Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

II SINGING HIS SONGS - 6-11

“ Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember your kindness- from Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan, from the land of Mount Mizar. I hear the tumult of the raging seas as your waves and surg- ing tides sweep over me.” (6,7) The cycle of depression begins again but the son of Korah counters it with a positive memory of God’s kindness. Near Mount Hermon in the land of Mount Mizar, he hears the sound of the waterfall that is the source of the Jordan River and he begins to understand that the ‘source’ of the river is more pure and pleasant than its full flowing expression on the valley floor. The private expression of worship is as important as the corporate. Like the fountain he hears high in the mountains of Jordan, the glory of God begins to engulf him with wave after wave of kindness. The son of Korah who was thirsting like the deer is now experiencing the high mountain waterfall of God’s grace. The unfailing love of God pours upon him like the waves of the sea, ceaseless and refreshing and he begins to sing ‘his songs’. This could be in reference to the highly inspired moments when God seem- ingly gives his songs to the songwriter. Job reminds us of one of these moments: “ …Where is God my Creator, the one who gives songs in the night?” (Job 35:10) Verse 8 of this psalm is one of the strongest references to ‘praying’ with worship music. Worship and prayer are double cousins and find a wellspring of inspiration in the psalms. “’ O God my rock,’ I cry, ‘ Why have you forsaken me? Why must I wander in darkness, oppressed by my enemies?’ Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound. They scoff, ‘ Where is this God of yours?’”(9,10) “ Through 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.”(8)

There are two enemies that lead to depression: • Our inward questions and fears: ‘ • Why have you forsaken me? • Why must I wander in the darkness…?’ • The outward accusations of our enemies; • ‘ Where is this God of yours…?’

The psalmist is facing a collision of two worlds, the natural that is filled with fear and accusations and the supernatural that is high above like the waterfall of Mount Hermon filled with hope and praise. Happiness now becomes a matter of focus. Once again the psalmist breaks the cycle of discouragement by asking two self-answering questions: • “ Why am I discouraged? • Why so sad? • I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again- my Savior and my God! (11)

1 Keil & Delitzsch

PSALM 43: SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT AND TRUTH Finding the Source of Joy

Psalm 43 is often considered a part of Psalm 42 as verse 5 is quoted two different times in the pre- vious psalm. “ Why am I discouraged? Why so sad?…” (5) It is the cry of a musician who has been sep- arated from their place of ministry before the altar of God. This fits the situation of the author in Psalm 42 who was in exile with King David in the land of Jordan. The light and truth of the Lord leads them back to the altar that is the source of all their joy breaking the cycle of discouragement. Although it is not recorded as a song of the ‘ Descendants of Korah ’, it is often thought of as one.

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