September 21, Morning

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"I will rejoice over them to do them good." — Jeremiah 32:41 · KJV

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight God takes in His saints! We can see no reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened, conscious of our sinfulness and grieving over our unfaithfulness. And we fear that God's people cannot take much delight in us either, since they must see so much of our imperfections and follies that they may rather lament our weaknesses than admire our graces. Yet we love to dwell on this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us. We nowhere read that God delights in the cloud-capped mountains or the sparkling stars, but we do read that He delights in the habitable parts of the earth, and that His delights are with the sons of men. We do not find it written that even angels give His soul delight, nor does He say of cherubim and seraphim, "Thou shalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee"; but He says all that to poor fallen creatures like ourselves, debased and depraved by sin, yet saved, exalted, and glorified by His grace. In what strong language He expresses His delight in His people! Who could have conceived of the eternal One bursting into song? Yet it is written, "He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love; He will joy over thee with singing." When He looked on the world He had made, He said, "It is very good"; but when He beheld those who are the purchase of Jesus' blood, His own chosen ones, it seemed as if the great heart of the Infinite could restrain itself no longer, but overflowed in divine exclamations of joy. Should we not utter our grateful response to such a marvelous declaration of His love, and sing, "I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation"?