“Why are you cast down oh my soul.”

 David was greatly disturbed over what was happening in his world when he penned Psalm 42:5, He said, “Why are you cast down oh my soul.”  There had been some hurt, bitterness and un-forgiveness happening.  Things were not going well.  Many times in our lives that is how is appears.  We have been mis-understood, slandered against.  People have miss read our motives and intentions.  We have suffered a reverse and we wonder if we are ever going to recover from it.  We have been in pain for a long time and the pain does not seem to stop.  That is when we feel down cast and discouraged.  David then said, “Why so disturbed with me?”  David was going through a process.  He was trying o come to grips with what was happening in his life.  That is what happens to us so many times.  We need time to work it through.  There is nothing wrong with being hurt, it is wrong however to stay hurt.  It takes to time process but David gives us a clue on how to overcome our hurts and sorrows.  He then says, “Put your hope in God.”  David is telling us to change our focus.  Take your eyes off the problem and focus on the one who has the answer.  Andre Crouch coined the word, “Jesus is the answer for the world today above Him there is no other, Jesus is the way.”  When you focus on the Lord you take your eyes off the problem and put your hope in the Lord.  You know that He has been faithful in the past and He will be faithful today.  When you have hope you see that you have a future.  Despair comes when you see no solution or help.  The Lord is both the answer and the hope.  Next, David says, “For I will yet praise Him.”  David made a decision to offer a sacrifice of praise.  He did not feel at the time doing it but when does faith have anything to do with feelings.  Faith is a decision to trust God.  You know in your mind that everything works together for good.  It does not mean that all things are good but that all things work together for good.  Making a sacrifice of praise means you are going to do something about your situation.  We can wallow in self pity or get up and do something about.  There is a little song that says, “Every time I get knock down I will get up again.  In the Lord you can get up again even when life slams you to the ground.  David closes off this verse with, “My God and Savior.”   David understood that only God can help him at times.  There are many times things are beyond our control and there is nothing we can do about them.  That is the time we must trust God.  Notice I said, that is the time we must trust God.  Faith is defined but the amount of trust we give God.  Job said, “Even though you slay me, I will trust you.”  Do you trust God?   If you do then eventually you will come into a place of victory.  Remember that.