Weeping Nights And Joyful Mornings

As I look out into the congregation, I see two types of people. Some of you may be tall, short, or an average height, but I still see two types of people. Some of you may be brown skin, dark skin, light skin, red, yellow, black, or white, but I still only see two types of people. The two types of people I see are those who are going through weeping nights, and those that are in joyful mornings. Since everyone in here is in one of these two categories, then I should have everyone’s attention as God speaks to us about our weeping nights and joyful mornings.

Anyone who has been living for some time or if you’re at an age of understanding, you know that life isn’t easy. There are some people who fool us because they only express the emotions of joy and happiness, but life isn’t easy. Our accomplishments may outnumber our failures, but life isn’t easy. Because life isn’t easy, sometimes we’re up, and at other times we’re down. The person sitting right next to you may be going through a weeping night, while you’re in a joyful morning. Perhaps you’re both going through weeping nights or both in joyful mornings. Whichever you’re going through, the fact remains that we will or have already gone through weeping nights and joyful mornings.

If I were to poll the congregation, I believe that 100% would say they rather experience joyful mornings, than experience weeping nights. But what we must understand is that weeping nights and joyful mornings go hand in hand. In other words, they work together; you can’t have one without the other. Betty Wright in the 1988 classic song said, “No Pain, No Gain.” If we want to gain or attain joy in the morning, then we must endure the pain through the night. I know that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people, but remember we’ve already established that life isn’t easy. If I’m going to shout for joy in the morning, then I must first weep through the night. If I want to experience bright joy in the morning, then I must endure nights of distress.

David, who is the author of this psalm, had his fair share of weeping nights and joyful mornings. He went through weeping nights when King Saul was seeking to take his life, but joyful mornings came when King Saul was killed in battle, and David occupied the throne as King. He went through weeping nights when his adultery with Bathsheba was hidden, but experienced joyful mornings once he confessed his sins to God. David experienced weeping nights when his own son Absalom chased him from his throne, but experienced joyful mornings when he returned to Jerusalem. Because of David’s joyful mornings, he was able to write this psalm of thanksgiving, and celebration of God’s deliverance.

We’re not quite sure from which experiences in life David wrote this psalm, but we do know that David had a reason to praise God. We know that David had endured some weeping nights, and because God brought him out, he was able to praise God for the joyful mornings. Look at David’s praise in verse 1; he exalts the Lord for lifting him up, and not allowing his enemies to gloat over him. In verse 2, David acknowledges that God heard his cry for help and healed him from sickness. Verse 3, David knew that it was God who had spared his life. David then encourages other saints to praise God in verse 4, because he knew that he wasn’t the only one God had blessed.

David could really praise God for knowing that his anger last for a moment, but God’s favor lasts a lifetime. And in our highlighted scripture for today, David gives us something to shout about, weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!

But, before we get our shout on, let’s try to understand weeping nights and joyful mornings by asking ourselves a few questions.

The first question you need to ask yourself is, “What is your weep?” What is it that causes you distress and grief? What brings you mental aguish and pain? What is it that keeps you from getting a good night’s sleep? Somebody’s weep may be their employment situation or unemployment. Somebody’s weep may be a broken relationship with someone they love. Somebody’s weep may be a sin that you’ve been struggling with for some time, but just can’t seem to break loose. What is your weep? Whatever your weep is, God knows all about it.

Have you ever considered that you may be the cause of your weep? Or maybe your weep is something that God has allowed to come your way. But whatever the reason is you’re weeping, you can’t dwell on the weep or the night you’re in.