“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.”
(Psalm 2:11)
While the believer has much to rejoice about in God, that rejoicing must be holy and reverential, “with trembling.” For we must also fear God, though never in terror. The right frame of the Christian life is a humble, reverent, joyful obedience before God.
If God has revealed His Son to the soul, if the love of God has been shed abroad in the heart, if His Spirit has come to dwell within, then that person is highly favored and should magnify the Lord and rejoice in God his Savior.
But this joy must be built upon deep repentance. Reverent joy, holy joy grows out of repentance and leads to obedience. The joy of the Lord becomes strength to the believer and makes the Christian willing and cheerful in the service of God.
Yet we must be careful that after receiving such comfort and joy we also guard against pride and carnal security. When God speaks peace to our soul, we must not return again to foolishness, for the Holy Spirit must not be grieved. We should never think His work in us is finished or the warfare accomplished. For the Christian life is a continual warfare, and there will be ongoing temptations, trials, and seasons of darkness.[1]
For example, sometimes God hides His face from His people after they have known His love. In such times, we must steadfastly continue to trust in the name of the Lord, hope in Him, and wait patiently until He causes the light to shine again.
So let us pray for humble hearts, for holy joy, for perseverance in obedience, and for unity in the church that we may serve Him with reverence and rejoice in Him with humility all our days.
Contemplations:
- A Prayer for a Reverent and Joyful Heart. Lord, I want my heart to be rightly ordered toward You, that I may rejoice in You and yet walk before You with reverence and godly fear. Do not let me become careless in my joy or cold in my obedience. Let me never treat holy things lightly nor take Your mercy for granted. Teach me to rejoice in Your salvation with humility, remembering what I was and what You have made me by Your grace. Let my joy make me more obedient, more watchful, and more thankful. Keep my heart tender, serious, and joyful in You at the same time, that I may serve You in the way that pleases You.
- A Prayer Against Pride and Carnal Security. Father, I know how easily my heart grows proud when You give me comfort, and how easily I grow careless when I feel secure. Therefore I ask You to keep me humble. When You give me joy, don’t allow me to grow careless in duty. When You give me assurance, let me not grow proud in spirit. Keep me watchful over my heart, my thoughts, and my ways. Do not let me grieve the Holy Spirit, but teach me to walk softly before You all my days.
- A Prayer for Faith in Times of Darkness. Lord, when You hide Your face and I walk in darkness, help me steadfastly trust in Your name and stay upon my God. When I do not feel Your comfort, help me still believe Your promises. When I do not see Your hand, help me yet trust Your heart. Keep me from despair and from unbelief in times of trial. Teach me to wait patiently for You until You cause light to arise again. Let me learn to live by faith and not by sight, and to trust You even when I do not understand Your ways.
- A Prayer for the Church and the Success of the Gospel. Lord, I pray that Your Word would have free course and be glorified in my life and Your church. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your people. Bless the preaching of the Gospel and make it powerful for the salvation of sinners and the edification of the saints. Give unity and love among Your people. Remove divisions, pride, and bitterness. Help us love one another, pray for one another, and seek the good of one another. Let Christ increase and His kingdom flourish. Build Your church and glorify Your name in the world.
Prayer (Supplication)
Gracious Father, I come before You asking for grace to live in that holy frame of heart which Your Word commands, that I may serve You with reverence and rejoice in You with humility. Give me a heart that both fears You and loves You, that both rejoices in You and walks carefully before You.
Keep me from pride and from carnal security. Do not let me grow careless when You are kind to me, nor forget You when You give me comfort. Keep my heart humble, watchful, and dependent upon You.
Strengthen me against temptation. When I am weak, be my strength. When I am tempted, give me a way to escape. When I fall, restore my soul and lead me again in the paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake.
When You hide Your face and I walk in darkness, help me trust in Your name and stay upon my God. Teach me to hope in You and to wait patiently for You until You cause light to shine again. And don’t let me judge Your love by my present feelings but rather by Your promises in Christ.
I pray for the prosperity of Your church. Let Your Word have free course and be glorified. Pour out Your Spirit upon Your people. Bless the preaching of the Gospel and make it powerful to save sinners and build up the saints. Help us walk together in humility and love, and to seek the things that make for peace and edification.
All this I ask that I may live in holy joy and humble reverence before You all my days.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Further Scripture References Ps. 2:11:
Heb. 12:28; 2 Sam. 23:3; Psalm 9:2; Phil. 2:12
[1] Joseph Sewall, The Holy Spirit Convincing the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment, (Boston: J. Draper, for D. Henchman in Cornhill, 1741), 64-68.
