this is a short psalm with one of the most powerful endings… in the middle of what is clearly a lonely, worrying, desolate time, still the psalmist realises and remembers where his hope lies and that is with God and so he pleads his case, ending with:

‘Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.’ [vs.5]

the word ‘yet’ is very powerful for me here – even though circumstances may not give the look or feel that God is in control, my response is still going to be to praise Him, because deep within me i know that i know that i KNOW that He is faithful and can bring good out of any circumstances.

i am reminded of two of Job’s early prayers/statements:

‘At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said:

‘“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. 
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.’ [Job 1.20-22]

‘His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”

 He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.’ [Job 2.9-10]

and Romans 8.28:

‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’

where does your hope lie?

[To return to the Intro page and be connected to any of the other Psalms i have walked through before now, click here]