Mensa Otabil - Rejoice and Trust In the Lord (10/06/2025)
We are still in Psalm number five, and we are looking at verse 11. But let all those rejoice who put their trust in you; let them ever shout for joy because you defend them. Let those who love your name be joyful in you. I love how the Psalms generally work out because as you read them and study them, there are different emotions being expressed. It’s not a prayer of monotony; it’s a heartfelt prayer.
Sometimes there is anger in the prayer, and sometimes there is joy. Sometimes there is fear, and sometimes there is faith. David, having spoken about his enemies and what they are doing, trusts God to take them away from his presence. He comes to a point of joy and celebration in what God has done for him. We see a bright contrast between the earlier verses we read yesterday and today’s verse; one is dark, the other is bright, joyful, and celebratory. Today we see that at this point in his prayer, David does not see himself as lonely any longer. He doesn’t see himself as a victim anymore. Yes, the people who slander him are still there, but now he is confident in the Lord that the Lord is with him and will give him the victory. He is conscious of that. He is not the only one who puts his trust in the Lord; other people also put their trust in the Lord.
If you look at it, it says, «Let all those rejoice who put their trust in you.» He has moved from the dark area of thinking, «Oh, I’m the only one; people are against me; I’m the only one being attacked; I’m the only one under pressure. Lord, do something about it.» Now he sees there are so many people who trust in the Lord, and he is joining those who trust in the Lord. It’s important to know that many times, when we’re going through difficulty, we think we’re the only ones going through it because when you suffer, you suffer alone.
But when you look out, you realize you’re not the only one who trusts in the Lord; there are many other individuals who trust in the Lord, and joining your faith with those who trust in the Lord fills your heart with joy. That’s what is happening to David here at this point in his prayer to the Lord. While he is petitioning, «Lord, cast away those who are against me,» he is now calling those who trust in the Lord to come together and rejoice with him. There are three things he says to those who trust in the Lord.
First, he says, «Let us rejoice because we trust in God.» If you trust in God, you have to rejoice. How can you be disappointed when your confidence is in the Lord? When your trust is in the Lord, how can you be down? How can your soul be down when your faith is in the Lord? So David says that because we trust in the Lord, we rejoice in the Lord. I encourage you today, if you trust in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord.
The second thing he says is, «Let us shout for joy because the Lord defends us.» If God is defending us, then we cannot be intimidated. How can you be intimidated, quiet, and cowering in a corner when the Lord is your defender? You just belt out praises and shout to the Lord. You demonstrate and express the goodness of the Lord. If God is your defender, you have to shout with joy; you have to express it, be exuberant, and be outgoing in your praise to the Lord. So he said, «Let them ever shout for joy because you defend them.» The Lord is our defender; He’s our protector, our rock, and our safety. Though people may come around us with all kinds of schemes to destroy us, the Lord is our defender, and that’s why we shout for joy.
The third thing he says is, «Let those who love your name be joyful in you.» Let us be joyful because we love the name of the Lord. The name of the Lord is our strong tower; the name of the Lord is where we hide for refuge. When we feel depressed in our lives, there is a place of safety, a place of security-that’s the name of the Lord. David says that because of the name of the Lord, we are joyful, and I pray today will be a joyful day for you in all that you do. May you celebrate the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Let us pray together. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, you fill my mouth with shouts of joy because I trust in you. I rejoice in you with all my heart. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.» I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.