As I was reading Psalm 42 and 43, I noticed one verse was repeated 3 times. When I find this in my reading I usually stop and ask myself: why is it repeated? Here it is, “Why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my savior and my God.”
Note the context of Psalms 42 and 43. They start out with a deep desire, “As the deer pants for streams of water so my soul pants for you, Oh God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet God?”
As you read on the Psalmist shares that he had been frustrated in that pursuit. He really wants to meet God. He wants to know Him. But God doesn’t seem to respond to him. In fact his enemies ask, “Where is your God?” That’s repeated two times in these chapters. I believe the statement repeated three times is his way of coping when he’s downcast and disturbed.
If you’re downcast and disturbed today, maybe this will help you. Talk to yourself, “Why are you downcast, oh my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God.” Challenge yourself to put your hope in God. Stop being downcast. Stop being disturbed. Put your hope in God. Praise your Savior and God. God doesn’t change even though your circumstances do. Praise Him. He is your Savior and God. He’s the one who brought you into relationship with Himself when you trusted in Him.
Verse 2 raised the question, “When can I go and meet with God?” The answer is, “Anytime. Right Now!”
