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Psalm 51:12 “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”

Think

There are days when joy feels like a memory. You know it exists, you’ve maybe even tasted it before, but in the moment—right here, right now—it feels unreachable. You wake up heavy. The world feels too loud. Your heart feels numb. And when someone says, “Choose joy,” you’re not inspired—you’re annoyed. Because it doesn’t feel like a choice. It feels like something that’s missing.

David knew that feeling. Psalm 51 wasn’t written on a mountaintop; it was written in the aftermath of failure. David had sinned deeply—he’d broken trust, damaged lives, and dishonored God. And he knew it. His prayer wasn’t polished. It was desperate. And tucked in that prayer is this plea: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” In other words, “God, I’ve lost it. I can’t get it back on my own. I need you to do what I can’t.”

That’s where many of us live. We want joy, but we feel stuck. We feel weighed down by past regrets, current pressures, or unspoken grief. We still show up—we go to church, do the work, smile when we’re supposed to—but something feels off. And sometimes we don’t even know why. What Psalm 51 reminds us is this: joy can be restored. It’s not gone forever. It’s not lost beyond reach. But it may take some honesty to get there. David doesn’t fake it. He brings his mess into the presence of God and asks for help. And that’s where joy begins to return—not from fixing everything perfectly, but from coming back to the One who holds everything together.

Joy feels out of reach when we try to manufacture it without dealing with what’s beneath the surface. Sometimes that’s unconfessed sin. Sometimes it’s exhaustion. Sometimes it’s comparison, disappointment, or delayed grief. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, but like any fruit, it won’t grow in soil that’s ignored. Sometimes we need to pull up what’s been left to rot so God can plant something new.

And here’s what’s beautiful: God doesn’t scold David for asking. He doesn’t say, “You had your chance.” He listens. He restores. Because God is not just the giver of joy—he is the restorer of it. So if today you feel like joy is out of reach, you’re not disqualified. You’re not broken beyond repair. You’re not a spiritual failure. You’re just human. And your Father is ready to meet you right there.

Maybe the first step back to joy is just to say what David said: “God, restore it.” No pretense. No pressure. Just an open heart. Joy that is Spirit-grown doesn’t come from ignoring pain—it comes from handing it over. And sometimes joy isn’t loud. Sometimes, it returns like a whisper. A flicker. A breath of hope you didn’t expect. Sometimes it’s in a sunrise, a song lyric, a five-minute moment of quiet where you suddenly remember: God is still good. He’s still here. And he hasn’t let go of you.

Joy may feel far today, but it’s not gone. The Holy Spirit has not stopped working. And the very fact that you’re still showing up, still seeking, still hoping—that’s a sign that joy is closer than you think.

Apply

If joy feels far today, don’t force it. Instead, pray Psalm 51:12 out loud: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation.” Then do something that gives your heart room to breathe—take a walk, light a candle, journal your mess. Don’t rush to feel better. Just make space for God to move.

Pray

God, you know when I feel stuck. You see the parts of me that are tired, numb, or hiding. I don’t want to fake joy—I want to be filled with the real thing. So I ask you today: restore to me the joy of your salvation. Remind me what’s still true. In Jesus’ name. Amen.