Why are you cast down O my soul, hope in God! We will spend a week in the Psalms.
Psalms 42: Book Two Why Are You Cast Down, O My Soul? To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
4 These things I remember, as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation
6 and my God. My soul is cast down within me; therefore I remember you from the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
9 I say to God, my rock: "Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?"
10 As with a deadly wound in my bones, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me all the day long, "Where is your God?"
11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalms 43: Send Out Your Light and Your Truth
1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me!
2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.
Psalms 44: Come to Our Help To the choirmaster. A Maskil of the Sons of Korah.
1 O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:
2 you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;
3 for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.
4 You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!
5 Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.
6 For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.
7 But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.
8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah
9 But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies.
10 You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.
11 You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.
12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.
13 You have made us the taunt of our neighbours, the derision and scorn of those around us.
14 You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
15 All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face
16 at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.
17 All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.
18 Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way;
19 yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.
20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,
21 would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.
22 Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.
23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!
24 Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?
25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.
26 Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Things to think about…
1. There is no doubt about it. The ‘Sons of Korah’ have a heart and depth in their Psalms and have an integrity and a passion to be honest with their true feelings before the Lord. Ps 42 is an excellent example. There is a longing to search after God and to be with God and yet they acknowledge there is a void. How often I have been in that place. There is such an ache for God’s presence, and it goes unfulfilled. The final verses in both Ps 42 and 43 is like an awakening slap. The Psalmists effectively says to himself ‘Stop moping around – Hope in God. He is your Saviour’. The word of God confirms our Lord’s love for us in so many ways. Let’s keep trusting Him and put off a glum, downcast, doubting spirit.
2. Psalm 42 goes from a low point, panting after God, he says “my soul thirsts for God”, vs 2. He then goes to a high point as he remembers what the presence of God and true worship means for him where he says he attends “thehouse of God with glad shouts and songs of praise”. He proceeds to another low point, “O my soul, why are you in turmoil within me”, vs 5, then to another high point as he remembers the abundant blessings and wisdom of God saying “the land of Jordan and of Hermon, from Mount Mizar. Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls”, vss 6, 7. Then again to a low point “all your breakers and your waves have gone over me”, vs 7, to high point “the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.” To another low point “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?", where he cries out a second time “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?”, vs 11. But finally ending on a high note of praise and confidence in the God of his salvation, “I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” These extremes in passion, the highs and the lows may seem strange to the modern western cultured reader, but the issue is ours and not the psalmist. But surely these verses echo the highs and lows if life, but in every season our God is there and hence our response should always conclude with “I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God”, vs 5.
3. It seems Psalms 42 and 43 are linked and written at the same time by the same author/s – the Sons of Korah. The echo of a yearning for God through an inner voice is the same saying “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God”, Ps 43:5. Has anyone risen up against you lately? The psalmist from Ps 42 continues on regarding those who are his enemies. In Ps 43 he is struggling to see why God doesn’t vindicate him. Ever felt like this? His prayer is that God’s word would bring “light and truth”, vs 3. He desires to hear from the Lord and be brought into His presence, that he may praise His God, Ps 43:3,4. For us it means longing to hear God’s voice either privately or publicly and to gather with His people to praise Him. The church should be a sanctuary as we meet with each other our God meets with us and confirms His love, grace and presence. It is when we are in that place that we find comfort away from those who are enemies of the cross.
4. Have a look at Ps 44. The writers are saying that God has done a great work for His people in the past. He had delivered them from all the nations by driving these nations out, Ps 44:1-8. Yet now, the Lord is saying their enemies have risen up, they take the spoil, God’s people are sold into slavery and they are like sheep for the slaughter – all this even when God’s people have not been false to the covenant or turned their hearts away from Him. Why does He not answer and deliver like He did for His people in the past? Many Christians have asked these same questions; ‘why doesn’t God hear my prayers, I tithe, I am faithful in my church attendance, I minister to others, yet God is not answering, in fact He seems to be against me.’ The encouragement in all of this is that God’s people have been saying this for Millennia and yet we know that in the struggle and trial it creates a burden in us to long for deliverance, Ps 44:26. This finds perfect fulfillment in glory. We know our present trials develop the godly character of perseverance which is exactly what we need in this fallen world. Keep seeking Him He will deliver you yet and you will praise Him for eternity. Get your hopes up!
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Life groups Wednesdays. 6:30pm every Wednesday. 5:30pm prayer.
Young adult Life group – This week – and A with Dr Rose Blackwood.
Prayer Points
1. Lee Davies dad Peter has entered his eternal rest. Pray and comfort for peace at this time.
2. Pray for Helen who has badly damaged her meniscus. She is recovering at home.
3. Keep praying for Anna and the Playgroup on Fridays, pray for more families to be reached.
4. Pray for Chaplaincy and Kids Hope at Karalee State School. Training happening this week
5. Pray for peace over the US elections
6. The ongoing conflicts in Israel and Ukraine.
7. Church finances to continue to grow and expenses to be more than met.
8. Pray for Kids@Church, Life groups. Young Adults.
9. Mathys has a prayer time at church on Wednesday afternoons, 5:30pm at church. He would be happy for you to join him and to send prayer requests.
10. Pray about the possibility and planning of a Farmers Market at Chuwar Baptist Church once a month on Saturdays. Anastasia taking the lead on this. Pray for us as we plan
11. That we be bold in our witnessing for Christ. Pray for a heart to see those around you to be saved. Pray for the blessing over the new pastoral care and hosting program.
12. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Praise God for our Bean Redeemed Café team! Serving you every week
2. Praise God for Lauren’s safe return. The Lord blessed her visit with her family finding some closure and hearing the gospel.
3. Worship team did a great job.
4. Praise God for young people stepping up in the worship ministry.
5. Playgroup is a great encouragement for our church.
6. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. The blessed life – Part 4 “Need, greed or seed” from Gal 3. This Sunday morning
2. Working bee this Saturday morning 27th July. Please contact Che for a list jobs and requirements.
3. Kids at Church – The Blessed life – Life not law part 3. Anastasia leading.
4. Ron Naylor – Creation Ministries International coming to CBC on the 18th Aug 6pm
5. Monday and Wednesday evening prayer at church 5:30-6:30pm
6. Life Group Wednesday 6:30pm at church – start back this week.
7. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
8. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for July...
Q. 22. What is Sin? A. Sin is any transgression of the law of God.
Bible References – 1Jn.3:4; Rom.3:20; James 2:9-11
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
