Psalms 126: 2 Commentary

@Barbara - when we have such joy (an inner state of well-being) that can’t be contained, words often cannot express how we feel. We break out in laughter and singing to vocally express the emotions within us. This is a great thing, and praise God for His many graces and blessings.

This is contrasted with happiness, which is usually a result of something that has or is happening to us. When an unexpected financial blessing comes our way, it makes us happy. When our favorite sports team wins, it makes us happy, etc.

This is contrasted with joy. Believers living under persecution may not be “happy” about physically suffering, being separated from loved ones, etc., but they often have a joy present because of the presence of Jesus and the confident expectation of future good, even if they won’t experience it until eternity.

Barbara - I’m sure by ‘Smile’, you don’t mean to put on a fake, plastic ‘church-smile’ we force ourselves to wear ‘no matter what’ to ‘put up appearances’. I think that would be hypocritical, phony and actually presents an unrealistic picture of following Jesus.

Sometimes life just stinks, and we don’t WANT to put on a smile.

I love the refreshing honesty of people who are NOT ‘in-right, outright, upright, downright happy all the time’.

I enjoy the honesty when I ask someone how it’s going, and they tell me it stinks. It often opens the door to genuinely minister to that person.

I often tell people “God loves you and has a DIFFICULT plan for your life.”

So, are people commanded in scripture to always smile and be happy? No.

Can believers possess an unspeakable joy even in the midst of persecutions, trials, hardships and disappointment? - Absolutely!

Please do NOT be like this pastor’s wife (it’s just a joke, but tragically rings all to true in some churches)…

http://www.larknews.com/archives/28

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — Debbie Randolph, wife of Don Randolph, pastor of Eagle Creek Presbyterian Church, says she used to spend all week exercising her cheek muscles to prepare for Sunday’s smiling marathon.

That changed Monday when Debbie became the first woman in the country to undergo surgery that puts a fixed smile on her face. The novel procedure means she will never have to worry about “whether or not I’m smiling for the duration of Sunday morning.”

“It’s my duty to smile,” she says. “When I’m not projecting that joy of the Lord, I’m letting people down, no matter how crappy I feel.”

Before, when sheer willpower kept the smile on her face, her cheeks would be too tender to touch by Monday. At other times, people have come to the door during the week and caught her not smiling, to her horror.

Now, with a smile firmly in place, Debbie can think about other things. Asked how she conveys other emotions, she said she signals to her husband with hand movements if she’s sad or angry.

“But that isn’t often,” she says, smiling.

By Tractorman (wrote 3584 Bible Commentaries - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 12/22/2011 00:20 am

The name of my Bible Study is “Smile” and I want to use this bible verse in the study. Please help!!

By Barbara Bouie (wrote 1 Bible Commentary - permalink to this Commentary)
Posted on: 12/21/2011 19:20 pm