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Daily Devotion: Psalm 42:4-5

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Psalm 42:4-5    "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday. (5) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."

"I pour out my soul in me."  Do you ever talk to yourself?  I find myself trying to remind myself what I'm supposed to be doing, where I'm supposed to do it, and when I am supposed to do it. That is not what is under consideration in this verse. David is talking to himself about how he feels and trying to figure out why he feels that way.  "I went with them to the house of God with the voice of joy and praise."  "I kept the holyday." The holydays were the times when they went to Jerusalem to observe the feasts which had been ordained by God.  David is saying he has done all the right things, but still he does not feel the joy inside. He used the voice of joy, but the joy was missing.  Have you ever experienced anything like this?

"I pour out my soul in me."   "Why art thou cast down, O my soul?"  Why do I feel this way?  David had experienced many struggles and trials in his life and he had experienced many victorious moments in his life "Why do I feel this way?"  Why do I feel so low in my spirit?  Let's bring this to a personal level. Why do we feel upset within our spirits? There are many legitimate reasons when we feel the props have been knocked out from under us, but many times we have that low feeling because things didn't turn out the way we expected them.  In other words, I didn't get my way so I am going to be upset. I don't know, nor do I pretend to know, why David was feeling so low.  Apparently, he did not have the answer. That's why he cried out to the Lord with the questions of today.

David knew the answer and he shared it with us: "Hope thou in God."  Don't just pour out your struggles to yourself, lay them down at the feet of Jesus. Pour out your heart to the Lord.  I'm thankful for good friends and the privilege to be able to share, but the deepest source of help is found in the Lord.  David, while talking to himself, reminded himself of the answer.  It seems he was standing in front of the mirror and reminding himself, "Things are going to get better." The Lord has a plan for my life. He will show Himself strong on my behalf.  "I shall yet praise Him for the help of his countenance."

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jeremiah 29:11)

"The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee." (Jeremiah 31:3) 

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