The Cry of Hope and Help in the Resurrection – Psalm 43
For the past two days, we have meditated on Psalm 43 in the light of the resurrection. In verses 1-2, we saw that for Christians, our resurrection is when we are vindicated and delivered. In verses 3-4, we saw that the resurrection is the one event that sheds light on all the important questions of life. It is the fundamental truth in all of history.
The resurrection of Christ is the culminating act of God’s light, God’s truth and that event leads and guides our worship until we die or Jesus comes again.
We pray to God through the resurrected Christ.
We sing to God because of the resurrected Christ.
We give to God out of love for the resurrected Christ.
We observe the Supper of the resurrected Christ.
We study the word given us by the resurrected Christ.
STANZA THREE – A CRY OF HOPE AND HELP – 43:5:
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“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”
Don’t forget the author of this psalm is feeling persecuted (vss 1-2). He is surrounded by an ungodly nation, unjust and deceitful people, whom he feels are his enemies. Because things are going badly for him, he feels that God might have even rejected him. So, here, he speaks to his own soul and says, “Why am I so sad? Why am I so upset?” Sometimes, we have to talk to ourselves. Even psychiatrists say that sometimes you have to talk your way into a better feeling. When we have fears, anxieties, doubts, questions, we do have to talk to ourselves. When our soul despairs, we have to talk to ourselves and remind ourselves of what we know to be the truth.
Here, the psalmist tells himself, his own soul, his inner being, “Wait for God’s help.” Where are you going to turn? If it’s not God, where? Hope in God. For the author, this hope leads him, again, to worship – to “praise” God.
Of course, God is our “help,” the “help of my countenance.” The “countenance” is your facial expressions. The psalmist is saying that the thought of God can change his facial expressions as it changes his emotions. God provides help. He will provide help. That’s what puts the smile on your face when you are struggling.
Finally, one last thing I want to point out from this psalm: the author had a personal relationship with God. Notice that he believed fundamentally that God was his personal God – the God of “my” strength (vs 2); God “my” exceeding joy (vs 4); and twice he calls God “my” God (vss 4 & 5).
Hope and help. Everything about our hope, as Christians, is tied to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The ground / foundation of our hope is the resurrected Jesus. The content of our hope is the resurrected Jesus. The goal of our hope is the resurrected Jesus.
He’ll give help. If God would send Jesus to the cross to save you from your sins, don’t you think that God is concerned about the lesser things we worry about in this life? Do you think that God would go through all that effort to raise Jesus from the dead, the whole plan of salvation from the garden of Eden to the resurrection of Jesus, and say, “I don’t care what else happens to you! I’ve done all I’m going to do!” No. The resurrection proves that God loves us. He will give help.
Vindication. Deliverance. Strength. Light. Truth. Worship. Hope. Help. What does the resurrection mean to you?
–Paul Holland
