Psalm 43:5

Psalm 43:5

Put your hope in God

This short Psalm ends with the same statement that began and ended Psalm 43. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.”

The Hebrew text, translated literally, renders the last phrase; “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, who is the Salvations of my Countenance and my God.” The salvations referred to encompass all of the many deliverances and acts of salvation that the writer had experienced at God’s hand. The phrase could also be interpreted, “Who is the Health of my Countenance.” In other words, 

“I have experienced, many times, Your deliverance and Your salvation O Lord. You bring health to my body and to my appearance. When You save me my face glows with the joy and certainty of Your intervention. I know that You are my God. I know that You are acting for me. I know that You are always there for me and that You will never let me go and never let me down. In that certain knowledge there is no reason for my soul to be disquieted, the past proves it and makes the future equally certain. Therefore, my soul, do not be alarmed, do not be downhearted, do not be afraid. Your God will deliver you. He always does! Hallelujah!”

Today, as I write, is the last day of 2020, a year many of us will not want to remember but will not be able to forget. Whenever you read this, let the verse be your prayer as you face the uncertainty of the future. 

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