Psalm 89:15
Blessed are those who know the joyful sound, who walk, O LORD, in the light of Your presence.
Blessed are those
The word "blessed" in Hebrew is "אַשְׁרֵי" (ashrei), which conveys a sense of happiness, contentment, and divine favor. In the context of the Psalms, it often refers to a state of being that results from living in accordance with God's will. This blessing is not merely a temporary happiness but a deep-seated joy that comes from a relationship with God. The phrase "those" indicates a collective group, suggesting that this blessing is available to all who meet the conditions described in the verse.

who know
The Hebrew word for "know" is "יֹדְעֵי" (yodei), which implies an intimate, experiential knowledge rather than mere intellectual understanding. This knowledge is relational, indicating a deep, personal connection with God. It suggests that those who are blessed have a profound awareness and recognition of God's presence and character, which guides their lives.

the joyful sound
The phrase "joyful sound" is translated from the Hebrew "תְּרוּעָה" (teruah), which can refer to a shout of joy, a trumpet blast, or a cry of victory. In the context of ancient Israel, this sound was often associated with religious festivals, celebrations, and the proclamation of God's kingship. It signifies a communal expression of joy and worship, reflecting the people's acknowledgment of God's sovereignty and goodness.

they walk, O LORD
The verb "walk" in Hebrew is "יֵלֵכוּן" (yelekhun), which denotes a way of life or conduct. It implies a continuous, habitual action, suggesting that those who are blessed live their lives in a manner that is consistent with God's ways. The invocation of "O LORD" (Yahweh) emphasizes the covenant relationship between God and His people, highlighting His personal involvement in their lives.

in the light of Your presence
The "light" in Hebrew is "אוֹר" (or), symbolizing purity, truth, and divine revelation. Light is often used in Scripture to represent God's guidance and the clarity that comes from His truth. "Your presence" refers to the Hebrew "פָּנֶיךָ" (panekha), meaning face or countenance, indicating a close, personal relationship with God. Walking in the light of God's presence suggests living under His guidance and favor, experiencing His protection and blessing as a result of being in close fellowship with Him. This imagery evokes a sense of security and peace, as those who walk in God's light are assured of His constant care and direction.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ethan the Ezrahite
Traditionally attributed as the author of Psalm 89, Ethan was a wise man during the time of King Solomon. His psalm reflects on God's covenant with David and the challenges faced by the nation of Israel.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The central figure in this verse, representing God's presence and covenant faithfulness. The psalm emphasizes His eternal nature and His promises to His people.

3. Israel
The nation chosen by God, often experiencing cycles of faithfulness and rebellion. This psalm reflects on their relationship with God and His enduring promises.

4. Davidic Covenant
The promise made by God to King David, ensuring that his lineage would endure forever. This covenant is a central theme in Psalm 89.

5. The Temple
While not directly mentioned in this verse, the Temple in Jerusalem was the physical representation of God's presence among His people, a place where the "joyful sound" of worship was often heard.
Teaching Points
Understanding the Joyful Sound
The "joyful sound" refers to the call to worship and the celebration of God's presence. It is a reminder of the joy found in knowing and following God.

Walking in the Light
Walking in the light of God's presence implies living a life aligned with His will and truth. It involves daily fellowship with God and obedience to His Word.

Blessings of Knowing God
Those who know the joyful sound and walk in God's light are blessed. This blessing is not just material but spiritual, encompassing peace, joy, and assurance of God's presence.

Covenant Faithfulness
God's faithfulness to His covenant with David is a reminder of His faithfulness to us. We can trust in His promises and rely on His steadfast love.

Living in God's Presence
To live in God's presence is to experience His guidance, protection, and peace. It requires intentionality in seeking Him through prayer, worship, and the study of His Word.
Bible Study Questions
1. What does the "joyful sound" mean to you personally, and how can you incorporate it into your daily life?

