Homilist Psalm 43:5 Why are you cast down, O my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him… I. THE STATE ALLUDED TO. Dejection and despair. Many things conduce to it. 1. There are not only the difficulties of the Christian course — its dangers, trials, sorrows, disappointments, etc., but — 2. There are the frailties and the circumstances of material life. (1) Some are cast down owing to constitutional physical temperament. This tendency might and ought to be checked and overcome by cherishing an opposite state of mind. (2) Others are cast down by the reflections on human existence, the failure of the right, and triumph of wrong — the utter abandonment of the world, the almost imperceptible progress of the Gospel in the world. (3) Others, again, are dispirited by failure of health and the crushing hand of affliction, by domestic trials, ill-assorted marriages, and invincible sorrow. II. THE INVESTIGATION SUGGESTED. It is very advisable and useful to act as the psalmist did, and institute the inquiry as to the reason of our despondence. Most of the troubles of life and religion come in an unreasoning manner, inasmuch as they appeal to our feelings, not to our logic — our hearts and not our heads. But when we bring a little logic into our feelings and sentiments, it acts as a whole, some regulation and useful restraint. We should generally find that in the dealings of Providence there is no cause whatever for the soul to be east down. Not one moment of trial but what is necessary for the soul's discipline, and shall minister to the soul's best condition. III. THE ANTIDOTE SUPPLIED — "Hope thou in God." Yes, it is the want of faith that is at the root of all fearful despair, and faith, trust and hope are the remedy, the cure of the soul's disease and spirit's gloom. Just think what it is to hope in God! There is everything to make us do so! He has all the resources of the universe at His control. But the keynote of hope is love. If we realize that He loves us, we shall know that He will use all these resources for our good. Perfect love casteth out fear. (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. |
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