Psalm 42:2b-3 When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Frustrating questions can depress and distress us. “When will this end?” or “Where is God?” are questions that will provoke anger and resentment toward God. The questions that we ponder on will either build the substratum of our faith or break and shake the foundation of our faith.
The prophecy that was spoken over David when he was a teenager was far from coming to fruition. There was no sign of him becoming the king of Israel. Rather, he had no home, no security and no community. Even the victory of his past became a mockery. He was ridiculed saying, “Where is the God who helped David to slay the giant?”
Psalm 42 is the psalm of questions. The psalm has nine questions but we see the progression of the questions of frustration and agony turn into questions of assurance and self-motivation. When the world aggravates us with their comments and the demons torment us with doubts, we must encourage ourselves by asking the right questions as David did. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (vs 5). When a qualm creeps into our soul, be quick to turn the qualm into a question. Don’t let the bad feeling turn into an evil foreboding and burden. Ask your soul – “Why are you upset my soul?” Then, energize your hope with a song of praise. Worship is the only way out of worry. He will direct our steps during the day and strengthen our soul with a song in the night. The right questions will turn the burden into a blessing.
Questions:
1. Downcast: When we are dejected, disappointed and discouraged, ask the right questions – Why, my soul, are you downcast? (vs 11a). David reignited his hope by turning his attention to the might of God when he was downcast. Put your hope in God (vs 11). Cancel the negative voices that suck away your hope.
2. Disturbed: When we are troubled, worried and anxious, go to the root of the tumult. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? (vs 11a). 90% of what we worry about is not true. Resubmit the situation and praise rather than worry. For I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (vs 11b).
3. Depressed: The wrong questions will depress us. I say to God my Rock, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?”(vs 9). Silence of God does not mean He has forgotten us. It only means that He is busy working and fighting on our behalf.
The wrong questions can frustrate and depress. Learn to talk to your soul and get to the bottom of the burden. There is no problem too big for our Almighty God.
Psalm 42:8 By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, coach me to talk to my soul and get myself out of depressing, distressing and derailing questions. Amen.
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