THE TRANSIENCE OF SORROW

PSALMS 30:5

A. "HIS ANGER IS BUT FOR A MOMENT, IN HIS FAVOR IS LIFE; WEEPING MAY TARRY FOR THE NIGHT, BUT JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING"
  1. We find that many truths in the Bible are made plain by contrast:
    1. The wheat and the tares
    2. The good soil and the stony ground
  2. We have the same lesson in our text:
    1. The anger of the Lord
    2. And his favor
    3. Weeping in the night
    4. Joy in the morning B. SEASONS OF SORROW
  3. Sorrow comes in the night:
    1. It may be financial reverses - Job 1:14-15
    2. It may be the night of broken health
    3. Then there is the night of the sorrow of bereavement - that comes to all sooner or later
    4. And not to overlook the deep sorrow of sin - "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation - not to be repenteth of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death" 2 Cor. 7:9-10
  4. The sojourn of sorrow:
    1. Sorrow always comes with a mission; it has a message from God to the people
    2. We may not see this truth when sorrow strikes us, but someday we will see the reason for it
    3. Sorrow tarries only for the night; it takes its departure whenever its mission is accomplished.
    4. The aim of sorrow in many instances is to turn our mind to the path of life, to God, the hope of our salvation - Rom. 8:35
    5. Whatever one's sorrow may be, it does not last long; God will not allow us to be tried above that which we are able to bear - I Cor. 10:13
    6. A thunderstorm is very short when measured with the long summer day in which it crashes; sunshine will soon make one forget the storm
    7. Thus when sorrow strikes, let us keep in mind that it will soon pass away
    8. Life seems to have a way to balance itself; the brighter times stretch on and flow into each other, and go far to fill up the brighter side of life C. THE SUPPLANTER OF SORROW; "JOY COMETH IN THE MORNING"
  5. There are two figures presented before us:
    1. The dark-robed - "the night of sorrow"
    2. And the bright-garmented - "the morning of relief and hope"
  6. Joy cometh in the morning:
    1. Joy is an expression of relief from pain and sorrow - Job longed for that experience
    2. Said the Psalmist, "But I will sing of Thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou hast been my defense and refuge in the day of my trouble" - Ps. 59:16
    3. "Cause me to hear Thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust; cause me to know Thy way wherein I should walk; for I life up my soul unto Thee" - Ps. 143:8
  7. God's children have had their dark and sorrowful moments ever since sin came into this world:
    1. Visualize, if you can, what a night of sorrow our first parents must have passed through when they made plans for the funeral of Abel, who had been slain by their oldest son, Cain
    2. We'll never be able to comprehend the sorrow that David had when he was notified that his son Absalom had been cut down in his flight
    3. Or shall we ever understand the night our blessed Lord took the cup of sorrow and pain when He prayed in the Garden
  8. We must never forget:
    1. That God says, "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them" - Is. 63:9
    2. God did that in the person of His only begotten Son - Heb. 2:14-17; Is. 53:1- 12
    3. David, who had his share of sorrow in his life, looked beyond the night of trouble to the coming morning, and says, "I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness - Ps. 17:15
    4. "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing; then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath great things for them" - Ps. 126:1-3


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