Psalm 42

"Why are you cast down, O my soul?" (vs. 1-11)--It's interesting that this psalm and the next appear to go together. Verses 5, 11, and 43:5 are the same: "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance." This is perhaps a chorus in the song. Because of this "chorus," both psalms have a mood of despair, but of hope. The writer desires God "as the deer pants for the water brooks" (v. 1). Yet God doesn't seem to be responding to him (v. 2), which brings tears "day and night" and continual mocking from his opponents (only identified as "they" in verse 3). Remembrance of his desire and need for God causes the songster to "pour out" his soul and reminds him of times he went "to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast" (v. 4). This tends to imply that he is not doing so now, for reasons that are not stated. Then the first rendition of the chorus, if such is what it is (v. 5). A despondent soul, which can only "hope in God" and praise Him "for the help of His countenance." There are indeed times for us all when we believe that only the Lord can help us. And sometimes it seems like He isn't, or at least He is delaying His answer longer than we desire Him to. But never give up (Luke 18:1-5). When our souls do get "cast down," then remember what He has done for us before (v. 6). Since He has the power to control nature, He can control our puny lives (v. 7). In His time, "Jehovah will command his lovingkindness"--notice the future tense, "will command." He wasn't doing it in the present, but the psalmist had faith that at some point, the Lord would act in his behalf. At the moment, and apparently for the immediate future (the future tense is used again in verse 9), the author thinks God has forgotten him, and he doesn't understand why (v. 9). His enemies are giving Him fits, and mocking him, chiding him for trusting in a God who is not there. So, the song ends on the despairing, but hopeful, chorus, "Why are you cast down, O my soul?...Hope in God" (v. 11).