He prays for God's help:
"Vindicate me...plead my cause... deliver me.
He prays for a sense of God's presence:
"...Send Your light and Your truth. Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle."
He ends by doing a little self-talk:
"Why are you cast down, O my soul?
And why are you disquieted within me
Hope in God
for I shall yet praise Him"
This psalm tells us that even spiritual giants like Bible writers sometimes feel alone, discouraged, misunderstood and down. Can we learn from what this one does about it?
- He asks God for help.
- He plans to go to the place of worship.
- He takes up his musical instrument and plays a song of praise.
In other words, he acts himself out of his funk. He does what he knows to do, realizing his feelings will follow.
Lord, help us not to feel guilty when we struggle with negative feelings. Instead help us do what David does - pray, meet with God's people, dust off that old harp and praise God, even if we don't feel like it.
