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 43:5
Recommended Reading: Psalm 47:6-9
If you have ever been disappointed in a friend or family member, you have probably found it a challenge to pray for them. But it is hard to stay angry with another person when we are praying for them. The same could be said about our relationship with God. If we find ourselves disappointed in our circumstances, the surest remedy is to praise God.
Psalms 42–43 were likely originally one psalm later divided into two for purposes of liturgical worship in the temple. They recount a period of disappointment by the psalmist who thought God had forgotten him and was not going to rescue him from his oppressors. But both psalms end the same way: “Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him” (Psalm 42:11; 43:5). The psalmist didn’t let his disappointment keep him from praising God and hoping in Him.
Being disappointed with our circumstances ultimately means being disappointed with God. The most direct way to counter those feelings is to praise Him for His goodness and His love.
Praise is the best of all sacrifices and the true evidence of godliness.
John Calvin
