Psalm 42-43

When The Darkness Doesn’t Lift

There is some debate as to how the 5 books of the Psalms were organized, but more than likely they were probably collected gradually, as corporate worship forms began to develop over time while Israel was in their land and they had a temple to go to. By the time of the return to the land after the exile, it seems likely that maybe Ezra organized the the books of the Psalter into their final form in the 3rd century BC.

So the intention of amending the series was to get a varied sampling of the Psalms throughout the years, but we still are going to get a lot of lament, even here today as we start book 2.

But I think that there is an authentic beauty when we recognizing the mega theme that is presented to us by the Psalter as whole. It matches our experience with life as well. We live in a curse filled world and the main arch of our lives will be this: Suffering followed by glory.

We have to wade through a whole bunch of suffering, then enter into glory. That is what happened to Jesus.

Luke 24:26 (ESV)

26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

It does sound a little funny to say this because it is stating the obvious but, “Death proceeds resurrection.” In order for resurrection to happen, death must occur.

Today as we start book 2, we will look at two Psalms (42 and 43), because it appears that they were to be read together as they share a common refrain much like a chorus would today for a modern country song.

Verse, (introducing a thought provoking topic that grabs you by the heart) chorus, verse (passing of time), chorus, Bridge (tension or twist of fate like a death of a spouse or dog, a boat or truck) Key change and repeat the Chorus a few times and additional voices.

Psalm 42 -43 has a chorus…it sounds like this. (42:5, 11; 43:5).

Psalm 42:5 (ESV)

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

So by sharing a common refrain, the intention is that they should be read together. Plus there is no superscription to begin Psalm 43, so they seem to be connected to one another.

The literal Hebrew in says, “the salvation of my face.” Most english translations will try to smooth that rough phrase and just say, “My salvation.” But the nuance is important to point out because, in the Hebrew mindset no one could see the face of God and live, but here the author is saying that God’s presence is what will bring Him salvation. That is what every longing child of God needs. God to show up again.

This is song written by the “sons of Korah.” In fact Psalms 42-49 are all written by them. So who were they?

Well they had a checkered past but eventually they experienced a great restoration.

Remember when the people were lead to rebel against Moses in Number 16?

Numbers 16:1–3 (ESV)

1 Now Korah…and Dathan and Abiram… and On…took men. 2 And they rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation… 3 They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron…”

It didn’t end up well for that rebellious crew, God caused the earth’s crust to open like a mouth and swallow them whole by the end of the chapter.

But later on in the book of Numbers we see that some of the sons of Korah were preserved most likely because they disowned the sin of their father. We read…

Numbers 26:11 (ESV)

11 But the sons of Korah did not die.

So even in this story of judgement we see God being merciful to the repentant.

Later on in biblical history the remnant from this line ended up writing Psalms of praise to God to be used for public worship for the nation of Isreal. During the Davidic Kingdom they were some of the great choral and orchestral leaders for the nation and here in Psalm 42 they write a “maskil” with is a term that meant “to instruct.” They were teaching and admonishing people with songs.

And since this is a lament psalm, this is one for your head and your heart. This is an honest, authentic expression of praise in a very public way. The author is not instructing us to paint a plastic smile on our faces, and to pretend that all is okay as we enter into public worship. There is nothing fake about Psalm 42-43.

The author admits that he isn’t in Jerusalem, so he is not where he thought he would be. He is being taunted and oppressed by his enemies and he is battling depression in his soul while experiencing thirst for God.

Sound like anyone you know? This is us.

Are any of us not where we thought we should be by now at this stage of life? Anyone among us ever feel taunted and oppressed by your old sin nature to the degree that you battle with depressive thoughts? Are any of us eagerly longing for the day of our God’s return. The Psalmist assumes our form.

He has a longing for God, but he feels like God has forgotten him, but he is going to still cry out to God to reveal His light and truth.

Something has gone terrible wrong in this man’s life and yet in his desperate condition, he does not abandon God, he goes after Him all the more.

This is a Psalm about suffering, sorrows and how to handle these natural experiences of life appropriately.

When the darkness doesn’t lift, question yourself then tell yourself the truth.

We are all called to the preaching ministry. You don’t need to be an elder or a pastor. If you are a Christian you are called to proclaim truth and the one who needs to hear your proclamation most often is you. Every moment of our lives is lived behind a pulpit so to speak. We are alway telling ourselves something, but is what we are telling ourselves true? When we are in season of sorrow, we must ask, why we are sorrowful and then tell ourselves that which is ultimately true.

