The problems and troubles are mounting. You’ve prayed and prayed, but there is still no relief, there are no answers. Is God even there? You don’t see any signs of His care or concern, or of His presence. Has He just cast you off and walked away from you? Sometimes we might feel like that. The unknown author of Psalm 43 felt the same way. He was a struggling, but faithful believer who was battling discouragement, but learned to place his hope in God. This is a companion psalm with Psalm 42, as they repeat the same refrain of a cry on the verge of despair. Let’s see what he has to say, and what God can teach us through this psalm.
Our psalm begins with a prayer for God’s righteous judgment (vs. 1). The psalmist was being attacked by wicked people and falsely accused. Many of us can relate to this. Rather than take matters into his own hands, he called upon God to judge his case. Our psalmist did not seek personal vengeance. Instead he placed the situation into God’s hands, trusting Him to defend what was right. St. Paul taught us the same thing in Romans 12:19. When criticized, misunderstood, or mistreated, we should bring our case before God and trust Him to vindicate us in His time, seeking His justice rather than resorting to our own vengeance.
Our psalmist spoke of the emotional pain he had as he felt abandoned by God (vs. 2). He knew that God was his strength, yet the circumstances he was going through made him feel abandoned. He knew the truth, but he did not feel the truth. However, one thing we need to remember is that faith is not based upon our feelings. Our feelings often fluctuate, but God’s character never changes (Hebrews 13:8). Even when God seems distant, He remains present and faithful. We need to learn to trust God’s promises more than our emotions.
Continuing on, the psalmist prayed for God’s light and truth (vs. 3). He didn’t ask for better circumstances, for more money, or revenge on his enemies. He wished for God’s light, His guidance, direction, and understanding. As we navigate through our days there are times when life gets so overwhelming, and we feel disoriented. The psalmist was overwhelmed, and felt lost because of wickedness. He prayed to God for guidance to help him navigate through the situation.
He also prayed for God’s truth which is found in His Word, the Bible. God’s truth will guide us safely through the dark circumstances we go through (Psalm 119:105). When we face confusion, disappointment, or depression, we should seek the light and truth of Scripture rather than relying upon human wisdom alone.
The psalmist longed to return to the place where he could worship God (vs. 3-4). His greatest desire was not relief from the troubles he was going through, but rather in fellowship with God. He sought God’s light and truth to lead him into God’s presence where he could worship, and his joy be restored. We see here, and throughout Scripture, that joy is not found in circumstance, nor in possessions. Joy is found in God Himself. Many seek solutions to problems while neglecting the One who is the true source of joy.
Our psalm closes with the psalmist preaching to himself (vs. 5). He gives himself a spiritual self-examination. He isn’t going to listen just to his feelings, but instead speaks truth to himself. He had asked why he was discouraged and troubled, and why he was forgetting God’s faithfulness. Then he tells himself to hope in God. Biblical hope is not wishful thinking. It is a confident expectation based on God’s character and promises. The psalmist knew that his trials would not last forever. When discouraged, we need to remind ourselves of God’s promises rather than allowing emotions to dictate our outlook.
When going through the problems and trials that we all experience, Christians need to remember that God is our defender. When feeling abandoned, we must trust in God’s unchanging character. His light and truth will guide us through life’s darkest valleys. Putting our hope and trust in the Lord will lift up our downcast soul.
Our psalm ends where victory begins - not with changed circumstances, but with renewed confidence that “I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.” The psalmist’s situation had not yet changed, yet his focus had. He moved from dwelling on his troubles to seeking God’s light and truth, and from questioning to confident expectation. That is the pathway from despair to hope for every child of God.
No comments:
Post a Comment