2. How does walking in the light of God's presence influence your decisions and actions?

3. In what ways can you remind yourself of God's covenant faithfulness in times of difficulty?

4. How can you cultivate a deeper awareness of God's presence in your everyday activities?

5. Reflect on a time when you experienced the blessings of knowing God. How did it impact your faith journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 10:10
This verse describes the use of trumpets for calling the assembly and for signaling the start of festivals, which can be seen as the "joyful sound" referenced in Psalm 89:15.

John 8:12
Jesus declares Himself as the "light of the world," connecting to the theme of walking in the light of God's presence.

1 John 1:7
This verse speaks about walking in the light as He is in the light, which parallels the idea of walking in the light of God's presence.
Continual SunshineAlexander MaclarenPsalm 89:15
A Majestic SongPsalm 89:1-52
God's Promise to David and His SeedC. Short Psalm 89:1-52
The Uncovenanted Mercies of GodSamuel Cox, D.D.Psalm 89:1-52
The Joyful SoundS. Conway Psalm 89:15, 16
Four Stages of Christian ExperienceF. Burnett.Psalm 89:15-18
Joyfulness Aids CharacterA. H. Lee.Psalm 89:15-18
Knowledge of the Joyful SoundA. Thomson, D. D.Psalm 89:15-18
The Blessedness of God's Real and Devoted ServantsE. Tottenham, M.A.Psalm 89:15-18
The Blessedness of Knowing the GospelHomilistPsalm 89:15-18
The Christian Walking in the Blessedness of the GospelC. Bradley, M.A.Psalm 89:15-18
The Gospel a Joyful SoundJ. L. F. Russell, M.A.Psalm 89:15-18
The Joyful SoundJ. Hay, D.D.Psalm 89:15-18
The Privilege of Knowing Thy Joyful SoundT. Boston, D.D.Psalm 89:15-18
Walking in LightA. Maclaren, D.D.Psalm 89:15-18
Walking in the LightA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 89:15-18
People
David, Ethan, Psalmist, Rahab
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Acclaim, Blessed, Countenance, Cry, Face, Festal, Habitually, Happiness, Happy, Holy, Joy, Joyful, Learn, Learned, O, Presence, Shining, Shout, Walk
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 89:15

     4020   life, of faith
     4836   light, and people of God
     5197   walking
     5874   happiness

Psalm 89:1-37

     5089   David, significance

Library
Continual Sunshine
'Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance.'--PSALM lxxxix. 15. The Psalmist has just been setting forth, in sublime language, the glories of the divine character--God's strength, His universal sway, the justice and judgment which are the foundation of His Throne, the mercy and truth which go as heralds before His face. A heathen singing of any of his gods would have gone on to describe the form and features of the god or goddess who
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

December the Ninth National Blessedness
"Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound." --PSALM lxxxix. 1-18. Blessed is the people who love the sound of the silver trumpet which calls to holy convocation! Blessed is the people who are sacredly impatient for the hour of holy communion! Blessed is the people "in whose heart are the highways to Zion." And in what shall their blessedness consist? In illumination. "They shall walk, O Lord, in the light of Thy countenance." The favour of the Lord shall shine upon them when they walk
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

September the Sixteenth the Steadfastness of the Lord
"My covenant shall stand fast." --PSALM lxxxix. 19-29. Such a divine assurance ought to make me perfectly quiet in spirit. Restlessness in a Christian always spells disloyalty. The uncertainty is born of suspicion. There is a rift in the faith, and the disturbing breath of the devil blows through, and destroys my peace. If I am sure of my great Ally, my heart will not be troubled, neither will it be afraid. And such a divine assurance ought to make me bold in will and majestic in labour. I ought
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

The People's Christ
We do not believe that Israel or Judah ever had a better ruler than David; and we are bold to affirm that the reign of the man "chosen out of the people" outshines in glory the reigns of high-bred emperors, and princes with the blood of a score of kings running in their veins. Yea, more, we will assert that the humility of his birth and education, so far from making him incompetent to rule, rendered him, in a great degree, more fit for his office, and able to discharge its mighty duties. He could
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