In verses 1-5 we recognized that we must acknowledge that…

We all have a soul thirst for God. (1-5)

Psalm 42:1–2 (ESV)

1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

There is passion dripping from these verses. There is a desperation that if felt by the author. This guy needs God. God is mentioned 4 times specifically and then one time in the pronoun form (you). That means that 5 out of the first 27 Hebrews words are “God.” That’s 1/5 of the words! That shows us the importance of God.

Man what a silly massive understatement. Of course, God is important. He is God! But so often in seasons of distress, grief and doubt we can easily forget about God. We are so prone to forget the most important reality of all of life. God is.

We are so prone to forget. Don’t forget God.

This was the main point of application in one of Moses’s sermons.

Deuteronomy 8:11 (ESV)

11 “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God…

Don’t forget God.

There is no substitute for God. Sometimes I randomly want to make some sort of recipe last minute, usually some baked sweet treat, and sometimes we don’t have what we need in the cupboard to make what I want to make so then I frantically survey what we do have in stock and attempt to come up with some sort of substitute. Sometimes it doesn’t work at all and sometimes it kind of works, but every time the ingredient make up isn’t as it was designed to be and as a result either taste or texture is compromised to some degree.

There is no God substitute. We have to let God BE God in your life…otherwise all your other god substitutes will leave us frustrated and dissatisfied and empty.

As Augustine once said, “Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.”

You and I need God. We try to play God so often and be sovereigns of our world and try to control our worlds and we do a really bad job at it. If I could just control everything about every aspect of my life and the lives of the people I love, then everything would never have to worry again. Well good luck in pulling that off without being all knowing, all powerful and everywhere present.

You and I need God to be God and we need to acknowledge our thirst for Him.

We all have a soul thirst for God. Don’t try to be macho and pretend it isn’t there.

Memory when I was a kid - Dad getting back from a run and dripping with sweat he asked me to go get him some water. I thought I will do something better. Child growing up the 80’s and watching a lot of commercials; I knew something about milk.

What does milk do? (went back and watched it a week ago and it is rather cringeworthy).

Anyway, I thought I would get my dad a glass of milk because it would do his sweaty tired old man body good. So I got it and then proudly handed it to him and he wasn’t mean about it but he did decline my offer and ask me to go get what he really needed for hydration. He needed water.

You and I need God. And why? Things here are not the way they should and that hurts.

Psalm 42:3–4 (ESV)

3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?” 4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

When your food consists of your tears and you are jeered and mocked by others because of your belief in an invisible God and when things that used to bring you joy, companionship and purpose are stripped away, that hurts.

When you are there in that place; only God will do. We must acknowlege our thirst for Him and tell our souls to remember Him.

Psalm 42:5 (ESV)

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

We all have seasons of life when we question God. (6-11)

Psalm 42:6–7 (ESV)

6 My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. 7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.

In verse 6 we see that the “remembers God,” even when he is in an undesirable place. Remember verse 4? He used to lead a throng of people to the house of God (in Jerusalem), but that was then and there, but he exist in the here and now. He isn’t where he thought he would be at this point in his life and it just feels wrong.

He essentially says, “I want to be and I should be in Jerusalem along with others, but no matter how much I want to be there, the reality is, I am not there and so I am going to “remember God.” And then in verse 7 he remembers something very important about God.

He acknowledges that all the things that are bearing down on him in the moment, the waterfalls, the breakers and the waves; they all belong to someone. They are God’s.

The pressure he is feeling from his circumstance are God induced. They are God’s waterfalls. They are God’s breakers. They are God’s waves. Once again, don’t miss the primary position of God in this mans life. God. God. God. God. God is reigning over all the events of this man’s life. He might not know why God is allowing what is occurring, to occur, but instead of avoiding God and running away from Him, this man’s circumstances drive Him to God and he says…Why? Why?

Psalm 42:9–10 (ESV)

9 I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” 10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, “Where is your God?”

Why God? Why this? Why that? And heavens only answer is shivering silence.

Although the Psalmist is seeking the answers to those very real questions; having those questions answered by God does not change the fact that God is still His ROCK whether or not He chooses to answer the questions or not.

That is faith. “I say to God, my ROCK.” Sometimes we wrongly assume that if we had all the answers to our all of our current questions, then that would “rock like.” But with the passing of time, there will be a whole bunch more of future questions that we might not have answers too that will rock our world. So the escape of our current circumstances are not rock like. Remember there are no God’s substitutes. Only the Almighty God is rock like and so in between verses 6-7 where the Psalmist acknowledges God’s sovereignty and verses 9-10 where he has a bunch of questions about how that sovereignty is playing out in his life he says verse 8…

Psalm 42:8 (ESV)

8 By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.

This is faith. God is commanding His steadfast love throughout the circumstances of the Psalmist day, and so at night time you can hear this man singing to God even in the darkness of the night. He isn’t running from God he is singing question filled songs about God’s sovereignty to the God of His life!

