sick and people were filtering back to their seats. Starting quietly from the middle of the building, we began hearing a sound of praise arising from one woman. She had come down for prayer because she had lost about 80% of her sight. Her praise began getting a little louder and louder. God had healed her blind eyes.
You may have made that sound.
It is the sound of joy and relief, rejoicing and praise. It is the sound people make when Jesus passes by. It is the sound that is made when sin is forgiven. It is the sound of joy when someone is healed.
There is another joyful sound.
One of these days we will hear this sound from heaven.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 NKJV For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 NKJV And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
When we hear that sound, the dead in Christ shall arise. It will be a day of rejoicing and there will be no more crying, sighing, or dying. There will be no more weeping, mourning, or anguish. There will be rejoicing around the throne of God. The redeemed of the Lord shall sing a new song, the song of the redeemed and of the Lamb. The burdens of life will be over.
We need a renewal of the joyful sound in our lives.
I want to know the joyful sound!