The Blessing of God.
NUMB. VI. 22-27. We have already seen the grace of GOD making provision that His people, who had lost the privilege of priestly service, might draw near to Him by Nazarite separation and consecration. And not as the offence was the free gift: those who had forfeited the privilege of priestly service were the males only, but women and even children might be Nazarites; whosoever desired was free to come, and thus draw near to GOD. We now come to the concluding verses of Numb. vi, and see in them one
James Hudson Taylor—Separation and Service

A vision of the King.
ONE of the most blessed occupations for the believer is the prayerful searching of God's holy Word to discover there new glories and fresh beauties of Him, who is altogether lovely. Shall we ever find out all which the written Word reveals of Himself and His worthiness? This wonderful theme can never be exhausted. The heart which is devoted to Him and longs through the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be closer to the Lord, to hear and know more of Himself, will always find something
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
Abel, the relation of, to Christ, [1]299. See Cain. Abraham, the era in the life of, from which a new succession begins, [2]318; time of the migration of, [3]319, etc.; the order and nature of God's promises to, [4]320, etc.; the three great kingdoms existing at the time of the birth of, [5]321; the repeated promises of the land of Canaan made to, and to his seed, [6]321; his denial of his wife in Egypt, [7]322; the parting of Lot and, [8]322; the third promise of the land to, [9]322; his victory
St. Augustine—On Christian Doctrine In Four Books.

Unity of Moral Action.
CAN OBEDIENCE TO MORAL LAW BE PARTIAL? 1. What constitutes obedience to moral law? We have seen in former lectures, that disinterested benevolence is all that the spirit of moral law requires; that is, that the love which it requires to God and our neighbor is good-willing, willing the highest good or well-being of God, and of being in general, as an end, or for its own sake; that this willing is a consecration of all the powers, so far as they are under the control of the will, to this end. Entire
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Letter Lv. Replies to Questions of Januarius.
Or Book II. of Replies to Questions of Januarius. (a.d. 400.) Chap. I. 1. Having read the letter in which you have put me in mind of my obligation to give answers to the remainder of those questions which you submitted to me a long time ago, I cannot bear to defer any longer the gratification of that desire for instruction which it gives me so much pleasure and comfort to see in you; and although encompassed by an accumulation of engagements, I have given the first place to the work of supplying
St. Augustine—The Confessions and Letters of St

The Promised King and Temple-Builder
'And it came to pass that night, that the word of the Lord came unto Nathan, saying, 5. Go and tell My servant David, Thus saith the Lord, Shalt thou build Me an house for Me to dwell in! 6. Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

"He is the Rock, his Work is Perfect. For all his Ways are Judgment. A God of Truth, and Without Iniquity, Just and Right is He.
Deut. xxxii. 4, 5.--"He is the rock, his work is perfect. For all his ways are judgment. A God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he. They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children. They are a perverse and crooked generation." "All his ways are judgment," both the ways of his commandments and the ways of his providence, both his word which he hath given as a lantern to men's paths, and his works among men. And this were the blessedness of men, to be found
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Atonement.
We come now to the consideration of a very important feature of the moral government of God; namely, the atonement. In discussing this subject, I will-- I. Call attention to several well-established principles of government. 1. We have already seen that moral law is not founded in the mere arbitrary will of God or of any other being, but that it has its foundation in the nature and relations of moral agents, that it is that rule of action or of willing which is imposed on them by the law of their
Charles Grandison Finney—Systematic Theology

Second Sunday in Lent
Text: First Thessalonians 4, 1-7. 1 Finally then, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as ye received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, even as ye do walk,--that ye abound more and more. 2 For ye know what charge we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye abstain from fornication; 4 that each one of you know how to possess himself of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

The Justice of God
The next attribute is God's justice. All God's attributes are identical, and are the same with his essence. Though he has several attributes whereby he is made known to us, yet he has but one essence. A cedar tree may have several branches, yet it is but one cedar. So there are several attributes of God whereby we conceive of him, but only one entire essence. Well, then, concerning God's justice. Deut 32:4. Just and right is he.' Job 37:23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Covenanting Provided for in the Everlasting Covenant.
The duty of Covenanting is founded on the law of nature; but it also stands among the arrangements of Divine mercy made from everlasting. The promulgation of the law, enjoining it on man in innocence as a duty, was due to God's necessary dominion over the creatures of his power. The revelation of it as a service obligatory on men in a state of sin, arose from his unmerited grace. In the one display, we contemplate the authority of the righteous moral Governor of the universe; in the other, we see
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

