Our feelings are not leaders, but followers of our predominant thoughts and desires. Psalm 42 was written by the Levitical descendants of Korah who led worship at the temple. After Babylon conquered Jerusalem, their hearts ached for the days of gathering with the multitudes for worship. David may have said, “Where are your eyes? God is not only in heaven but with you.”

In verse 5 the psalmist challenged his own soul, rather than surrender to his feelings of discouragement. He declared, “Why are you downcast O my soul? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him.” He did not say, “Well this always happens to me.” Or “What’s the use?” He still may have felt sorrow, but he put it in a right relation to God. Sometimes we have to take ourselves by the hand and preach God’s promises to ourselves.

The psalmist did not continue looking inside himself for answers, but began to look up. He just didn’t feel like praising God but said, “I shall yet praise Him.” For us, Philippians 4:4-9 is a great place to meditate on God’s counsel when we’re so low we’re kicking the bottom out of the bucket. That may be the medication you really need, and it’s free in Christ Jesus.

Maybe you can relate to verse 7 when the psalmist writes, “Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls. All Your breakers and waves roll over me.” He is feeling like he is buried under a waterfall of his misery and the noise just doesn’t stop. Yet he declares, “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime.”

Hope is like the sun. Pastor Charles Spurgeon once said, “As we walk toward the sun, the dark shadow of our trouble stays behind us.” The trouble is there, but our focus is Christ.

Isaiah 26:3
Pastor Huck