A Whisper of Hope
Psalm 42
"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."
(Psalm 42:5)
I recently attended the funeral of a young mother who died in a tragic car accident. The grief of her husband, children, family and friends was intensely deep. My heart ached as I watched their little five year old daughter climb up onto daddy's lap, and the way their eight year old son tenderly reached up to comfort him. The large assembly of people gathered was hushed throughout much of the service, but in the stillness - in spite of the depth of grief - a profound and radical hope was present. Hope, knowing their friend, wife, mother was safe with Jesus. Hope, that one day there will be a grand reunion in heaven. Hope, because God knows and is in control.
We've all been in those dark places where we longed to know that we will get through; that we are not alone; that joy will come again. Whatever our hurt, whatever our pain, our raw wounds desperately need the tender healing of Jesus. He is our only Hope-Giver, for He is the One who has crushed Satan. He's the One who whispers true hope to our grieving hearts.
INSIGHT
"Christ in you, the hope of glory," Paul writes (Colossians 1:27). Amazing! Christ is our source of hope for today and eternity.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Numbers 17-18
Psalm 70
John 11
Psalm 42
BOOK TWO (Psalms 42–72)
Psalm 42
For the choir director: A psalm[a] of the descendants of Korah.
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
"Where is this God of yours?"
4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!
5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!
Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.
7 I hear the tumult of the raging seas
as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.
8 But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me,
and through each night I sing his songs,
praying to God who gives me life.
9 "O God my rock," I cry,
"Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I wander around in grief,
oppressed by my enemies?"
10 Their taunts break my bones.
They scoff, "Where is this God of yours?"
11 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 42:1 Hebrew maskil. This may be a literary or musical term.
New Living Translation (NLT)
THE RISING OF THE SON
The world watched helplessly as the deadly wall of water slammed into the coast of Japan devastating countless lives. In the wake of tragedy, the church began to grow for the first time in decades.
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