Hope in the Face of Every Circumstance
Good Morning!
A dear Sister emailed this verse to me: Psalm 43:4
". . .Unto GOD my exceeding joy: Yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God."
And then she commented: I envisioned you with your harp, on the hills of Jerusalem, joining David with his harp, singing melodies of exceeding praise and joy to “ God, O God my God!"
I wrote back: What a beautiful inspiring thing to share with me!
Sometimes what someone who loves us sees in us helps us to see what God sees in us. And that is a great gift.
The Lord must have known I would need this encouragement. I have been dealing with some physical distress for a couple of weeks now, and the possibility of a bowel obstruction. I was feeling particularly down and restless. I felt like I lost my harp and was nowhere near the hills of Jerusalem. I decided to review Psalm 42 and 43, and put parts of these Psalms to music as my prayer to the Lord. It calmed my soul and restored my perspective.
#209 Hope in the face of every circumstance Psalm 43.5
Both Psalm 42 and 43 share similar themes regarding the doubts that arise from being exiled and the longing to return Home to the land and to the joy of Temple services. We can relate to these experiences as pilgrims and strangers on this earth. And there are times we lose our way and long to have our fellowship restored.
Psalm 43 reminds me to not make up that “oppression of the enemy” is rejection from God. “You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? “ Verse 2
“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to you holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:3-4 It is only His Light and Truth that can lead us out of the hands of the enemy, and out of our own faulty thinking that causes discouragement and distress. His light and truth lead us to His holy mountain, to respect for His Governmental authority in every facet of our lives. His Light and Truth lead us finally to the altar of God, to the ability to GIVE our all to Him each day with exceeding joy because HE is our exceeding joy. We are lead to praise HIM, the Mighty One whose power and commitment are ours, accessible and faithful to every need.
“My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of our waters; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” Psalm 42:6
Even in exile, the Psalmist remembered his God.
He remembered the melting snows form the peaks of Hermon, and how they formed thunderous waterfalls. This display of the forces guided by the hand of God made him think of the waters of tribulation which were overwhelming him.
Just as God directs the mighty flow of waters around him, his conviction deepens that He is directing the flood of troubles and will see that he is not drowned in them. From Soncino
When we are downcast we need to remember that He has dominion over the storm. The whelming waters are not arbitrary. They are His to overrule on our behalf.
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11, 43:5
Why are we in despair, and why do we experience inner turmoil? We focus on circumstances and forget to hope in God. Expect the Mighty One to stand in power on our behalf, and praise is again restored and sustained. “For He is my Savior and my God.”
A dear Sister emailed this verse to me: Psalm 43:4
". . .Unto GOD my exceeding joy: Yea, upon the harp will I praise Thee, O God my God."
And then she commented: I envisioned you with your harp, on the hills of Jerusalem, joining David with his harp, singing melodies of exceeding praise and joy to “ God, O God my God!"
I wrote back: What a beautiful inspiring thing to share with me!
Sometimes what someone who loves us sees in us helps us to see what God sees in us. And that is a great gift.
The Lord must have known I would need this encouragement. I have been dealing with some physical distress for a couple of weeks now, and the possibility of a bowel obstruction. I was feeling particularly down and restless. I felt like I lost my harp and was nowhere near the hills of Jerusalem. I decided to review Psalm 42 and 43, and put parts of these Psalms to music as my prayer to the Lord. It calmed my soul and restored my perspective.
#209 Hope in the face of every circumstance Psalm 43.5
Both Psalm 42 and 43 share similar themes regarding the doubts that arise from being exiled and the longing to return Home to the land and to the joy of Temple services. We can relate to these experiences as pilgrims and strangers on this earth. And there are times we lose our way and long to have our fellowship restored.
Psalm 43 reminds me to not make up that “oppression of the enemy” is rejection from God. “You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? “ Verse 2
“Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to you holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.” Psalm 43:3-4 It is only His Light and Truth that can lead us out of the hands of the enemy, and out of our own faulty thinking that causes discouragement and distress. His light and truth lead us to His holy mountain, to respect for His Governmental authority in every facet of our lives. His Light and Truth lead us finally to the altar of God, to the ability to GIVE our all to Him each day with exceeding joy because HE is our exceeding joy. We are lead to praise HIM, the Mighty One whose power and commitment are ours, accessible and faithful to every need.
“My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep in the roar of our waters; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.” Psalm 42:6
Even in exile, the Psalmist remembered his God.
He remembered the melting snows form the peaks of Hermon, and how they formed thunderous waterfalls. This display of the forces guided by the hand of God made him think of the waters of tribulation which were overwhelming him.
Just as God directs the mighty flow of waters around him, his conviction deepens that He is directing the flood of troubles and will see that he is not drowned in them. From Soncino
When we are downcast we need to remember that He has dominion over the storm. The whelming waters are not arbitrary. They are His to overrule on our behalf.
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:11, 43:5
Why are we in despair, and why do we experience inner turmoil? We focus on circumstances and forget to hope in God. Expect the Mighty One to stand in power on our behalf, and praise is again restored and sustained. “For He is my Savior and my God.”
