Psalm 43 comments continuing the thought of Psalm 42

 Psalm 43:1 ¶  Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man. 2  For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? 3  O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. 4  Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God. 5  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

 

Psalm 35:1 ¶  «A Psalm of David.» Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.

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David seeks help from God, deliverance from a people who are ungodly, from deceitful and unjust persons. He feels abandoned by God in the oppression caused by his enemies. This is a repetition of the thought of verse 9 of the last Psalm and these two Psalms appear to be part of the same thought.

 

Psalm 42:9  I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

 

David and we both plead for God’s leading, His light and His truth. Solomon let us know.

 

Proverbs 3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

 

David is confident that God’s light and God’s truth will lead David to the altar of God and cause David to praise God.

 

Psalm 116:16  O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds. 17  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. 18  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people, 19  In the courts of the LORD’S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

 

Again, the sentiment is repeated in the last Psalm in verse 11.

 

Psalm 42:11  Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

 

In David’s depression he still believes that he will yet have reason to praise God, and that David trusts in God’s deliverance. Again, those of us facing difficult circumstances can relate to these Psalms and can pray them back to God as they are so relevant in our day and time.