January 1
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PSALM 43 – VINDICATE ME, O GOD AND DEFEND MY CAUSE
Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people, from the deceitful and unjust man deliver me! 2 For you are the God in whom I take refuge;
why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?3 Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling! 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. – Psalm 43:1-5
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Matthew Henry speculates that David might have composed this psalm when he was prevented from returning to the sanctuary in Jerusalem, either due to persecution by Saul or because of Absalom’s revolt. Some ancient Hebrew manuscripts have this Psalm 42 combined with Psalm 43.In this psalm, the writer sounds like saying out loud a soliloquy (speaking one’s thought aloud by himself). His emotions is on a roller coaster vacillating from anger & panic (v1) to depression (v.2) to optimism (v3) to rejoicing (v4) and back to depression then hopefulness at the very end of the psalm. Our emotions are very complex and changes often each moment. Sometimes, we suppress or avoid some of our emotions that do not fit in the stereotypes or that makes us uncomfortable. I think God gave us emotions so we can examine what is going on inside us. Oftentimes, we set it aside because we have tasks to do and roles to play. When we judge our emotions and not address what it presents to us, we fail to see what the Holy Spirit is teaching and delays our growth. In the first verse, we hear why the psalmist is agonizing. He was unjustly accused by ungodly people and being prevented from going in the temple where he wants to worship the Lord.
Evil lurks when oppression and persecution is present. Satan wants take control of anyone who loves the Lord. I marvel at the courage and strength exhibited in the verses when the psalmist wrote this. Despite the schemes of the enemy to put him down, he never gave in to the accusation. Instead, he ran so quickly to God even during the fear and panic that he experienced. He didn’t suppress the bad feelings, but allowed it to lead him to run to God who is his vindicator and defender. How amazing to know that we can allow ourselves to go through suffering and persecution because God will avenge us.
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REFLECTION
• How can laying down your agony and pain to God strengthen your faith?