His Future Work
The Lord Jesus Christ, who finished the work on earth the Father gave Him to do, who is now bodily present in the highest heaven, occupying the Father's throne and exercising His priesthood in behalf of His people, is also King. To Him belongeth a Kingdom and a kingly Glory. He has therefore a kingly work to do. While His past work was foretold by the Spirit of God and His priestly work foreshadowed in the Old Testament, His work as King and His glorious Kingdom to come are likewise the subjects
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ

Assurance
Q-xxxvi: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS WHICH FLOW FROM SANCTIFICATION? A: Assurance of God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. The first benefit flowing from sanctification is assurance of God's love. 'Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.' 2 Pet 1:10. Sanctification is the seed, assurance is the flower which grows out of it: assurance is a consequent of sanctification. The saints of old had it. We know that we know
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Of the Name of God
Exod. iii. 13, 14.--"And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you." We are now about this question, What God is. But who can answer it? Or, if answered, who can understand it? It should astonish us in
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Poetical Books (Including Also Ecclesiastes and Canticles).
1. The Hebrews reckon but three books as poetical, namely: Job, Psalms, and Proverbs, which are distinguished from the rest by a stricter rhythm--the rhythm not of feet, but of clauses (see below, No. 3)--and a peculiar system of accentuation. It is obvious to every reader that the poetry of the Old Testament, in the usual sense of the word, is not restricted to these three books. But they are called poetical in a special and technical sense. In any natural classification of the books of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

How Shall one Make Use of Christ as the Life, when Wrestling with an Angry God Because of Sin?
That we may give some satisfaction to this question, we shall, 1. Shew what are the ingredients in this case, or what useth to concur in this distemper. 2. Shew some reasons why the Lord is pleased to dispense thus with his people. 3. Shew how Christ is life to the soul in this case. 4. Shew the believer's duty for a recovery; and, 5. Add a word or two of caution. As to the first, There may be those parts of, or ingredients in this distemper: 1. God presenting their sins unto their view, so as
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

The Firstborn.
"THE Firstborn" or "The Firstbegotten" is one of the names of our blessed Lord. It is applied to Him after His resurrection from the dead. As the Only Begotten He came into this world, the unspeakable gift of God to a lost and ruined world; after the accomplishment of His work on the cross He left the earth, He had created, as the Firstborn. As the Firstbegotten He is now in the highest heaven and as the Firstbegotten the Man of Glory He will be sent back to this earth and rule in power and glory.
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

The First Commandment
Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' Exod 20: 3. Why is the commandment in the second person singular, Thou? Why does not God say, You shall have no other gods? Because the commandment concerns every one, and God would have each one take it as spoken to him by name. Though we are forward to take privileges to ourselves, yet we are apt to shift off duties from ourselves to others; therefore the commandment is in the second person, Thou and Thou, that every one may know that it is spoken to him,
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

The Call of Matthew - the Saviour's Welcome to Sinners - Rabbinic Theology as Regards the Doctrine of Forgiveness in Contrast to the Gospel of Christ
In two things chiefly does the fundamental difference appear between Christianity and all other religious systems, notably Rabbinism. And in these two things, therefore, lies the main characteristic of Christ's work; or, taking a wider view, the fundamental idea of all religions. Subjectively, they concern sin and the sinner; or, to put it objectively, the forgiveness of sin and the welcome to the sinner. But Rabbinism, and every other system down to modern humanitarianism - if it rises so high in
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Being of God
Q-III: WHAT DO THE SCRIPTURES PRINCIPALLY TEACH? A: The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man. Q-IV: WHAT IS GOD? A: God is a Spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. Here is, 1: Something implied. That there is a God. 2: Expressed. That he is a Spirit. 3: What kind of Spirit? I. Implied. That there is a God. The question, What is God? takes for granted that there
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

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