Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. - Psalm 42:11
To quote the great American patriot and founder, Thomas Paine, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” We cannot go a day without worrying about some aspect of our daily lives in this blessed country that we are doubly-blessed to call, “home.” Whether it is the birth rate, the crime rate, the tax rate, or the death rate, we worry! Our days are full of anxiety. Believers and unbelievers. Christians, Muslims, Jews, and people of every other faith are concerned where this world is heading. But why? God is sovereign; He is in control. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,’” - Isaiah 46:10.
No matter how tomorrow turns out, God is in control! Everything that happens does so because God had planned it from the beginning. Nothing is left to chance. There is no such thing! “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” - Proverbs 16:33.
It may be our best day; it may be our worst day, but the day we spend, we spend at the bidding of our Lord. It may bring sickness or health. It may bring wealth or poverty. And we know all too well, it may bring life or it may bring death. But we also know that for those who hope and praise God, life has promise, life has purpose. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.
How then can we honestly feel ‘cast down’ or ‘disquieted, ever?” Of course, things could have turned out better. We could have been born shorter or taller, richer or poorer, stronger or weaker. We could have gotten that promotion or that raise. We could have placed in a high honors school or landed that sweet job. But know this: we are where God wants us to be because He is responsible for putting us here! Sure, we sat for the test or we did that little extra, worked a little harder, or even prayed a little harder. But what we have and where we find ourselves is where God wants us to be! We should hope in Him and praise Him for all we have been blessed with. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” - James 1:17.
In our title verse, the Psalmist is rebuking himself for its feelings of disquietude. He insists he will continue to hope in God and praise Him despite his own soul being cast down. To do that in the face of challenge or tribulation requires faith with a capital F. But one who has hope in God and continuously praises Him need not feel cast sown or disquieted.
There will always be naysayers and complainers because they don’t feel they got a fair shake. Brothers and sisters, believe me; when it comes to God treatment of our lives, we truly don’t want “fair.” If God gave us what is fair we would all be weeping and gnashing our teeth. What we want from God, what we pray for is His mercy! “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” - Titus 3:4-7.
So regardless of the task before us, the tribulations we face, or the times we live in let always and everywhere hope in God and praise Him.
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