In his work on religious affections (desires & emotions of the will), Jonathan Edwards asserts, “True religion, in great part, consists in holy affections” Cultivating affections that are shaped by Scripture is essential for maturing and growing in Christlikeness. Through Easter, we will be diving into a variety of Psalms to consider the spectrum of affections experienced by the Psalmists and how they allowed the truths about God to shape and fuel their affections.

[Read a helpful summary of Edwards’ work here.]

For the first week of the semester, we got to Psalm 95 and find an overflow of joy and thanksgiving.

Psalm 95

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,
as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,
when your fathers put me to the test
and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.
For forty years I loathed that generation
and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart,
and they have not known my ways.”
Therefore I swore in my wrath,
“They shall not enter my rest.”

What are the big takeaways from this Psalm?

The Psalmist teaches us two important points concerning the affections of joy and thanksgiving.

1. Joy and thanksgiving flow from an understanding of who God is.

We see this throughout the first 7 verses of the Psalm. The writer overflows with joy and thanksgiving as he reflects on his relationship with God. Lasting joy and thanksgiving develops through growth in our relationship with God. As we experience God’s goodness in the ups and the downs of life, we will develop a depth of joy and thanksgiving that transcends our circumstances. We may not always be gleeful. In fact, we may go through extended seasons in which happiness seems far away. But even during those seasons, when we come to reflect upon who God is and what He’s done for us, God will fuel a lasting joy and thanksgiving within our souls.

2. Joy and thanksgiving should lead to and be the motivator for our obedience to God.

Rather than calling us to work up our willpower to obey God, the Psalmist calls for obedience that flows Christ-centered affections. So when temptations seem to be hitting from every direction and obedience to God feels impossible, meditate upon who you know God to be (Good, faithful, loving, powerful, etc.) and what He’s done for you in the Gospel.