Psalms 42:11

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.

Psalms 42:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 42:11

Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
&c.] The same expostulation as in ( Psalms 42:5 ) ; and so is what follows,

and why art thou disquieted within me?
and the same argument and means are made use of to remove dejection and disquietude;

hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him; (See Gill on Psalms 42:5); to which is added a new argument, taken from the grace and goodness of God, and covenant interest in him;

[who is] the health of my countenance, and my God;
as the bodily health of man is seen in the countenance, and for the most part to be judged of by it; so is the spiritual health of the saints, and which they have from the Lord; when he, as the sun of righteousness, arises upon them with healing in his wings, he, by his gracious presence, makes their countenances cheerful, fills them with joy unspeakable and full of glory, and causes them to lift up their heads with an holy boldness and confidence, and without shame and fear: or as it may be rendered, who "is the salvations of my countenance" ^F15; that is, who is or will be the author of full and complete salvation to me; which will be so public and open, so clear and manifest, as to be beheld by myself and others; and this the psalmist mentions, in order to remove his present dejections; and besides, this God of salvation he believed was his covenant God, and would be so even unto death; and therefore he had no just reason to be dejected and disquieted.

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FOOTNOTES:

F15 (tewvy) "salutes", Pagninus, Montanus, Cocceius, Michaelis.

Psalms 42:11 In-Context

9 I say to God, my rock, "Why have you forgotten me? Why must I walk about mournfully because the enemy oppresses me?"

10 As with a deadly wound in my body, my adversaries taunt me, while they say to me continually, "Where is your God?"

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my help and my God.