In the 42nd and 43rd Psalms, the Psalmist addresses his own soul and asks the questions, Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? He goes on to propose a remedy for his cast down state of soul — hope thou in God — and then encourages his soul with better prospects, saying, I shall yet praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God.
There are many things which cause the souls of the people of God to be cast down. Indwelling corruption is one of these. The Apostle Paul was so conscious of the power of sin within his own soul that he had to cry out, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” His complaint was — “The good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” He had to say as well — “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” He further describes the conflict which he found in his own bosom in these words: “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”
Another reason why the souls of the people of God are often cast down is the assaults of the wicked one. Satan, the arch-enemy of souls, is ever active in tempting and trying the people of God. Sometimes he comes as an angel of light, sometimes as a roaring lion. Whichever way he comes, it is to try and to harass the people of God. The powers of darkness are strong. The children of God come to learn by experience that they “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Conflicting with Satan and his hosts is not easy, and, as a result, the Lord’s people are often cast down, afraid that they will fall one day into Satan’s hands.
Another reason for them to be cast down is that they are travelling through an enemy’s country. As they are journeying onward to Zion, they have to travel through the wilderness of this world. In it they face many dangers. One of these dangers arises from the antagonistic attitude of those who dwell in the world. The world lies in the wicked one and its principles are quite contrary to those of the people of God. Its whole attitude to life is different. The world draws its sustenance and pleasure from what it finds in this world. The people of God, on the other hand, must have daily manna, bread from heaven to satisfy the needs of their soul. They find their pleasure in things that are spiritual in things that are unseen and eternal. Because of this the people of God are exposed to the oppression of the wicked. They reproach the people of God saying, Where is thy God?
The low state of the Lord’s Cause in their own soul and in the world is another reason why the people of God are often cast down. When they examine themselves as to their hope and the progress of grace in their soul, they are often ready to write hard things against themselves. They are not what they would like to be. Grace which should be in living exercise in their soul seems at such a low ebb. Then when they look to the Cause of Christ in the world and see the ravages that the enemies of Christ have made within His Cause it makes them sad at heart and they become cast down. They grieve over the afflictions of Joseph. They desire to see Zion a quiet habitation but they find it far otherwise. All these things cause them to be cast down.
How then are they to be lifted up? The Psalmist gives the answer — “hope thou in God.” They are to look to the God of their salvation and have all their hope and expectation in Him. They are to look away from themselves to the One who is mighty. In the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. However strong the power of sin and Satan and the world, there is One who is mightier. They are to look to the One who can do all things for them. It is not on creature strength that they are to rely but on the strength and power of the Almighty. The Lord will not give His people over to the will of the enemy. He will deliver them. They are then to have all their hope and confidence in Him, believing that He will be as good as His promise and that He will save them out of the hand of the enemy.
The people of God will have reason to praise God yet. “Hope thou in God”, the Psalmist says, “for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” In Psalm 71 he says, “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise Thee more and more.” The Lord is to give His people the victory over all their enemies, over sin, Satan and the world. They shall yet see them as vanquished foes lying on the field of battle. It is not in their own strength or by their own power that they are to have this victory but through Christ. The Apostle Paul had to say — “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” They are to obtain full and final victory over their enemies. This will afford them ground for endless praise. In everlasting glory they shall sing: “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth’s sake.