Heralds Digest

  “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. O my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:5-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ The scriptural admonition for believers to rejoice in hope is always a perfect medicine for the troubled souls. Whereas it is more desirable for the heart to receive in hope than to rejoice in hope, the focus on receiving is in the change of circumstances while the focus on rejoicing is fixed on the Unchangeable God. Like in the experience of the psalmist, when the soul is cast down and disquieted, it is time to switch from hollow hope to hope in God. It is a switch to focus more on the purpose of God for every situation and circumstance that a believer finds himself. Even while the prevailing situation is discouraging, believers are confident that God’s rev...

  “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Often in deliberate disregard for the silent quest of the soul, the desire for human convenience and comfort will always lead the soul of any man into desperate engagements and dangerous acquisition of wealth and stuff. Without the exception of religious people and supposed disciples of the Lord, attractions into the lifestyle of stuff satisfaction (particularly, through the need for the provision of the basic necessities of life) have always created a vacuum in the heart. But at the mercy of God, the psalmist was made to pay attention to the subtle disquieting of his soul in the midst of the dangling stuff. And likewise, whatever the hands engage with in today’s business, corporate and family life, without a constant and satisfactory response to the soul’s quest for ‘Where is God?’ , is capable...

  “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...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.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:5, 11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.42.5,11.nkjv Praise in appreciation of what God has done is comely; but praise in appreciation of who God is is more sustainable. In moments of depression and great devaluation of what God has done, motivation for the normal praise in the heart is lost. In such moments, instead of asking “Why have you allowed this, O God?”, the Psalmist asked “Why are you cast down, O my soul?”. The soul is the battlefield for depression in moments of disappointment and despair in life. And it is the fertile ground for sowing the seeds of discouragement and disrespect for the power and the presence of God. Unfortunately, the heart often forgets...

  “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭42:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ https://www.bible.com/114/psa.42.1-2.nkjv As the water brooks to a panting deer, so is the life support system to anyone struggling for breath at the intensive care unit of a medical facility. No sane mind would remove the life support at this critical condition and still expect to preserve the life of the patient. While the Psalmist acknowledged his soul’s reflection on people’s actions and inaction, he was resolute in his conviction about God as life’s sincere support. Unfortunately, many are tempted to pursue wealth, fame, and position in life at the expense of the true source of peace and rest. Wealth, fame and position have always guaranteed material prosperity; but peace and rest come only from God - the Giver of life.

http://bible.us/psa42.11.nkjv 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. The relevance of a Deliverer is appreciated, only after a session of total deliverance. Prior to this time, the soul is subjected to a season of great despair. Hope in deliverance is depressive with indefinite suspense, especially when situation and circumstances remain negative and discouraging. It is not the making of promises that matter to the soul, but the fulfillment of the promises. The Psalmist had a running battle with a discouraged and disquieted soul, until it is challenged to put its hope in the right perspective. Hope in the promises of God may not be sustainable; but hope in the Promise Maker surely does. The Promise Maker is an incredible Helper with definite records of faithfulness to many accounts of indefinite hope.