Psalm 42-43

“Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 42:5–6, ESV)

There is a dark night of the soul when everything seems to be against us, including our own disturbing inner voice. Anxious, depressing or fearful thoughts weigh us down and choke our vitality and productivity. They distort reality and rob us of our peace and joy. In more severe cases, they can lead to mental illness or even suicide. Is there anything we can do to stop them at their source?

The psalmist wrestled with such negative thoughts. In Psalm 42, he was plagued by deep ocean waves of trouble (v. 7) and oppression and taunts by his enemies (vv. 9-10). In Psalm 43, he was dealing with ungodly people and unjust liars (v. 1). These things can torment the soul, casting it down into a pit of despair.

Three times in these two psalms the writer repeats the refrain, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God.” We must remember that Yahweh is the God of hope (Romans 15:13). If we turn away from Him, then we may fall down a dark hole of despair. But if we turn away from negative thoughts and hope in God, then we can lift our downcast soul. If we praise God for His goodness, mercy, grace, protection and provision, then it takes our minds off our anxieties and fears and puts them on God’s sufficiency and faithfulness. In effect, we put on the helmet of the hope of our salvation. We trust God to deliver us from every storm and each spiritual attack. We remind ourselves that God has been faithful in the past, and He will deliver us in the future.

Such mental conditioning may not make the problems disappear at once. However, when we combine hope with persistent prayer, God will give us the faith, strength and courage we need to lift our downcast soul and persevere through the storm. The clouds will clear, the sun will shine, and we will again rejoice and praise the Lord!