READING: Psalms 42-46
Panting for God. Thirsty. Tears night and day. Enemies ridiculing his faith. Waterfalls of misery. Forgotten. Deeply depressed. Dejected. Filled with sorrow. Crushed to his bones. Rejected. Oppressed. The words just pile up in Psalms 42 and 43 to describe the psalmist’s despair as he was for some reason separated from the temple and worship with the people of God.
He was in a deep, deep faith struggle. He could remember when things were better – when he walked with the festive procession of people, singing on their way to worship – but that was not the case this day. He could look forward to the day when he would indeed return to the altar of God, but that was not this day. Yesterday’s memories and tomorrow’s hope were critical, but what he did today in light of those things mattered.
What he did was preach to himself a refrain that echoes throughout these two psalms. “”Why,” he asked himself, “am I so dejected? Why do I stay in such turmoil?” His answer to his own question was not an explanation of his actions, but a recognition of what he must do. He was to put his hope in God anyway and praise Him anyway. After all, He was still his Savior and his God.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: When you are dejected, how do you typically respond?
DAILY PRAYER: “Father, grant me grace to put my hope in You no matter what I face today.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Psalm 47-49, 84-85, 87