Sometimes, we feel all alone; that God is not answering out prayers, that the heavens have turned to brass (Deut. 28:23 KJV). Maybe He is not listening to us, or worse; has turned his back to us! What do we do? I know what I do, I whine, gripe, complain, cry; and then Dianne (probably like Bathsheba talked to David) tells me to snap out of it, and praise God that I can still feel, and to Praise Him for my troubles. (1Peter 4:19 NIV)
In Psalm 43 David really gets to the point about his troubles, he questions if God is even listening to him, or whether God has left him. He seems to be in pretty dire straits, yet (and this is important to us) his hope is always in the Lord.
1 Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.
2 You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning,
oppressed by the enemy? (Psalm 43:1-2 NIV)
In my translation NIV (New International Version) the first word, in this Psalm, is Vindicate, which means to judge rightfully. The Hebrew word used here is shefeteni, which is translated 'to judge'; but the name used for God is Elohim, which is the name of the God of Judgment and Strength, the Creator of Everything. David is calling for the Great judge to find his case in favor, and to rescue or deliver him from his ungodly (lo-chasid – not or less- pious/kind or godly) accusers.
In the second verse David praises God for His past deeds and claims Him for his protection, we too must recognize that God is our protector and defender from the wicked of the world. The Hebrew phrase used here is ki-attah elohi ma'uzzi; which is translated 'for You are the God of my strength'. But ma'uzzi can also be translated as rock, fortress, a stronghold. And the name for God again is the Elohi form of God of Strength and Power. David is recognizing and speaking the powerful name of God, calling on Him to judge his case rightfully and find him free of blame before the nations of the ungodly.
David again cries to God 'why haven't you answered me'? (v 2 lines 2-4) He actually uses (line 3) the term la'ma-koder; which is translated here as mourning. It can also be translated 'how long must I sit in darkness?' From personal experience, when mourning, you don't want light, and the Hebrews by tradition would sit in darkness for mourning. We too, when oppressed by the world or by Satan, feel like running away and hiding in the dark, don't we? Claim God as your stronghold, your high tower of defense; He will judge your rightly and comfort you!
3 Send forth your light and your truth,
let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
4 Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
O God, my God. (Psalm 43:3-4 NIV)
David calls to God to help him find his way out of the darkness of his mourning; 'send your light and your truth' those guides of our feet (Psalm 119:105) to bring him to the most holy place; the holy mountain of God and His dwelling place. Here David uses the words mishkenov'teicha for 'dwelling place' which points to the Tabernacle (Mishkan) and places the holy hill as Mount Moriah, where David placed the Tabernacle and the altar of God. David now feels confident enough to join in the rites of his faith with joy and music. When we trust in the Word of God to be that 'Truth and Light', Adonai (God of Majesty) will lead us faithfully out of the darkness of our spirit right to the altar of the Most High God (El Elyon).
5 Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God. (Psalm 43:5 NIV)
Now David is coming all the way out of his funk and is asking himself those all important questions; why am I so dark, why am I so upset? When we come out from under our depressions, we too wonder why? We have to be careful, as those questions could send us right back into another depression, as we feel inadequate to handle the answers. Here David has the right answer: 'put your hope (ho'v'chilie – to wait expectantly, hope) in God (leloim). Let us praise him, David instructs us twice to praise him, with music (what a true musician) my Savior and my God (yeshu'ot pannai velohai)!
Remember, chaverim, that we have a Strong God and Judge (Elohim) that will judge us rightly (not like we judge ourselves) and will be our stronghold and fortress in our times of mourning and need. He has already sent His Truth (John 14:6) and Light (John 8:12) to guide us out of the darkness of our lives. We can go to his Holy Hill and enter His Dwelling Place, not the Temple made with human hands, but that Temple made without hands (Ezek Chs 40 – 48) because Yeshua our Savior has cleansed us from all sin (1John 1:7). Let us praise Him with music and voice for He is our Savior and God (Psalm 43:5). Selah
Psalm 43
1 Judge me rightly, O God of Judgment and Strength, the Creator of Everything,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation or people;
rescue me from deceitful treacherous and wicked unjust men.
2 You are God of Strength and Power my stronghold, rock, fortress, high tower
Why have you rejected, pushed aside me?
Why must I go about mourning, how long must I sit in darkness
oppressed by the enemy, one who stands in the way, Satan?
3 Send forth your light and truth to guide my feet that I may not stumble
let them guide, lead me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain, to Zion,
to the place where you dwell, your Tabernacle.
4 Then will I go to the altar of God of Strength and Power,
to God, my exceeding joy and delight.
I will praise you with the harp and lyre
O God of Gods, my God.
5 Why are you downcast, in despair, O my soul?
Why so disturbed, disquieted, within me?
Put your hope, wait expectantly, in God,
for I will again praise and turn my face to Him
my Savior and my God of Strength and Power.
Baruch Moshi'einu
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