I Will Praise Him Again— My Savior and My God!

Child of God, let’s be honest…some days we struggle to find the “JOY of the LORD,” not that we have lost our faith but because some experience has disturbed our peace. We feel off-kilter emotionally, melancholy, self-pitying, and “blue”.

Such soul disturbances should not be allowed to linger, we must deal swiftly with them, and not give way to them. These are feelings that can be deceptively comforting, which makes them dangerous. They inhibit our ability to be productive children of the Most High God and cause us to lose sight of our true life purpose – to enjoy the LORD and praise Him forever. Not the thing we are motivated to do in the midst of a nice pity party.

Praise will nourish and restore our souls. Praise is the balm that will heal our troubled emotions and sets us free from self-pity and discouragement. God delights in our praise and allow us to share in that delight with Him. Praise his name…For the Lord delights in his people. Psalm 149:4

The author of Psalm 42 describes his experience with discouragement, the reason that led up to his emotional breakdown and the hope that liberated and cheered him again. I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!” Psalm 42:5.

We too can praise ourselves out of the doldrums! Let us rise up in the strength of the LORD and reclaim our right to Peace and joy in Him!

Psalm 42 – NLT

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!

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the God our strength and our Song of Deliverance! Thank you that through Jesus Christ you made available to us a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Thank you loving Father for delighting in our praise and in us. Thank you for being the one true Hope where we always find new strength to soar high on wings like eagles. To you Abba belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile