YOU TALKING TO ME?
Psalm 43:3-5 NKJV
3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth!
Let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your tabernacle.
4 Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And on the harp I will praise You,
O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God;
For I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.
David is having a moment. It appears that he is having some trouble with his enemies putting pressure on him, and he feels a bit abandoned by God.
But one of David's strengths is his ability to adjust. And he does not stay in a place of despondency. Instead, he calls on God to send light and truth his way. He knows God's light and truth will always bring him to a good place. That good place will involve God's presence. And there, in God's presence, David praises God. David calls God his exceeding joy. So he made the switch from despondent to worshipping, and it's in that place that David talks to his soul.
"Why are you cast down, O my soul?" But in reading this psalm, we have already determined that David was having problems and under the oppression of his enemies. But remember he doesn't stay in that place. After David begins to worship and praise God, he starts talking to his soul, his thoughts and emotions.
Why are you cast down? Seems to be more of an accusation than a question. Why are you disquieted, disturbed, within? David is admonishing himself that he will not allow his thoughts, feelings, and emotions to stay in a low place. He is refusing the disturbing thoughts. And then David tells his soul what it is going to do.
Hope in God. We could also read that as - have an expectation in God. Don't stay down and troubled, soul; expect good from God. And praise God - the help of my countenance. The countenance was often used to reflect a person's mood or attitude. So when David is praising God he is saying that God is the one who lifts his attitude from down and troubled to joyful and strong.
David knew where his help came from and trusted in God, who would not abandon him. So David had a talk with his soul. Hey, soul, we are going to trust in the God who helps us. We are going to praise God. We are not going to stay down.
APPLICATION
David knew a valuable truth. There comes a time when we have to stop listening to our moods and negative thoughts and start telling ourselves what we are going to do and how we are going to think.
We are going to praise God. We are going to place our expectations on Him. He is our hope and strength. He is the One who helps to lift our attitude. Sorry, soul, but you don't get the last word.
PRAYER
Thank You for Your truth and light, Heavenly Father. Thank You for Your help. You are my hope, and I trust in You.