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…
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.
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.
Has anyone risen up against you lately? The psalmist in Ps 43 had this experience and is struggling to see why God doesn’t vindicate him. Ever felt like this? His prayer is that God’s word would be brought and that he would 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.
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 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.
Vision Point for cell groups
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Sermon and reading topic for this week – Sermon “Facing your past – a testimony”
Reading – Acts 22:1-22
1. Paul shared his testimony on at least 3 separate occasions in the book of Acts (Acts 9, Acts 22, Acts 27). What events do you remember about Paul’s testimony and who he was sharing to here in Acts 22?
2. There are a number of significant things that are part of Paul’s testimony here and that should be a part of our testimony. The ones mentioned on Sunday were 1. Must use and focus on the name of Jesus. 2. Must testify to the Lord’s guidance in your life with examples. 3. Must see supernatural evidence of God in your life 4. Make it personal – share the tough stuff that shows God has delivered you from sin. 5. Expect a reaction. For Paul they called for his death, but for Peter, 3000 got saved. The Holy Spirit determines the outcome. Discuss each one of these points and their relevance in your testimony.
3. When was the last time you shared your testimony with someone? What was the reaction?
Prayer Points
1. Church finances – currently not meeting budget.
2. Moving chairs and the laying of carpet this week.
3. Working bee Saturday 8-12pm at church.
4. Our church meeting outside and lunch Potjie outside afterwards on the 6th June.
5. Recharge youth and Kids@Church ministries. Pray for Maddison and Melinda as they Coordinate Kids and Youth ministries.
6. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to remain and increase.
7. Church finances to meet our new staff and to put a roof over our café.
8. Sunday’s message from Acts 22 - “A passion for God” – Pastor Jay.
Praise Points.
1. Saturday’s working bee was phenomenal. Everything back and neat. Thankyou all!
2. Sunday’s Potjie was something to behold. The food was incredible. Massive effort by the Safas – mammoth effort guys and super delicious!
3. Praise and worship – thanks Beatty boys.
4. More new folk on Sunday.
5. Finances are picking up.
Announcements
1. Back in church next week. Bring a friend.
2. Recharge on this week all high schoolers – 6:30pm-8:30pm Friday at church. $2 coin donation. Melinda Fourie heading up this ministry.
3. Men’s brekky TBA. But will be down at Colleges Crossing within the next month or so on a Saturday morning.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
