A man beaten beyond recognition. A king mocked with a robe of purple and a crown that drew blood instead of honor. Soldiers laughing. Disciples hiding. The sky is going dark.

“How the king rejoices in your strength, O LORD! He shouts with joy because you give him victory.” ~Psalm 21:1

Psalm 21 bursts with celebration over a victorious king. It would seem out of place beside a crucifixion scene. But that is exactly the point.

What looks like defeat on earth is the moment heaven opens up. Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that we might one day wear one of glory. He descends into the deepest sorrow so we might be raised into an unshakeable joy.

The cross doesn’t look like rejoicing, but it creates eternal joy.

God works most profoundly where we see least clearly. The King is not defeated. He is at work. And the joy He secures is not fragile or temporary. It is eternal, rooted in a victory that could never be undone.

Because of the cross, we can rejoice through the suffering.