Don't remain in your sorrow when you're washed in the blood;

the joy of the Lord shall be your strength!

Keep your eyes on the majesty and mercy of God,

and grief will be turned to joy.

For the joy of the Lord like a flower will grow

on the stem of sorrow for the wrong we do,

and when we turn from our sin his forgiveness we'll know –

nobody can take away the joy of Jesus.

Surely the Father's love will care and provide,

his Son in our place was crucified,

and he sent us his Spirit to be Helper and Guide –

the joy of the Lord shall be our strength!

~~~

Tune: JOY

Metre: Irregular Key: D minor

words © Emma Turl
music © John Turl

Sources: Psalm 32:1-2; Nehemiah 8:9-11; Luke 15:10; John 15:10-11; John 16:22; Philippians 4:19-20
Themes: forgiveness, joy, God our provider, mercy, repentance, strength, sorrow

Keyboard Demo:

Lyric Video:

The well-loved verse from Nehemiah chapter 8, "The joy of the Lord is your strength", became our motto at Goldings Church in around 1995, towards the end of a series of studies in the book. We were moved to see the people of God filled with deep sorrow as they listened to Ezra, the Old Testament priest, reading the newly rediscovered Law of Moses. They were realising how much they had grieved their holy and compassionate God by their wilful disobedience, but Nehemiah the governor encouraged them to find real joy as they turned back to their Creator in repentance and resolved to follow him faithfully. The verse is a wonderful truth, full of promise and relevance for all time.

This song, both Words and tune, were an almost simultaneous response after the sermon that day.

Don't remain in your sorrow

(JOY)

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