WOW. And this is taking place during the darkest of nights.

There are going to be seasons of our lives when it will be natural for us, that after considering our circumstances, we will be lead to question God. That’s okay. Question Him. He can take it. He isn’t threatened by our questions. Consider Job! Our questions directed toward him might prompt Him to ask us a few questions that will cause us to repent and retract our words, but let’s not let that stop us from asking questions to the God who is our ROCK and who, day by day, commands His steadfast love toward us.

Look how the Psalmist ends this section of questions directed toward God. What is the chorus or the refrain. He turns and once again questions himself. To himself he says…

Psalm 42:11 ESV

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

Martin Lloyd Jones said,

…Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? …preach to yourself, question yourself. …exhort yourself, and say to yourself: ‘Hope thou in God’—instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. …remind yourself of God, Who God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. …defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: ‘I shall yet praise Him…

Ask God for vindication, defense, light and truth. (43:1-5)

In seasons of uncertainty and when we are filled with questions; there are a few more things we need to make sure we ask of God and they are found in these final verses of the song. Once again, these final verses are so “God” focused. There are 16 more references to God in these final verses.

Psalm 43:1 (ESV)

1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!

Vindicate me and defend me. Here the Psalmist is asking God to judge him and to prove that the longings he was experiencing for God Himself were appropriate. The Psalmist said, “I am not going anywhere away from you.” Yes I am in a season of darkness, but darkness does not hide me from you and so here I am seeking you in the darkness. Can you observe my behavior and then defend me? And then in verse 3 he asks God to send him some “light and truth.”

Psalm 43:3 (ESV)

3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!

Can you think of anyone in the Bible that fits the profile of having the capacity to vindicate us and defend us, that could shed light into our darkness, that could help us discern truth from deceit. Can you think of someone that could lead us to the holy dwelling of God presence?

Jesus. This Psalmist is crying out for Jesus to come! And we, thousands of years later as we continue to wade our way through seasons of uncertainty and when the darkness doesn’t lift as quickly as we would want it to, we echo his cry and say, “Come quickly Lord Jesus.”

But only people that know Jesus as their defender have the audacity to ask for that to happen. You don’t want Jesus showing up to this planet a second time if He isn’t your vindication, defender, your light and your truth.

Hopefully all of us here know Jesus as our vindication and defender. His sacrifice has protected His people from the wrath of God that they deserved to have fall on them like a waterfall. His offering of Himself on their behalf shielded them from the waves of God’s just judgement that were swelling towards them but broke on Him.

So this Psalm has been filled with a bunch of questions, but let me ask one more huge, massive, eternity altering question to you: Are you one of His people?

Do not fail to see Jesus as the light and truth that came into the world. If you don’t know that, you are in BIG TROUBLE. Paul told the Corinthians,

2 Corinthians 4:4 (ESV)

4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

God’s holiness will be vindicated. God’s reputation will be defended. The God who dwells in unapproachable light will expose the hearts of those that prefer darkness. God’s truth will prevail so that He is justified in His words, and prevails when He judges.

Be reconciled to Him through the One who can be your shield and defender when the tide of God’s judgement pours into this world of darkness like a Nooksack falls after a stretch of 90 degree days. Before that moment comes, and it will come…

Psalm 43:4 (ESV)

4 …go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.

And then when you are in God’s presence ask yourself this question one final time.

Psalm 43:5 ESV

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.

To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Benediction:

The Son’s of Korah have given us such a gift in Psalm 42 and 43. Use it. We all have a soul thirst for God. We all experience seasons of questioning God, but we can all go to the altar of God and experience exceeding joy even in a season of darkness. We don’t have to turn to sinful sources of false comfort and substitute God for lesser things that will only introduce more darkness into our lives. We can go to Jesus, the true light that came into the world and we can be resolved to place our hope in the final salvation and the full deliverance that He will eventually bring when He comes again.

The arch of our existence is, “Suffering followed by glory” (Luke 24:36). Have a thoughtful interaction about that statement.

What are a few major questions you have for God right now? What would happen if you got the answers to those questions? What would happen a week or two after you got the answers to those questions?

In Deut. 8:11, Moses says, “take care lest you forget God.” At what point of your day or week is it easy to “forget God?” What situations do you find yourself in, when you have God amnesia?

How would your experience of God change if you recognized that His “steadfast love” is directed to you even in the darkest of times? (Ps. 42:8)

What could you do daily to “preach” the truth of the Gospel to yourself?