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Psalm 42:11 - Counsel For The Downcast.

Psalm 42:11 (NIV) Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:11 (CWR) Why am I so discouraged? Why do I take these insults personally? I must trust God. He has not forsaken me. I will trust and praise Him, no matter how I feel. He is my health and life, my Savior and my God.

CONTEXT

   Psalms 42-43 The refrain "Why are you cast down, O my soul?" ties these two psalms together (42:5, 11; 43:5). Why was the writer so depressed?
   For one thing, God seemed far from him in his hour of need (42:1-3). He felt like a thirsty deer in the desert, searching for water. But the Lord is never far away; He is near even when you do not recognize Him (Isa. 41:10; Heb. 13:5; Ps. 48:7).
   The writer's depression was aggravated because he looked back at "the good old days" (42:4-6). He longed to return to Jerusalem and minister in the temple. Sometimes retirement or a change of residence will make people depressed. The older we get, the less we enjoy change....
   The discouraging talk of others was a third contributing factor (42:3, 9-10): "Has God forgotten you? Where is your God?" The answer is in Psalm 115. Listen to God and not to the foolish talk of men.
   What should you do when depression starts to control you? "Hope In God" (42:5, 11; 43:5). Look at the future and not at the past. If you feel drowned by circumstances, keep in mind that they are His waves and billows (42:7), and He knows what is best for you. Stop feeding on your feelings (42:3) and start feeding on His Word (43:3). God will guard you and guide you, no matter how miserable you may feel. God is greater than your feelings. Walk by faith and He will see you through. [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe]

INTRODUCTION

Depression affects many people, requiring some to seek extensive counseling and medical help. God has given us counselors, doctors, and medicines to aid in healing, and meditating on the record of God's goodness to his people can also help us. Recalling how God has worked in our lives might help take our minds off the present situation and can give us hope that it will improve. It will focus our thoughts on God's ability to help us rather than on our inability to help ourselves. When you feel down or discouraged, take advantage of this psalm's advice. Read the Bible's accounts of God's goodness, and meditate on them. [Life Application SB 2019 re parallel passage in verse 5]

COMMENTARY PEARL

There are those who have known the pardoning love of Christ and who really desire to be children of God, yet they realize that their character is imperfect, their life faulty, and they are ready to doubt whether their hearts have been renewed by the Holy Spirit. To such I would say, Do not draw back in despair. We shall often have to bow down and weep at the feet of Jesus because of our shortcomings and mistakes, but we are not to be discouraged. Even if we are overcome by the enemy, we are not cast off, not forsaken and rejected of God. No; Christ is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Said the beloved John, "These things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1. And do not forget the words of Christ, "The Father Himself loveth you." John 16:27. He desires to restore you to Himself, to see His own purity and holiness reflected in you. And if you will but yield yourself to Him, He that hath begun a good work in you will carry it forward to the day of Jesus Christ. Pray more fervently; believe more fully. As we come to distrust our own power, let us trust the power of our Redeemer, and we shall praise Him who is the health of our countenance. SC 64

COMMENTARY

Thirst Quencher
   In Psalm 42 we see a person thirsting for God, craving his presence, and still feeling alone or even abandoned by him. This person has longed for God's presence and found no ready source of relief. As you read this psalm, find, with the author, the answer to your own thirst.
   Do you ever feel alone in your faith? There come times in life when we thirst for God, weep for his help, or even endure ridicule for our faith while waiting for him to answer our prayers (Psalm 42:1-3). We want desperately to feel God's presence or to have some other tangible sign of his help and support. Times like these can lead to depression and discouragement for any Christian.
   The writer of Psalm 42 discovered a remedy for these spiritually dry times. He remembered God's great blessings on his life. He realized that although God seemed silent, he was there and was worthy to be praised (42:4-5). He soaked in God's beautiful creation (42:6). He realized that he was never adrift from God's love (42:7-8). He faithfully expected God to act (42:11). [The One Year Through the Bible Devotional by Dave Veerman ]

Put Your Hope In God
   When life goes awry, we become more vulnerable to allowing our mind to spiral into negative thoughts. I don't know if I can trust God. I don't know if God has my best interests at heart.
   If you find thoughts like these bouncing around in your head, stop for a moment and ask: Where did this thought come from? God didn't put those thoughts there. The Enemy is a liar, always working to flip the narrative and convince us that God isn't trustworthy. He tells us that full surrender to Jesus equals less in our lives, not more.
   From the very beginning, God has put all of His cards on the table. He promised, I'm going to come down and deliver you. I'm going to set you free. And He did; His saving grace is still true. His plans and purposes haven't changed even if your situation looks bleak. His light shines brightest through the darkness. Pray that the Spirit would guard your mind today, and that you would be assured of the good and perfect will of God for all eternity.
   Dear Lord, when my soul is downcast, help me to remember Your faithfulness. You are my Savior and my God. [Grace and Glory by Louie Giglio]

Where Is God?
   Where is God when we're in the emergency room with a severely injured loved one? Where was God in the bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995? Where was God in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001? When trouble or tragedy strikes, we long for God, the living God. Who can tell us where God is? His Word tells us over and over: he is in the one who visits those in prison; he is in those who give food to the hungry; he is in the comfort of a loving arm extended around those who are hurting. He is in the prayers of a mother for her sick child. He is in the rescuers who work to save lives and in the missionaries who leave family and friends and personal comforts to share the gospel with those in darkness. He is demonstrated best, though, at the Cross, where he gave his only Son, Jesus Christ, for our sakes that we might have hope for this life and for eternity.
   LORD, I praise you that you are Emmanuel - God with us - in everything we experience as we walk through this broken, hurting world. Help me to be your hands and feet today, your words of comfort and encouragement to those who need to know "where you are" in their times of deep need. [Praying Through The Bible By Fuller re Psa. 42:1-3, 11]

CLOSING THOUGHT

The presence of God is a fact of life. St. Paul rightly said of God, "in Him we live, and move, and have our being." Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you." we may, by defying the purpose of God, insulate ourselves from that presence. We may, by unrepented sin, cut off the sense of God because we are clouded by a sense of guilt. We may, through no fault of our own, be unable to sense the God who is all about us. But the fact remains that He is with us all the time. J. B. Phillips (1906-1982)

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY

Psalm 42:5 - Finding Hope in Discouragement and Depression.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200610-0847.html

Psalm 43:5 - Remedies for Discouragement and Depression.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2024/20241009-1405.html

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/